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Original poster

Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?

109 replies

LauraSaidIShouldBeNicer · 04/10/2021 20:08

I am doing my first craft fair in December I make dog and cat collars. I also plan on doing some low cost items aswell like treats and toys and blankets ect.

This is a cat mat it's thicker than a blanket and can save a sofa or bed getting too hairy?

Is this something that would interest cat owners? What price would you pay for something like this I was thinking £5? I don't want to make a few up if they are useless.

Im not looking to make a huge profit just cover costs and maybe some extra. It's just a hobby for me and not needed to pay the bills.

Ps the lighting is crap this evening its a blush pink.

Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?
Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?
Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
Walnetcream · 05/10/2021 04:43

I'm a crafter and think £5 is too cheap. But people have pointed out claws could get stuck. My cat's knee dislocates. He can't have wool because his claws get stuck. If he trys to pull and free himself he could hurt his knee. He's never worn a collar and I could make yhe toys easily myself.

I brought a lovely cat christmas stocking from ebay a few years ago. It was hand knitted. It's packed away now but I think it had a fish and holly appliqued on the front. Its large enough for a pack of dreamies and a small toy to fit inside.

sashh · 05/10/2021 04:49

I'd be worried about the tassels, but my cat has something similar on the radiator (she rejected the radiator bed for the radiator itself). So yes I would consider buying.

Hydrate · 05/10/2021 04:51

I would buy the catnip toys, but not the knitted blanket for reasons previously mentioned. I usually bought some fleece from a bolt and cut it to size.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 05/10/2021 05:08

My (last) cat would rather sleep in a box of Lego than ANYTHING that had been specifically bought for her.

ModerateOven · 05/10/2021 05:20

If you make it a little slimmer it would be ideal as a windowsill mat. I would definitely buy one for £5

I would too.

Balonzette · 05/10/2021 05:27

I'd buy it! I'd pay upto a tenner for it. Maybe even a bit more.

NutellaEllaElla · 05/10/2021 05:31

I love the catnip fish and would buy them. Mine would also like fishing rod toys. I would be more likely to buy a windowsill mat but it might have to be without the tassels as my cat would destroy it, pull it off the windowsill etc.

PeriChristmas · 05/10/2021 06:57

Why so you only want to make stuff for cats?

Crocheted baby toys are fab. I'd be more likely to buy those.

Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?
Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?
Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?
Original poster
LauraSaidIShouldBeNicer · 05/10/2021 08:24

I am not just doing cats am doing dogs aswell, and maybe some gloves scarfs ect to go as winter walking accessories. I don't want to do baby items as these are very popular at a craft fair and I want to be one of few not of many, although this is a hobby primarily I still want to sell and don't feel I could compete in the baby market.

OP posts:
LimpLettice · 05/10/2021 08:27

My cats love a crochet blanket and have yet to wreck one. Just make sure it's indestructible acrylic for the washing machine!

Cat lovers would you buy this at a craft fair?
Feelslikealot · 05/10/2021 08:31

£5 isn't worth bothering to make it surely? if you're attending craft fairs you should price your stuff properly. Not only for your sake, but if you're taking something to sell for less than it would cost you to buy something similar from B&M or Primark then you're helping to devalue everything else at that craft fair. If i saw you at a craft fair selling that for £5 id assume it was mass made in China. People go to these fairs with money to spend and they're looking for handmade.

And what I've said up there is going to sound harsh, but what you've made is beautiful and you're clearly very skilled. You should charge what you're worth even if you don't want to do it as a business.

SoupDragon · 05/10/2021 08:44

I agree - there is no way £5 is properly priced. By pricing things so that you aren't paid for your time it makes people think handmade is cheap.

My cats also wouldn't deign to sleep on it. Neither would the dog actually - when given free reign he sleeps on my spot on the sofa which is free of doggy throw.

