5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started My Crochet Business

When I started my crochet business, I didn’t take it very seriously. My goal was to make money, but I didn’t have a lot of extra time to put into my business. After all, having a new baby, learning to crochet, and starting a business for the first time was uncharted territory. I overwhelmed myself with research. I wanted to know how others had success. It took me years to really put work into making my business a business. My mindset really had to shift.

If I could go back and tell myself 5 things when I started my crochet business, this is what I would say.

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1. It’s Okay to Start Small

It’s okay to start small. You don’t have to have a huge yarn stash. It’s actually a good thing to start small, in my opinion. If you are new to crochet, there is no need to have a big yarn stash or lots of supplies. Those things naturally build up over time. I use to buy yarn because it was pretty or it was on sale. Don’t get me wrong, nothing is wrong with this if you have the space and money allotted for it, but I didn’t. After about 8 years of sitting, I recently donated a few bags of yarn that I bought when I began crocheting. A lot of it was discontinued and single skeins. Back then, I didn’t pay attention to quality. I didn’t even have a project in mind for the yarn I was buying. Before buying large quantities, I ask myself now, will I use this same yarn in 2 years? I love to try new yarn. So, the yarn I buy today, I may not want to use in years to come.

2. Credit the Designers

When I made something, I never use to credit the designers only because I didn’t want anyone else to make the same thing I was making. That sounds so silly. I knew there was no possible way I could make every sell from that pattern. The thing is, designers put a lot of work into their patterns specifically to help lots of crocheters make money. Also, if someone really wants to make something, they will figure out a way to make it. The crochet community is a very supportive group. Others might be able to help you market that specific item better to actually make more money. There are some really great and positive Facebook groups available to join.

3. You Don’t Have to Take Courses

You don’t have to take courses when you are just starting out, especially if it isn’t in your budget. However, they can be very beneficial when you have the time, headspace and funds to invest in a course. Make sure to do your research before buying a program. Take care that you are aware of exactly what you are paying for to get the most out of it. Courses are amazing resources. The people that put the information together are providing details that they learned along the way. It’s like a one stop shop for meeting your goals faster.

4. The Orders Might Come in Slow for a While

I was hoping to have multiple sells a week. There were weeks that I didn’t even have a single view in my Etsy shop. I was hard on myself thinking maybe I wasn’t good enough, why aren’t my items getting views, what am I doing wrong? Of course, marketing plays a role in this too. Truth is, there are slow periods. I believe that is the time to re-organize your thoughts and remember your why. If you are doing what makes you happy, don’t focus specifically on the number of sells. Take the “spare” time to learn a new skill within your niche or work on marketing. Maybe create your spreadsheet for taxes, organize patterns, delete pictures or videos from your phone (haha - there are sooo many)! With this being said, it’s important to crochet pieces that you truly enjoy making. I use to take custom orders thinking I had too. I learned that most of the custom orders were items that I didn’t have any interest in making. I didn’t want to turn down money though. So, I would spend a lot of time researching and spending money on yarn and patterns that I would never use again. It didn’t benefit me or my business in the long run. I have learned to say no thank you or ask around to see if another crocheter would be interested in that specific order.

5. Don’t Compare Your Journey to Others

I use to compare myself, my business and my makes to others. I realize how hard it is, and to be honest sometimes I still catch myself comparing. Here is the most important advice I would give myself when I started out. I would say, it’s easy to get caught up in the comparison game. Everyone has to start somewhere. You don’t know how much time they really put into their business “off camera.” You don’t know how much money they might spend on ads, courses, marketing or how many years they have been crocheting, etc. Maybe they have a team or maybe they don’t have kids. Everyone’s journey is different. Use that energy to focus on you and your business. If you want something specific, figure out a way to go get it. Write down your goals, save money and make it happen. The combination of consistency and hard work will pay off. Be kind, always (to yourself too) and remember your why. You are an expert at what you do. If you don’t love something in your business, figure out a way to change it. That’s the perk to owning your own business. You can change things whenever you want. Your version of success might be different than others. Stay focused on you and your goals. Not others. Don’t get caught up in the numbers game. You are AMAZING!

Now I can come back to this post when I need the reminder! I hope it helps you too!