Crocheting is a valuable skill that is hard to master and requires time, dedication, and most importantly, passion. But if you’re on your way to making it second nature, this lifelong skill can be put toward something that is beneficial, both mentally and financially.
Of course, there is no denying the fact that we all want to work on something that we love for the rest of our lives. Is crocheting that thing for you? Can crochet be a full-time job?
Crochet can be turned into a profitable business and a full-time job, if it’s done correctly.
Like any other endeavor, there is a lot more to crocheting than just creating stitched products. On the surface, you might think that this craft is nothing more than just a past-time activity. But there are a lot of businesses that have been built from crocheting, be it online or a large physical store.
Once you’ve built a strong foundation, you can scale it from just a side hustle into a sustainable long-term partnership with other people.
In this article, we’re going to explore how you can turn crocheting into a creative business that can replace your day job.
How to Make a Profit from Crocheting
Just like other businesses, there are lots of ways to monetize your crocheting skills if you have enough passion and perseverance. But you need to be a little more creative to explore and find actionable steps to start making your first profit.
Here are some ways to make a profit from crocheting:
Sell Finished Crochet Products
Selling crochet products is one of the simplest ways to make a profit. However, simple doesn’t mean easy.
When you start, don’t expect to receive hundreds of orders. In the crochet industry, there are tons of handmade items ranging from simple beanies to baby clothes.
You will have competition, but that doesn’t mean that the market is oversaturated. As a new seller, you have to be relentless and market yourself until you make that first order.
Doing some research will also help in finding a targeted group for specific crochet items. This way, you can focus on which products are popular and wanted by most people. On the other hand, if you prefer not to limit your options by selling just one or two specific products, there are other crochet items that you can make.
Here is a short list:
- Shawl
- Infinity scarf
- Wash cloths
- Dish cloths
- Crochet flowers
- Baby toys and accessories
- Cellphone gloves
- Beanies
- Chunky, oversized scarves and cowls
- Women’s swimwear
- Pot holders
- Amigurumi
- Texting gloves
- Hand bags
- Tapestries
Blogging And Managing Your Own Websites
Having a website with your own domain is one of the best ways to profit from this craft. Aside from building your personal brand, it is easier for people, especially your customers to find your service.
Using just WordPress and Bluehost, you can have a niche blog with passive income generated from Adsense that can make your life easier. But realistically, it will take quite some time until you can receive your first pay-out.
Once your website starts to gain a bit of traction, you can invest in optimization plugins, additional themes, and other applications. You can also collaborate with other bloggers and crocheters to make your website more interesting and fun.
Give Crochet Lessons
Teaching people how to crochet can be a lucrative career. In fact, you generally don’t need any certification to teach crocheting if you can show it practically.
You can look for a vacancy or teaching position at your nearest yarn shops, senior centers, churches, and community centers. But if you prefer to be your own boss, then you can set up an online class.
Nowadays, you can teach people all around the world to learn through live sessions and instructional videos. One of the famous teaching platforms that many educators join is Skillshare where you can create paid courses or crochet tutorials and upload them on the website.
Do Custom Commissioned Projects
Doing commissioned projects is another way to expand your business by honing your skills in making custom products. Through commissioned projects, you will have to communicate and deal with your customers directly, which simultaneously can increase your rapport and reputation with them.
By offering your skills to customers that want unique crochet patterns, you can establish yourself as a specialized seller. Doing custom orders will also give you the freedom to set your own price.
In fact, depending on the pattern and how fast your customers want the order, you can set your own catalog or portfolio without having to worry about the competition in the general marketplace.
Be A Crochet Content Creator
Let’s face it, as long as you have a laptop and internet, you can make money from anywhere in the world. And that includes being a content creator. You can sign up for online video platforms such as YouTube and Patreon. Being a YouTuber comes with many advantages. But it is also not an easy task.
You can’t monetize your videos until you have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. But by setting up a niche channel, it is not impossible for you to make a steady source of passive income from your videos if you keep posting your content at least twice a week. Once you’ve made some money, you can delegate the task and hire a video editor. Being a content creator is also a way to market your service. Think of YouTube or any other online video platform as a video version of Google.
Write Books And Crochet Patterns
Aside from teaching, writing books is another great way to teach beginners and people who are interested in learning this art. Your how-to books can cover different topics on crocheting, targeted at people of all ages.
For instance, you write books that focus on a specific crocheting technique and turn them into a full series once the first book is on demand.
Think of it as another source of passive income when you publish e-books that can be downloaded endlessly by different people. You can also create and design new crochet patterns and publish them as your own work. With Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can turn all your ideas into one single book in a short period of time.
Join a Craft Fair
Participating in a craft fair is not for everyone. But if you are willing to do it, there are tons of perks and experiences that you can gain from this event.
Joining a craft fair can increase your exposure to the crochet marketplace. This is also an opportunity for you to network with customers and your fellow crocheters.
You can exchange ideas, ask for advice from experienced crocheters, and research trending items. All you have to do is set up a booth and pay a small amount of vendor fee to the organizer before participating. At your booth, display all your products and crafts to attract more potential customers.
Set Up Both Online and Physical Shops
In this digital era, there is no excuse to not sell products online. Whether it is your social media or online stores, putting your products on the internet will increase your brand’s exposure.
Most of these stores are free to join but there are some that offer a premium account for advanced ad features and exclusive user interface. These include Etsy, Artfire, eBay, Bonanza, Shopify, Amazon Handmade, Facebook Marketplace, and Ravelry.
Depending on how many stores you set up, you can have a different customer base and exposure. The more audience you have, the more exposure you get, and the higher your percentage of making a sale.
