Con day today!

So, I tabled at a con this weekend and had a grand time. However, cons are ripe with cryptids, situations and events. I thought it'd be a good idea to compile some of them, because it's been quite the eventful one. Here's some of the encounters:

That one girl who asked me if I had HP merch. The excess of pride flags on my booth did not deter her, I guess.

The few people that were on my booth when that happened, also wrapped in pride flags, who did a collective grimace at the girl when she left.

Girl who lost her phone in the bathroom- I noticed it right away when entering after her, but she had already vanished the second after. I kinda awkwardly waited on the bathroom because I knew she'd notice at some point, and few minutes later, she came back crying and sobbing. She hugged me when I told her I found her phone and had been waiting for her.

This group of women in her 40s that all dressed up as the jawa (is that how it's spelled?) from Star Wars. They had little ID cards with their names, which were all puns. They had a TTRPG group together where they passed the DM torch with every session. Honestly, I look up to them

This person in an Ao Oni cosplay that consisted of a bright purple bodysuit and a very well crafted, unsettling-as-hell mask. They mostly just stood in places and stared at people without saying anything.

The people who had a sticker for Eileen (the Bloodborne plague doctor lady) to gift me when they saw me on my plague doc cosplay

This one... Very little girl. 6-7yo? She came to my booth and looked at my (many) stickers. She really liked the warlock one (it's a d20 with "warlock" written on it, with few eyes, demonic wings and a black-purple-red scheme). She did have no idea on what a warlock was, nor what was dnd, but she liked the design and asked her dad to buy it in sticker form. He thought he wanted the holographic one, and gave her money for that- But she wanted the plain one. So she bought a second sticker. She was undecided on which, and I suggested a cute little witchy black cat, since it's very popular with kids. Instead, she pointed at my Mothman sticker and went "I want this one, it scares me!"

About 10ish minutes later, this girl returned to my booth. She wanted the same warlock sticker, but now in holographic and pin format. Her dad didn't know why, but he just gave her money for them anyways.

And about half an hour later, she came back once again. This time, she... wanted the warlock charm. Which her dad was more than happy to get for her.

The endless amount of kids that come to my booth, point at my thicc yellow among us sticker, and go "omg!!! he's got a butt!!!!!!!!!!!"

The way my OFF print almost sold out this year. I never thought that the one print I made of an indie RPG maker game made by some Belgian dude 20 years ago would be my 2025 hit, but it sure was. The people who bought it were surprised by the fact I was surprised about people recognizing it. It was my most sold print, beating stuff like my Hollow Knight one by a massive mile.

People bought a bunch of my Blasphemous print too. They also all commented on names for the Penitent One that they used. Most of them don't translate well to English, but they ranged from "The Drama Guy", "The Penetrating One", or even better, "Pepe". We also joked a bunch about leaving cookies out for the Penitent One, since it's the Holy Week in Spain.

This one guy that already came to my booth last year who tried to get me to join his cult. He completely forgot he also tried that last year, for the record.

This one person who, talking about TTRPG stuff, mentioned that he played a dual character once. One of them was a bear, I think a barbarian. The other one was a woodpecker, who was an artificer. One of them played the banjo. The other one played the kazoo.

He also was currently playing a character that was a "fire baboon monk who wanted to kill god"

The endless amount of people who bought my Hornet-with-a-Clown-Wig sticker, who were very sure that "nah, Silksong AINT coming out, that was bait!"

Every single year, I manage to sell one (1) genderfluid sticker. This has remained true once again. There's always a moment of connection between me and the one designated genderfluid person who can only find a little relevant sticker on a singular booth in the entire con.

And when you'll have time/feel like it could you please share how you put all those goodies up? The last time I used meshes like half of my prints were ruined and uh not looking forward to that 😭

Awww thanks so much!!! It was weird and slow Friday, but the interactions I had with people did and always do make every con magical and so fulfilling 💕

So for the meshes I stabilize them by constructing them with zip ties instead of the connector pucks they come with. I then make them not move around by putting the bins I organize my product in in the cubbies they make. They may shake but they won’t be falling.

As for the prints, when I’m not in a corner I tend to get most of my generic/non shippy art up on that clothesline-esque string. I get tiny clothes pins from either dollar tree, Walmart, or internet (I no longer remember my bad) and those hold them up without denting or damage.

Aaaas for the ones on the mesh directly, as I feel from your comment you’ve tried, I use masking tape. This will inevitably mess up prints. I do take into account and printing that I will have 1-2 “”display”” prints that will just be liable to damage (and if I have to sell I will usually give a discount)

Pic for ref

But I have managed to make it a little less damaging by

1. Ripping off a bunch of pieces of tape and sticking them to my arm. Partly to have easy access to tape as I’m taping up multiple at a time. BUT added benefit, this makes the tape less sticky enough that it is LESS LIKELY to rip the print if you take them off gently. Truly what has saved a bunch of prints

2. Different printers use different paper and Catprints uses paper (espeeeecially on holographic prints) that just doesn’t get ripped as easy??? Idk if it’s a coating or what, but the prints from the first printer I used rip like YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE.

But I do always keep an eye on other setups and see what they’re doing. I have seen people

- use these TEENY TINY magnets on either side of the print to hold it up. Again, apart from a small dent seems good.

- print on a bigger sheet of paper (usually 11x17 or 12x18) a bunch of their small prints and display that instead (honestly genius and I need to try it)

- using those like slot bookshelves to display the small ones

So apologies for probably just saying tape like you’re trying to avoid rofl. But hopefully some info!!

I can’t believe that there are 200 of you out there interested in paying attention to the things I post! I’d love to hear why you follow me/or how you found me!

As much as I love talking about my crochet, I am resolving to spend a little more time talking about my doctoral research, mainly because I need to spend more time on it and less on the crochet.

But before that: I posted that I was selected to be an artist at the local con my school hosts, so here is our booth all laid out!

I wanna try to make a booth that sells merch for cons someday. So I’m starting with designs now. So I have some questions for people who buy from cons.

1. What’s your favorite type of merch? (EX: Keychains, buttons, shirts, prints, etc. multiple favorites can be listed, it helps give me ideas.)

2. What is your top 5 favorite characters?

3. What is a character you wish to see more often sold at cons and booths?

4. Do you prefer a professional booth (example: black table cloths, white background, full in color but helps merch pop), or a more colorful fun booth (example: colorful background, fun table cloths, candy and prize machines that take quarters, fairy lights, etc)

5. What is a good price range for you?

6. Do you prefer conversations with booth owners, or to have them let you shop?

7. Do you have any experience/ideas you’d like to share that could help me starting out?

8. You are awesome!