# Will these sell?



## Mommysoaper (Feb 27, 2013)

Ok, I love to make soap but I also love to make knitted and crocheted items.  In the future, if I ever get to do a craft show or fair I would love to sells my soaps but I would also like to sell other handmade items like knitted wash cloths, scrubbies etc.  Has anyone else done this with their soaps?  Do you think it would sell well or be a waste of time?  Right now I put the handmade items in with my soaps as a bonus for gifting.  People seem to like them as gifts, but don't know if they'll pay for something like this.   Any experience on the subject or opinions, I'm open to!  Here's a pic of some of the things I make.  I will always knit and crochet since I love it. I thought merging all of my favorite crafts would be a nice thing to do 

The pic shows knitted washcloths, a soap saver bag, a few scrubbies, and a crocheted stash basket.


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## Genny (Feb 27, 2013)

I sell soapsavers, scrubbies & washcloths.  The washcloths sell well by themselves at craft fairs.  But I also make up small gift packages like a soapsaver & soap or a washcloth & soap, or a bigger gift package with a soapsaver, a couple soaps, a couple washcloths, a scrubby, a small pack of sugar scrubs, a lotion bar & a lip balm.  The gift packages sell the best right before Christmas, but they also sell well at Mother's Day.


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## Badger (Feb 27, 2013)

Those are very nice.  I have no idea how they would sell, but I don't think that it would hurt to try.  What material do you knit with?  Do you use cottons or acrylics?  My partner knits and crochets I was thinking that these might be something that he could try.


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## Momonga (Feb 27, 2013)

A little mitten for your soap!   I think your creations add value and really contribute to the handmade image of your combined product.  I think it will sell because handmade is what people are looking for right now!  I was just talking to a colleague about how today's 20-somethings hate to make anything, but love to buy handmade.


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## Mommysoaper (Feb 27, 2013)

Badger said:


> Those are very nice.  I have no idea how they would sell, but I don't think that it would hurt to try.  What material do you knit with?  Do you use cottons or acrylics?  My partner knits and crochets I was thinking that these might be something that he could try.


I make them using 100% cotton yarn.  Pretty durable stuff, not overly expensive, easy to find and work with.  I'm still experimenting with things to determine exactly what I might use.  There are many different yarns you could use though.  I know of some folks who like to knit/crochet with hemp, or even bamboo!

Thanks for the input so far.  Genny- I like the idea of making gift sets to sell.  That's what I do now, though through gifting.


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## three_little_fishes (Feb 27, 2013)

I wish I could pass some of my yarn to you guys through the computer screen! I have 4 giant space bags full right now.  

I think they would sell, especially around the holidays like already mentioned. I love the knit washcloths that I have made. Can't crochet for the life of me though so I have yet to make a scrubby.


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## lizflowers42 (Feb 27, 2013)

I love your little poof thing!  If I could only learn how do do that...then I would have mother's day gifts covered!!  I can knit disclothes, and just mastered single/double crochet...but I have so much more to learn!


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## Genny (Feb 27, 2013)

For the knitters, here's a pattern for the bath poufs
http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/PATTbonbon.html


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## Relle (Feb 27, 2013)

I think they will sell.

I have a pattern for the scrubbies and had a go but for some reason I must have read it wrong and they weren't working out, I'll give it another go.
I've lost count of the number of dishcloths I've made. Some said they look like washcloths so that's what they use them for.


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## Badger (Feb 27, 2013)

I am doing more Yule holiday planning and thinking of doing little gift baskets with scrubbies and soaps and lip balm and anything else we happen to create in the interim.


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## Sunny (Feb 27, 2013)

I would buy a scrubbie if I saw them on sale at a soaper's booth (as long as it felt like a quick drying item). Those are really neat.


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## paillo (Feb 27, 2013)

Genny said:


> I sell soapsavers, scrubbies & washcloths.  The washcloths sell well by themselves at craft fairs.  But I also make up small gift packages like a soapsaver & soap or a washcloth & soap, or a bigger gift package with a soapsaver, a couple soaps, a couple washcloths, a scrubby, a small pack of sugar scrubs, a lotion bar & a lip balm.  The gift packages sell the best right before Christmas, but they also sell well at Mother's Day.



