Not market people
Recent custom orders plus a little experimentation in the top left corner: a hanging wall pocket.
At the end of the year, I printed up a calendar for the entirety of 2026 and taped it to the studio wall, right behind the ironing board. Caine was quiet while I did this and kept cutting out the tote he was working on, seeming to ignore the large chunk of the wall now covered in months. When I was finished, I stared at it for a while, appreciating its blank openness. Then I picked a pen.
”Not too many, please.” Caine said, interrupting the silence.
”No, not too many.” I agreed.
We are not market people, you see. We are studio people who hope to be storefront people one day. And yet, in order to get there, we have to go against our introverted nature and get out there. Set up our tent, arrange our display. Talk to people.
And the thing about introverts is, we are actually fine talking to people, especially if it is about our bags and sewing. We enjoy ourselves at the markets, sitting side-by-side, eating from food trucks and just being together. It is a lot of fun. Really. We truly have a good time and usually come out of it with new connections and ideas. It is just the getting out there part that we struggle with. The whole idea of it. Going out to sell our goods versus staying home and sewing in the studio.
So what we decided was that we would do one market a month. We can probably manage to get enough bags made and handle our custom orders if we limit the markets to once a month. It does take us time to sew the bags we sell, much more time, in fact, than it takes to sell them. A good problem to have, everyone agrees, but also it means that we have a limited capacity for both production and commerce. So once a month.
Knowing that we are only doing one market a month and having the whole year laid out before me, I have started to think a little more broadly about the markets. Like perhaps we go outside of Gainesville once and a while. Just to see what is going on in other places. Not very far but just far enough to make it feel like an adventure. An excursion with a lot of bags packed in the back.
Oh yeah, a lot of bags. I need to get going on that. Our first market of the year at the Downtown Market Series will be quickly followed by our second at The AUK Market. (I added a little calendar feature so you can see our schedule easily, in case you are not following us on Instagram where I usually promote the markets.) I do have a collection of pouches ready but that is about it. Miniduffs, everyday totes, and fanny packs (going to go with the old school cringey name) on the docket for me. Caine will be working on pocketed totes, wall pockets, and the yet to be disclosed somethingofanother. A lot of studio time but hey, we love that. :)
Hope you are all well. Take care.
