Hi Reader,

I was rolling up my yoga mat at the end of class last week, still in that blissful post-yoga glow, when my yoga teacher stopped me on the way out.

“Would you like to have a stall at the Christmas Wellness Fair I’m organising on December 13th?”

My immediate, very un-zen thought “I DON’T HAVE TIME.”

She’s been running these fairs for just over a year now and I’ve always wanted to support her but I've always been away.

I’ve always fancied doing a craft stall.

But the timing? Absolutely rubbish.

I don’t have time to make a decent stock of anything. I’ve never done a stall before. I’m knee-deep in finishing the Straight Stitch Starter Pack (which I’m pre-selling right now for delivery on December 6th).

Not to speak of the zillion other commitments.

So naturally, I smiled politely and said I’d think about it.

Case closed, right?

Wrong.

Because of course, that night I couldn’t sleep.

My brain had other plans.

You know how it goes....

2am, wide awake, and suddenly you’re having the most productive brainstorming session of your life with… nobody.

Here’s the thing: I DO want to support my yoga teacher. I DO want to try having a stall.

So instead of letting “I don’t have time” win, I flipped the script.

I asked myself: What could I sell that doesn’t cost me anything and won’t eat up my precious time?

In my head, I looked around my sewing room and all the places where my sewing has overflowed.

Oh. OH.

I have LOTS of fabric that’s been given to me over the years, the kind I found hard to say no to but honestly isn’t my style or colour.

I have buttons and beads and trimmings coming out of my ears.

I have bags and boxes of tiny scraps from past projects that I simply cannot bring myself to bin because of landfill-guilt.

So there I was at stupid o’clock in the morning, paper and pen in hand, scribbling down ideas:

• Furoshiki cloths (those gorgeous Japanese fabric wraps) as an eco-friendly alternative to wrapping paper
• Christmas decoration kits using my scraps and embroidery floss
• Apron kits, tote bag kits, and drawstring gift bags using patterns I’ve already created for my beginner classes.

Then at my Sew Bee Yourself Online Sewing Club on Friday, my members got involved.

We discussed some brilliantly low-lift ideas: Christmas tree decorations made from narrow strips of cloth tied around a stick and trimmed into shape, and Christmas tree-shaped drawstring bags. Genius!

My theme?

Upcycled. Saved from landfill. Eco-friendly. Sustainable. One small step at a time.

No buying anything new.

Definitely no new plastic.

Just giving lovely things a second chance.

I even tried getting AI to help me brainstorm, but it kept suggesting things that would take AGES to prepare.

Turns out, the best ideas came from my own sleepless brain and my wonderful sewing community.

Speaking of wonderful things…

Remember that fur cutting video I shared with you? The one where I showed you how to cut faux fur without making a complete mess? Well, it’s now crossed 1.1 MILLION VIEWS on TikTok.

Yes, you read that right. 1.1 MILLION people apparently needed to know this trick! If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the link.

Sewing Tip: Pop-Up Market Stall Wisdom Since this is my very first stall (eek!), I thought I’d share what I’m learning as I go. Here’s my current game plan: Have some low-cost items that aren’t a heavy lift to produce. Think kits, bundles, or things you’ve already made patterns for. Your time is precious – don’t reinvent the wheel. Work with what you’ve already got. I’m not buying new supplies. I’m using my stash (which, let’s be honest, could stock a small haberdashery). Make it easy for people to say yes. Price points matter. Have something at different levels so people can grab a little something or go all in.

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What about you?

Have you done maker fairs or market stalls before?

What have you sold?

What worked?

What flopped spectacularly?

Any tips for a first-timer who’s slightly terrified but mostly excited?

I’d absolutely love to hear your experiences and any wisdom you’d like to share. Reply to this email or drop me a message – I’m all ears!

Right, back to assembling kits and probably having another 2am brainstorming session…

Happy sewing!

Vee x

P.S. The Straight Stitch Starter Pack presale is still open for delivery on December 6th. If you’ve been thinking about it (maybe as a Christmas gift for a friend or family member), now’s the time to jump in before the price gos up www.sewingteacher.co.uk/starter-pack​