Friday 11 November 2011

To Sell or not to Sell?

That is the question!  (Apologies to W. Shakespeare!) I am going to tell you a secret.  Don’t tell anyone.  There are a few bags in my Folksy shop that I would be quite happy if they don’t sell.  The price may reflect this (oops, didn’t mean to confess that!)



The problem is that I so enjoyed making them, and they are just so beautiful that I don’t think that I could bear to part with them.  Daft?  I suppose you are wondering why not keep them?  Why try and sell them?  I guess the reason is two-fold:



1.   I doubt I would ever use them as bags, in some senses they are a piece of art to me – a creative outpouring that found a focus in making a bag.  As a self-taught sewing “nut” – and I only recently learned to use a sewing machine, I feel I have become quite confident with the stitching and making.  As other bag makers will tell you “It can be quite addictive!”

2.   I need the money!  To feed my other addiction.  (Oops a lot more secrets are coming out than I planned to tell!)  The bags give me such a huge pleasure to make and complete, that I hope that someone else will feel the same way about them and want to part with their money to have them! It would give me pleasure to know that they are giving someone else the same pleasure.  (My other addiction is to purchase even more fabric, even more lace etc. etc.)



It’s about time I showed you an example of one of the bags I am talking about!



I expect you are wondering what’s so special about this handcrafted bag?  It’s the fabric!!  Anyone who loves the Fleur de Lys motif can’t fail to love this bag.  The fabric is covered in them, which is very pleasing, but the real icing on the cake is that the large silk bow has Fleur de Lys motifs as well.



It was a lovely happy accident when I discovered the silk remnant in my stash and was able to pair it with the main fabric.  Luckily, this bag hasn’t attracted as much interest as some of my others!  So, I am fairly safe in the knowledge that I can probably keep it!

Another bag that I am fond of has already featured in my previous post:

If you read my post on “Fabric”, I tell the story of how this bag came into being, so I won’t repeat here.  Needless to say, I would be very loathe to part with this bag.  But, I am pretty sure no one is going to purchase it!!

Finally, there is another bag (I like lot of others too!) But, this bag is so special I’d be pretty happy if no one purchased it!
It is covered in vintage lace, you see.  This bag is GORGEOUS.  Sorry to shout about it, but I love it to bits!!  Now this bag I would just enjoy owning.  I doubt I would ever use it, but that’s not always the point!  (Other bag owners will tell you this!!)  Unfortunately, there has been a lot of interest in this bag, but luckily it hasn’t sold yet! 

Anyway, my secret is out. (And a few others too!)  Don’t tell anyone because they might have a look at my Folksy shop and decide they want to purchase one of these bags.  That will be a very dark day indeed.  But, to end on a more cheerful note, what my happy potential customers don’t know is that I have lots of other bags that I haven’t listed yet, so I get to keep them, unless of course, the urge to purchase more fabric or lace comes upon me then I will have to try and sell one!?

Check out my Folksy shop – it sells more than bags!  PS. Don’t forget to keep my secret!


BFN Edwina

3 comments:

  1. Hello! I found your blog from folksy :-) Love the bags, I can see why you want to keep them. I have the same problem at the moment with a mushroom house pincushion I've made, think I'll keep it and make another to sell!
    Lorraine x

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  2. Hi Edwina, beautiful bags, i especially love your vintage lace bag, i wouldn't want to part from it either!

    Sara x

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