brisbane finders keepers designer alice nightingale on the benefits of handmade

The Finders Keepers markets are a beaut place to hang out. You get to check out stacks of pretty handmade goodies, nibble on tasty treats, and maybe bag a few nice things to take home. You can also spend an entire day (or two) just marvelling at the craftsmanship of the stuff at folks’ stalls. Pretty much everything at the Finders Keepers markets is handmade, which makes it extra-special – not only for the buyer, but for the seller, too.

Brisbane maker Alice Nightingale tells us a little bit about what it’s like to sell handmade fashion and accessories in our latest book, Look What We Made: “When I first started selling at markets I found it difficult to deal with hagglers. Every single market, someone would come up and try to barter. I would be like, ‘No, sorry I don’t do discounts. This piece was hand-printed, hand-cut, handmade, I drove all the way down here. This dress presents so much of my work.’ Usually they’d be like, ‘Oh, all right,’ and they’d buy it anyway, but it was a problem: so many people assumed that I had designed the dress and then had it made overseas. Documenting my work on social media has helped so much, because when I post endless photos of me sewing or embroidering or cutting fabric, people can see the labour that goes into the label. There were a few months when I felt the need to just shove it down everyone’s throats. To say, ‘This is next-level handmade!’ It can feel obnoxious, but it really helps.”

If you want to check out Alice’s very pretty garments – along with a whole slew of other makers’ items – be sure to pop past the Finders Keepers markets in Brisbane this weekend: Friday (midday to 9pm), Saturday (9am to 6pm) and Sunday (9am to 5pm). The action’s happening at Brisbane Showgrounds, The Marquee Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills. Head over this way to check out the full lineup.

Snaps by Savannah van der Niet.