Crocheting For Profit

Economic times for most of the world lately are quite troubling. Many people are reaching out to their creative side to create works of art to sell at local craft fairs and flea markets. Crafters have even found themselves turning to the world wide web to help get the word out about their craft and in the process they hope to sell some items to add to their families income.

I, myself, have turned to this route since I am unable to work due to a disability and cannot bring any sort of income to my little family of 3. One day I decided I would take some pictures of some of the hats I had crocheted for my daughter and post them on my personal Facebook page and asked if any of my friends would be interested in having one custom made for a small amount of money. Much to my surprise, I did receive a couple of orders for hats. Luckily, it was just in time for Christmas since my husband and I were in such a bad situation financially (he works on commission and work dries up in the winter months) and didn't think we would be able to give our daughter anything to celebrate her first Christmas.

For others who are interested in doing the same thing, I've compiled a few tips to help you along in your journey.

I would suggest creating a Facebook page with this name of your crafty 'lil' business. Then tell all of your friends and ask them to like it and ask them to spread the word to your friends. Networking is key. Find other Facebook 'vendors' and ask them if they would be willing to advertise your Facebook page on yours. In my experience, I found it quite difficult to get people to like my Facebook page for my crocheted items. This may not be the case for everyone because remember it's who you know and how willing they are to help you get the word out.

Provided that you have a bunch of items you've already crocheted up, take some pictures of them with a nice background (lay a sheet down on a couch and snap away). Once that is complete upload them to Facebook albums which you should create by category such as hats, afghans, baby, etc.. Describe your item in the caption, asking price, and the cost of shipping (if you choose to expand beyond just your friends).

There are also many free shopping carts out there that you can integrate on to your Facebook page. No programming required! Two of my favorites are Payvment and Storenvy. I personally prefer Storenvy, but the choice is up to you.

Lastly, the big thing to keep in mind is your cost, your time, and prices. In all honesty, what I've discovered is that people (non-crafters) don't really care how long it takes you to crochet that hat or scarf. The bottom line is the cost of the item and the cost of shipping. Your time is basically not worth much unless you're a super fast crocheter and can make multiples every day. The only real advice I can give to you is to take advantage of sales on yarn and yarn that you can pick up cheaply at a thrift shop to increase your profit margin. Never sell something for less then what it cost you. Good luck!!

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Posted in: Opinion

Reaching Out

I'm reaching out to anyone who has enjoyed LetsCrochet.com, the Crocheting Facebook page, and this very blog. Due to my Great Aunt's sudden death, I haven't been around to really work on the site or promote it and as a result the amount of people coming to the site dropped significantly. The website is paid for by the moneys earned from the advertisement go to pay for the website. Therefore, if no one goes to the site, no money from the advertisements is earned. I cannot afford to pay the massive hosting bill myself each month due to being disabled and unable to work, having a 1 yr old daughter, and my husband's job hardly paying enough for us to survive (but we get by) so I depend on the earnings from the advertisements to cover the costs of the site. I'm reaching out to you again for help. Thank you for all of you who helped us last month. There was some additional money donated last month that I have placed towards this month's web hosting bill. The final balance left is $37 that I need to come up with before the end of the month. If you could spare even just a dollar (search the couch cushions LOL)it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance to all the hearts that reach out to us and help keep LetsCrochet.com alive. Much love to you all!

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How to Crochet a Magic Circle or Magic Ring or Magic Loop

If you've struggled trying to figure out how to crochet the magic adjustable ring (magic circle, magic ring, or magic loop), I've found both a video to help aid you as well as written instructions with photos that can be found [here].

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Posted in: videos

How to Make T-Shirt Yarn

This is the best tutorial I've found on how to make T-Shirt yarn. Her method works fabulously since she does it in a way that it produces one long strip throughout the T-Shirt.

Free T-Shirt Yarn Crochet Patterns

• T-Shirt Yarn Crocheted Hot Pad Trivet
• T-Shirt Yarn Crocheted Hand Bag/Purse
• T-Shirt Yarn Crocheted Bowl
• T-Shirt Yarn Crocheted Drawstring Bag

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Posted in: videos

Free Watermelon Crochet Patterns

Who doesn't love watermelon? It is sweet and refreshing and makes for a fantastic healthy treat on hot summer days! Since Memorial Day was a couple days ago here in the United States, I've decided to compile a list of my favorite free watermelon crochet patterns in various categories. There's bound to be one mouth watering pattern you'll want to make!

