Market days are always busy and highly anticipated by us the makers and no doubt by our lovely patrons as well. We spend so many hours making and preparing – remembering to iron and wash the table cloth, to pack the scissors and all the bits and bobs that go into our packaging. It’s not just about what is on the table – but price tags, business cards, display props and infrastructure. Should I set up like last time? Do I have the same amount of space – or ‘platz’ as we like to say here in Germany? Did it work me for last time….and what about the customers? So many things run through your head, but it’s all part of the fun and excitement of preparing for a market. The COCO-MAT Kunsthandwerkermarkt (Handmade Market) was no exception.
This time I managed to pack almost everything into one suitcase – which for me, even on a good day is a miracle! The softie family were on their best behaviour and actually enjoy the excitement of being carefully squished together, in a mishmashed rainbow, along side children’s tshirts, baby onesies, baby bibs and burp cloths. Everything even managed to still look ironed at the other end!
It’s amazing how sometimes unpacking and setting up can be so much faster than packing to begin with, especially when you have an idea of how you plan your stand to look beforehand. Then the fastest part of all is packing up at the end of the market, when you’re usually completely exhausted and ready to collapse. It’s amazing how fast you can pack up then!
This time, like many other markets we’ve done together, my studio buddy and very good crafty friend Jana from JVF Designs joined me. Her crochet work is unparalleled. It couldn’t be more charming or perfect in its finishing. Jana is a perfectionist and it absolutely shows in each and every piece she makes. If it’s not perfect – you won’t see it – ever! She has some of the sweetest and most colourful designs I have seen – making her and I the perfect match to sit side by side at the market – knee-deep in our colourful, soft and playful world.
The above two photos shows you some of Jana’s amazing work – including her one-of-a-kind Ice Cream Rattles, the gorgeous crocheted beanies for big and little kids, as well as her blankets – many of which are original crochet designs, that Jana painstakingly worked out herself on some good old graph paper. She is not yet selling her work online (which I am hoping to persuade her to do) – but should you be interested in her work, feel free to contact her directly: JVFdesign@gmail.com
We had such a lovely day, with many new and known friends stopping by to join us for a glass of sekt and enjoy the festive atmosphere, to start this holiday season. Huge thank you to Konny, Kostas & Katy of COCO-MAT – they are always delightful and there to help and make Market Day an amazing success! To each and every one of our lovely customers – you made our day!
Gus and Ollie 