We spent most of last week exploring the backroads of the northern half of the state of Georgia.
On the last day of our trip, we visited the Foxfire Museum (near Mountain City, GA), which is dedicated to preserving the folk art, knowledge, and lifeways of Appalachian Mountain culture.
In the gift shop there I bought this lovely scarf, which was hand-knitted from hand-spun yarn:
My new Appalachian-made scarf,
hanging from a hook on my porch post.
Afterward, while driving back down the twisting mountain road, I considered why I’d bought the scarf – and how my decision to buy it might relate to tourists buying handmade jewelry:
It’s handmade.
Whenever possible I try to support artists, one-person businesses, and other folks who create their own living. I enjoy knowing that my scarf purchase is helping another artistic soul to live the life she chooses!
A lot of people who enjoy buying handcrafted jewelry feel this way too – they’d so much rather buy from you than buy from Walmart!
It’s comfortable.
The yarn in my scarf is so, so soft – with nothing itchy or poky to make it unwearable. (I’m sensitive to wearing anything that scratches or pokes; I always cut the tags out of all my clothes!)
The scarf is also light weight. I don’t like to wear heavy things, and this piece will be nice and warm without weighing me down.
Similarly, many jewelry customers avoid heavy necklaces and earrings, bracelets with dangles that snag on things, and components or finishings that poke into the skin. They know that if it’s not comfortable, they won’t wear it.
It was priced well.
My new scarf cost more than I’d pay for a mass-produced, imported scarf from a regular store, but it wasn’t outrageously overpriced. I felt that the artist and I both received good value from the transaction.
Good jewelry customers feel the same way about buying your work for themselves or to give as gifts. If your work is priced too low, they’ll be suspicious of its quality – or feel uncomfortable with not compensating you fairly.
The colors are just right for me.
This scarf blends earthy hues of sage, olive, brown, red, blue, and even a little bit of purple – all the colors I wear! I don’t like to buy things that have limited usability; I opt for multi-function things whenever possible. And I can wear this scarf with everything in my closet!
Color is also often the most important factor in a customer’s decision to buy a piece of jewelry. I think it’s wise to stock jewelry in ever-popular colors such as black – but also offer some unusual hues or palettes for people who want something different.
It’s a nice memento of my trip.
I’ll think back fondly on my journey through the lesser-known spots of the upper half of Georgia whenever I wear my handmade scarf.
Jewelry customers enjoy wearing pieces that evoke memories – or start conversations – about their travels too.
It was one-of-a-kind.
No two scarves in the Foxfire shop were alike. I really felt that I was buying a unique handcraft, which is much more meaningful to me.
One-of-a-kind jewelry also encourages sales. When people buy handmade jewelry, one of the main reasons is that they want to be different from everyone else. And when they fall in love with a unique item, they feel a sense of urgency to buy it quickly, before someone else gets it.
For more tips on this topic, you may want to read Selling Your Jewelry to the Tourist Market, an article from one of my newsletter issues.
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What a fantastic outline of your handmade purchase and its’ relation to jewelry. Thanks for sharing! And the scarf is lovely!