I was on Folksy for years and didn’t sell enough to cover the recurring fees! So I quietly went away and learned the trade of selling in another place and in my own online website. I do really well there, mostly to US, but not many sales in the UK, so here I am again. I work with leather making old-fashioned knitting belts to fit customer’s measurements. A few years ago, one felt that Folksy attracted items that looked more like a sale of work - but recently I see real professional pictures, realistic pricing and items for sale that would look in any boutique.
I look forward to joining in - instead of just reading newsletters from time to time and watching from afar.
Lorna of Woollywoodlanders.
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welcome back…
I have never heard of knitting belts and I have been knitting and selling for over 60 years…
I hope there is a market for them…
Folksy is a lovely place to be …I have never seen it as a place like a “Sale of work” and I have been here for over 10 years now. There are the occasional items that might not be of top standard but mostly the items I see here are top quality…
I hope it goes well for you
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I must admit to selling a load of old rubbish that would shame a jumble sale 
No wonder you left…
If you would like to be part of the Folksy community, it would be nice if you filled your shop and not just used it as a springboard to your other sites…
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I remember your wonderful knitted jumpers for Sylvanian families, they are still delightful. Knit more! fill your shop! Good luck
Suzzie x
Welcome back. I closed my own website and do not use the ‘other site’ much, preferring to concentrate on Folksy. Love the community feel.
Welcome back! I’ve not been on here very long but am a keen knitter and although knitting belts are not something I have used myself (I love my circulars for every job!) they bring back memories of my Granny. She was a prolific knitter and had a few belts (I think my aunt still has one of hers but in need of repair), she could knock out a gansey in quick time. I think she’d have learnt to use one while working with the fish, she was a herring girl, left school at 14 to travel from Shetland to Lowestoft with the fishing fleet as they followed the herring. In their down time the women would knit.
Hi @WoollyWoodlanders. I love the little jumpers!! Will definitely watch out for your shop. I am also recently back to Folksy after a break away… good luck with it! Alex
I’ve made heaps of Sylvainian clothes from your pattern that I brought years ago - I must admit I’m thinking about shutting my Folksy shop as I’m not getting any sales at all and am busy on Etsy.
It’s a pity as it’d be good to have a thriving shop here especially being a UK seller - many manage it - but I can’t.
I hope it goes well for you.
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That first line comes across wrong,it sounds like you were selling a load of old toot and I know you of old, you sold quality merchandise (still do) this we ALL know.
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Thanks, James! It was a bit tongue in cheek in response to the original post Most of us here on Folksy have a professional attitude to selling, but the shops that look a bit “sale of work” are great as well. They just show how inclusive and welcoming Folksy is to all crafters
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It’s a long time since I’ve heard that phrase, made me smile and think of fund raisers when I was a child.
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I used to make things for the school summer fair when the kids were little (years before all this “selling stuff” nonsense). My wooden spoon bunnies were popular (wouldn’t get a CE mark today, although I’m sure they were pretty harmless!).
Hi Suzzie, @thistledown&HOPE Yes I still create these patterns. Fortunately the sylvanian figurines do seem to go on and on so I keep creating. I will list my other patterns now and find out how you all promote yourselves. I see something about 365 so I will have to find out all about that - see if it works for me. I love the colours of your backgrounds, Silver/grey is so ‘classy’.
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What a lovely interesting story. Had you thought of contacting the Shetland Wool Week which is now a huge celebration. I am sure they would love to know her name and all about her. There is a lovely little book on Scottish gansey knitting called Moray Firth Gansey Project, not quite Shetland. The story of your Granny is lovely, and there has been a lot of research on the herring girls and their knitting. My father-in-law owned a drifter in Newlyn before the War and his wife did his net mending and in his village there is a pilchard loft where the fish were prepared and arranged in barrels in the same way as the herring.
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Thank you Hazel. Daily 365 challenge is a great way to get your work seen, just add something new every day for that month and promote everyone else’s work where ever you are present. The whole thread is based on mutual promotion. Good luck x