4 Places to Sell Your Crafting Services

Do you knit, crochet, sew, or dominate any other fabulous, crafty hobbies? If so, you might be able to turn those abilities into a second income. Both Etsy and Artfire are great places to sell your handcrafted goods; you can even put your items up for auction on eBay. But part of the secret to making money with anything new is leaving no stone unturned, so make sure you explore these other possibilities for turning your crafts into cash:

Local Galleries, Boutiques, and Consignment Shops

If you make handmade art or wearables, check with local businesses that sell similar items — they might be willing to take your goods on consignment or, if there’s proven demand for them, they might just buy them outright at wholesale prices.

Craft Fairs and Markets

Do you shop at the craft fairs and holiday markets that spring up around Christmas, or in the little kiosks that sprout in malls at about the same time? How about the craft booths that often show up at farmer’s markets, flea markets, and other outdoor markets during the summer? Someone had to make (and then make a profit off of) every single item sold there, and it might as well be you.

Just make sure you do your research first: The cost for renting a table or booth varies widely between markets and fairs, as does what equipment you’re responsible for providing (sometimes you even have to bring your own table). Some markets and craft fairs will let you rent a space for just one day to test the waters, others may require a longer commitment; and lastly, some will insist that you have a certain amount of stock on-hand before they let you sit down and sell.

Teach Classes

If you can craft, you have an enviable skill that others are willing to pay to learn. The trick is finding the best outlet to teach. Someone has to teach the classes that big box stores like Michaels and JoAnn’s use to lure customers in — why shouldn’t it be you? Just keep in mind that the bigger stores are more likely to have an established format you’d have to follow for the classes, and may even insist that you either work shifts as an employee or get a particular certification or credential (yes, they have those for crafters) before they let you teach there.

You may have better luck in terms of flexible scheduling and formatting if you approach smaller, local craft shops. Having lessons available in-store is a winning proposition for them; they might or might not take a small commission on the lesson fees, but they’ll always make a profit on the supplies students buy in preparation for your class.

Still no luck? Contact your local community schools program, parks and recreation department, and community recreation centers; all three types of programs are likely targets for setting up a teaching opportunity.

Hang Out a Shingle

Finally, you can advertise your teaching services, crafter-for-hire services, or finished goods for sale on sites like Craigslist. Just keep in mind that you never know who’s on the other end of that email, and use all appropriate common sense to keep yourself safe out there.

Where else can you sell your crafts? Let us know in the comments!