THIS! Totally agree, been very successful for me. I haven't gotten as elaborate or creative as Genny, but gift baskets do very well. I've had numerous guys buy them - it takes the guesswork out of putting things together, and they're very much appreciative


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## Mommysoaper (Feb 28, 2013)

lizflowers42 said:


> I love your little poof thing!  If I could only learn how do do that...then I would have mother's day gifts covered!!  I can knit disclothes, and just mastered single/double crochet...but I have so much more to learn!


The pouf is only made up of single and double crochet stitches.  It's not too hard.  There are a ton of free patterns online, but I made one up that works for me.  One pouf takes pretty much one skein of cotton yarn so I don't have little bits left over and I don't need to start a new skein part way through which can be annoying. :smile:


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## Mommysoaper (Feb 28, 2013)

Sunny said:


> I would buy a scrubbie if I saw them on sale at a soaper's booth (as long as it felt like a quick drying item). Those are really neat.


They take longer to dry than a nylon scrubby, but I like that they handle being washed well.  A great combo between a washcloth and a nylon scrubby.  Last longer than a nylon scrubby too!  

As for gift baskets, it's never too soon to plan for Christmas!


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## gratia (Feb 28, 2013)

I offer one soap saver sock for free for every 5 bars of soap they buy.  People love to get things for free no matter how small.  But I have sold.


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## lizflowers42 (Feb 28, 2013)

Mommysoaper said:


> The pouf is only made up of single and double crochet stitches.  It's not too hard.  There are a ton of free patterns online, but I made one up that works for me.  One pouf takes pretty much one skein of cotton yarn so I don't have little bits left over and I don't need to start a new skein part way through which can be annoying. :smile:



Oh!  I might be able to handle that!  The patterns I have seen are more elaborate calling for increasing/decreasing which I haven't tackled yet in my "studies"


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## Mommysoaper (Feb 28, 2013)

Sent you a pm lizflowers42!


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## hoegarden (Feb 28, 2013)

wow... amazing.. i think fellow soapies here are just so talented... u make soaps... you knit... you sew... 

needles are my worse enemy... i am juz glad that I could sew back my button already.. that is the best I can do...

anyway... the knitted works are sooooo cute. can the soaps be put inside and use like a scrub?


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## Mommysoaper (Feb 28, 2013)

hoegarden said:


> wow... amazing.. i think fellow soapies here are just so talented... u make soaps... you knit... you sew...
> 
> needles are my worse enemy... i am juz glad that I could sew back my button already.. that is the best I can do...
> 
> anyway... the knitted works are sooooo cute. can the soaps be put inside and use like a scrub?


Yes!  That's what the soap saver is for.  You can put a whole bar inside and scrub yourself up with it, or you can put in a bunch of scraps and use them in the shower.  When you're done, wash it and use it for more soap!  handy!


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## hoegarden (Feb 28, 2013)

That so genius.. You really have a pair of crafter's hands..


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## Badger (Feb 28, 2013)

My partner has a scrubbie with cotton yarn almost done.  I looked up some patterns on Ravelry and asked if he could make some for me.  We are going to try a few different types of yarn to see what works best.  Some recommended acrylics because they dry faster and are still machine washable.  We are actually getting an acrylic/bamboo blend to try out also.  Thank you all for the wonderful ideas


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## Mommysoaper (Mar 4, 2013)

hoegarden said:


> That so genius.. You really have a pair of crafter's hands..


Thanks for the compliment, but the soapsaver wasn't my idea.  I've seen them around and a friend suggested I make them.  I like to because they don't take much yarn and I get to use my double pointed knitting needles since I knit them "In the round"  Yay!


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## Mommysoaper (Mar 4, 2013)

Badger said:


> My partner has a scrubbie with cotton yarn almost done.  I looked up some patterns on Ravelry and asked if he could make some for me.  We are going to try a few different types of yarn to see what works best.  Some recommended acrylics because they dry faster and are still machine washable.  We are actually getting an acrylic/bamboo blend to try out also.  Thank you all for the wonderful ideas


I'm glad you guys were inspired!  I heard acrylic was easier to dry too, but to me it's a little scratchy.  I have knitted with a bamboo/ acrylic blend yarns before and think they feel so soft!  Good luck!


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## Badger (Mar 4, 2013)

We just got 8 skeins of acrylic/bamboo blend to make some scrubbies with for the holidays  That should keep us in stock of scrubbies for a while, lol.


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