As millions of people browse the internet every day, you have to work hard and promote your products. You must also factor in any fees for the store, packaging and shipping your products, or even staff wages (in case you decided to hire a helper). But above all, you are your own boss.
To set up a brick-and-mortar shop, you have to fork out more cash to pay for the rent, staff salaries, furniture, inventory, and maintenance costs. Having a physical store can increase your chance of getting much larger exposure due to your physical presence in the real world.
However, like real estate, your location is important to attract more people to notice and stop by your shop. You also must apply for a license and any fees depending on the rules and regulations in your area.
Become A Pattern Tester
Testing crochet patterns is one of the easiest ways to make a profit from this craft. Although the profit margin is not as big as other types of businesses, you can still do it full time when you take many orders from different people.
All you have to do is look for bloggers or pattern makers that will pay you to test their patterns. You need to ensure that their patterns are free from any defects and easy to follow.
Your payment might vary depending on the type of patterns that you test. Plus, you don’t get to choose which patterns you want to crochet. But if you look on the bright side, this could also be a learning opportunity for you to enhance your skill.
Affiliate Marketing
To do affiliate marketing, you must first set up your own websites, online stores, a YouTube channel, or social media. Then, link a specific product related to your niche. This could be anything from yarns, crocheting supplies, to knitting machines. When your audience clicks on the link and buys the items, you will get a commission or a percentage from the overall price of the products.
Some of the popular affiliate networks that you can sign up for are Amazon Associate, CJ Affiliate, and ShareASale.
Become a Contract Crocheter
If you love to crochet but don’t have a large amount of starting capital to have your own business, you can begin by applying to be a contract crocheter. Many retail stores, yarn companies, and designers will pay crocheters for finished items.
But what you get paid could vary depending on the design and the amount that you produce. Some contractors will also get paid based on a set flat rate or a percentage of the pattern’s designer contract.
Dos and Don’ts In the Crochet Business
Figuring what types of business you can do from crocheting is only the first part. You should also know the ins and outs of this business and what you should do or avoid.
Let’s face it, you might have a dilemma about whether your crochet hobby is a profitable niche. But believe it or not, most people manage to make a living out of it when they follow specific guidelines consistently.
These include:
Do Some Research About the Market Price
The first and most important thing about having your own business is to evaluate the marketplace. There is no shame in being honest with your customers when you first start out. In fact, they might be more interested to see what a new and fresh business person like you could offer.
Then, you should experiment to know which area of crochet is worth your focus. You can choose the area that you love but that doesn’t guarantee that there’s a market for it. So, have a backup plan in case anything goes south.
One of the easiest formulas that you can use to calculate the price of each product is:
Product price = Profit Margin – (hourly wage x numbers of working hours + materials cost)
Then, price your products at a reasonable price. Don’t sell yourself short and incur losses. Calculate the overall cost for each item and compare it to other products in the market.
The value of your product isn’t being measured only by the price tag but also through your service and the quality of your product.
Use Affordable Materials
There are many beautiful yarns that you can use to create your products. However, this doesn’t mean that the pricier they are, the better their qualities. Although some premium yarns do come at higher prices, there are other high-quality yarns and threads that are sold at a reasonable price.
There’s no point in producing expensive items that would chase away your customers when they see the price tag. Until you have established your own brand, stick to affordable materials.
Calculate Your Supplies to Avoid Waste
Some of the reasons why businesses can’t sustain their operation are due to miscalculation of budget. When you crochet, there will always be some leftover yarn. Don’t throw away the yarns no matter how long or short they are.
There are other smaller products that you can produce from these leftovers such as baby pillowcases, small rugs, crochet blankets, and many more.
Produce Easy Crochet Patterns Before Scaling to Complicated Designs
There is a thin line between making a sale and creating art. You can have both without having to sacrifice the other just because of your limited capital. Unless you start with a huge amount of money, then your first priority should be on generating an income.
One of the simplest ways to earn a profit is to create simple crochet items that can be repeatedly produced at a faster rate in a short period of time. Once you’ve gained enough profit to keep this business afloat, you can move on to other complicated patterns.
Avoid Overspending on Shipping Costs
Shipping costs can put a dent in your customer’s pocket, especially if you choose to wrap or pack your products in expensive boxes or crates.
Of course, your product presentation could go a long way in keeping your customers happy but you can do that without having to add extra changes for wrappers or boxes that will be thrown away. Also, avoid shipping companies that incur hidden charges.
Marketing and Networking
Every business needs exposure both online and in the real world. In this digital era, you should optimize all platforms and make your online presence noticeable. Your crochet business should reflect your personal brand and identity.
Don’t be afraid to ask around and interview people who are knowledgeable in this industry. If you’re shy, you can always send an email, direct message on social media, or even just a comment on their website or online platform. Also, engage with your audience and clients no matter how trivial their questions are. Be pleasant to be memorable.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a lot of money to start making a profit from crochet. With only basic supplies, you can start producing different types of products from just a couple of yarns.
As long as you are passionate enough to pursue this craft, no matter how basic or advanced your skills are, there are tons of opportunities for the crochet business in today’s world.
Resources
- https://crafttribeonline.com/can-crocheting-be-profitable/
- https://www.crochetguru.com/is-crochet-really-profitable.html
- https://www.theblueelephants.com/2018/05/ways-to-make-money-crocheting.html
- https://crochetpreneur.com/start-a-crochet-business/
- https://ambassadorcrochet.com/2014/03/03/choosing-your-crochet-profession/
- https://toughnickel.com/self-employment/How-to-make-a-full-time-income-crocheting
- https://littlejohnsyarn.com/can-you-make-money-selling-crochet/
- https://littleworldofwhimsy.com/can-you-make-a-living-crocheting/