What sells

[Duff Bement]

I was wondering if there are certain turned items that seem to sell all the time. I am looking for different items to turn this winter and possibly take to craft shows and fairs next summer. I just started turning again at age 51 after not turning since I was in high school ( you know, last century ). I am just looking for any suggestions from people that go to small craft shows and find that they never have enough of whatever. Any help, opinions, or just plain ole smart a_ _ remarks will appreciated and taken in the spirit they were given.
Thanks, Duff

[Paul Andrews]

Depends on your market and the economy! In my area large natural edge pieces are king. The past two years large cherry salad serving bowls were selling as fast as I could finish them. This year I have sold only two! Hollow forms do not sell in my area. I do a couple of shows in another State and hollow forms do well!

The best way to guage your market is get out to as many craft shows as you can and ask the vendors what sells and what time of the year does it sell best? Should give you a good starting point.

Good luck!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with Paul. The market is funny. Last year I sold all kinds of HF's and bowls especially NE. Didn't sell much of anything else. Sold a couple of pens, one lidded box and 5 ornaments. This year in May sold one HF and 2 bowls but did sell a bunch of lidded boxes, pens and Christmas ornaments. In August I sold 2 pens and one lidded box. Really disappointed in that one. It seems with the economy down (Agricultural economy here) people are not buying big ticket items. I talked with other turners and they are having the same problem selling around here and it is mostly small $15 to $30 items.

[Reed Gray]

The basic bowl sells best for me, maybe 75% of my total sales. From family sized salad bowls in the 12 to 16 inch range, to individual sized bowls, to the small knick knack bowls, or ones to hold salt in on the kitchen table. I also keep boxes handy, but they sell in spurts. I seldom do ne bowls because they hang around a long time for me, but I think smaller ones go better. I keep a few rolling pins of all sorts, tapered, straight, with and without handles, from 1 1/2 to 3 inch diameter, and basting brushes. Never done pens, but they seem to do well, and bottle stoppers, but you see a lot of them around.
robo hippy

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bottle stoppers are the one thing people are always wanting to buy from me. I haven't turned but a couple recently. That was for a charity. I had one guy want to buy 10 from me and another guy wants a couple. Last year I would just turn them and my wife saw that they disappeared and didn't reappear. She was smiling so I guess she got money from them.

[Allen Neighbors]

Duff, I go to craft shows, some small, and some large. What sells like hotcakes for me are Ring Keepers, Coffee Scoops, and Biscuit Cutters. I use contrasting wood for the flames on the Ring Keepers, and make the Coffee Scoops and Biscuit Cutters plain jane.
I did a craft show in CO last month. Took over 20 of each, and sold out, which more than paid for my Diesel for the trip. I had to turn more of each while I was there (carried my VL100 to help draw a crowd).
Next, 6-12" utility bowls and then 'art' bowls with filled inclusions.
Hope you get some ideas from all these posts.

[William Bachtel]

I turn a lot of N/ E bowls, and they sell . Economy is slowing things down a little, but Christmas is coming.