The cats (and the dog actually) do sleep in the crocheted and then felted basket I made. The dog doesn't actually fit in it, it's more of an "on")

Original poster
LauraSaidIShouldBeNicer · 05/10/2021 08:46

Noted about the pricing I was just worried about over pricing stuff. The first fair I am doing is in the posh side of the village so I will definitely price accordingly.

OP posts:
apalledandshocked · 05/10/2021 08:51

I could be completly wrong, but for me in a craft fair that mat priced at 5 pounds would seem less of a bargain than if it was priced at 15 pounds for example. Cheaper stuff gives you the impression its mass produced and the same as the one in a shop but 5 pounds instead of 3 - basically market stall. A higher price feels more boutique and handmade,, and more like something I could buy as a gift without being a skinflint
Plus, if you are selling at a craft fair you normally need to pay entry fee. If you are charging 5 pounds and entrance is 50 then you need to sell 10 before you can even start reimbursing yourself on other costs (materials etc). If you sell them for e.g. 19.99 you have already started doing that by the time you have sold 3.
I think you would need to experiment a little with the price before you hit the sweet spot.

apalledandshocked · 05/10/2021 08:52

Cross posted sorry!

AlbertBridge · 05/10/2021 08:54

It's gorgeous -- but my cat prefers to sleep on a piece of cardboard. Amazon packaging. She's obsessed.

OhWhyNot · 05/10/2021 08:56

It’s lovely

I probably would but like anything I buy the cat is never used by the cat he prefers things that are not bought for him

If you sold it for humans he would probably use it Smile

RubyFakeLips · 05/10/2021 08:58

Agree my cats would shred it and they will never use something like that. Maybe just do larger ones for dogs.

I do however, use cat collars but only for practical purposes so they need to be elasticated, have a reflective finish and come with a removable bell. So probably not what you would be producing.

Cat nip toys are your best bet.

FartleBarfle · 05/10/2021 09:03

This is beautiful but I absolutely would not buy that for a cat! Think how muddy their paws get in the winter, and also their claws getting stuck in the holes. You could make it slightly larger as a lap blanket perhaps. And then I would buy it and be prepared to pay more than I would for a cat. Keep up the good work! X

HotChoc10 · 05/10/2021 09:03

I'd definitely buy the catnip mice! It's a lovely blanket, I'd be more likely to buy it for a baby than a cat though. £5 is incredibly cheap though.

Thecathouse · 05/10/2021 09:05

@RubyFakeLips

Agree my cats would shred it and they will never use something like that. Maybe just do larger ones for dogs.

I do however, use cat collars but only for practical purposes so they need to be elasticated, have a reflective finish and come with a removable bell. So probably not what you would be producing.

Cat nip toys are your best bet.

Please don't use elasticated cat collars. The amount of times I have seen serious injuries where a leg has slipped through and the collar has cut in is heartbreaking. I have seen 3 cats in the last year requiring amputation (I do a bit of work with rehabilitating strays for a rescue) from injuries off these collars. Please swap for quick release
diddl · 05/10/2021 09:10

I'd love that for me!

RubyFakeLips · 05/10/2021 09:12

Thecathouse how unfortunate for you. However, I disagree and will continue to use elasticated collars. I’ve had at least 3 cats at any one time for the past 40 years and always used elasticated collars. I also foster cats and have never seen an injury as you describe or had a cat have issues with elasticated collars. I have however seen the consequence, luckily only on one occasion of quick release failing. We’ve obviously had different experiences.

OhWhyNot · 05/10/2021 09:17

Op my cat loves velvet (or nylon velvet the pretend stiff that feels really soft)

He is old now so his claws get easily stuck in anything fluffy (even though the are trimmed)

It’s easy to de fluff too

Just a suggestion…..

bridgeofslides · 05/10/2021 09:18

It's beautiful. If it was bigger I would buy it for the dog to sit on at the caravan as he needs a packaway bed and will accept just a towel! He won't claw it.

I think £5 is too cheap though.