Free Watermelon Crochet Patterns

• Watermelon Coaster 
• Watermelon Potholder
• Amigurumi Watermelon Wedge
• Watermelon Wedge Fridgie
• Watermelon Wristlet Purse **PDF Download**
• Watermelon Scarf
• Watermelon Hat (Matches the Scarf)
• Watermelon Place Mat Set

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You know you've been crocheting too long when...

You know you've been crocheting too long when...

1. You need to rent or buy a separate dwelling just for your yarn, patterns, etc.

2. Your family tiptoes around and is quiet when you are "counting" (lest they end up killed outright for making you lose your stitch count)

3. Micheal's, Annie's Attic, Hobby Lobby and the Needlecraft Shoppe all know you by first name only and have memorized your credit card details

4. You cannot go through metal detectors because you have so many hooks stashed everywhere in your luggage, your purse, etc.

5. Strangers mail yarn and unfinished projects to you without asking first.

6. Caron and Lion Brand are fighting over which one of them can hire you as "Poster Crocheter" in their new ad campaign.

7. Your computer's memory is maxxed due to the number of websites for crochet that you have bookmarked as favorites.

8. Your email inbox exploded due to sheer volume of Internet crochet list email.

9. You know more people by their email address than their actual names.

10. You win the lottery and spend the whole darn thing to buy Lion Brand Yarns' stock, a sheep farm in New Zealand, and spinning lessons.

11. You have more tools that your Significant Other.

12. Michaels and WalMart give you Frequent Customer discounts.

13. Your local yarn store owner knows exactly what skein of yarn you just ran out of the moment you show up in their parking lot. They also know what row you should be on by now.

14. You own more yarn by weight than you do furniture or motor vehicles.

15. The IRS and state tax authorities allow you to declare your yarn, pattern, hooks, etc. as dependents on your tax returns.

16. When someone mentions UFOs, you automatically think of Un Finished Objects (as in unfinished crochet projects) rather than extraterrestrial transports.

17. You have more yarn in your closets, storage lockers, garage, etc. than Micheal's main warehouse has.

18. You have had to explain to non-crafters the difference between crochet and knitting more times than you can count.

19. You can crochet perfectly while fast asleep.

20. Your family decides they've had enough of your hoarding and hooking and has you kidnapped and deprogrammed.

21. You cannot find your family amongst all the boxes and bins of yarn and patterns around your home.

22. Your family files a class action suit charging the yarn manufacturers, pattern publishers, etc. for causing you to abandon them (alienation of affections).

23. Strange men call and show up, having heard a "hooker" is available at this address.

24. Because of you, yarn and patterns have now been declared an illicit substance by the FDA and DEA. They find you and throw away the key.

25. You write in abbreviations only, thanks to reading patterns for too long.

26. Instead of counting sheep to sleep, you count stitches.

27. You intrigue Martha Stewart by having every item in your house crocheted, including your furniture. You make her jealous because she didn't think of this first.

28. Even when they take your yarn and thread away in hopes of curing your affliction, you grab anything; dental floss, wire, packaging twine, weeds, tinsel, etc. and start crocheting with it instead.

29. Everyone you know has something you crocheted but in a strange color combination because they failed to specify a color preference, and you had so much scrap yarn to use up.

30. When it was time to tent your house to kill termites, etc. you crocheted the tent from plastic grocery bags cut into strips.

31. You taught one of your children to crochet a chain but did not tell them how to finish off; you now have a 5 mile chain "string" lying about.

32. You realize you practice a craft where the phrase "the end is near" actually has a positive meaning (your project is nearly finished.

33. You chastise people who call a crochet hook a "needle".

34. You got fed up with the unhelpful and rude craft store clerk at your local yarn store and crocheted her to her cash register in the middle of the night, stuffing a ball of yarn in her mouth so she wouldn't yell out.

35. You frequently get charged with carrying concealed weapons without a permit because you carry crochet hooks around.

36. You determine that you can eat Cheetos and crochet at the same time by using toothpicks to pick up the Cheetos so they don't stain your fingers.

37. You get a patent on how to crochet with chocolate. You also develop a chocolate that cannot melt and stain your yarn.

38. If you stacked your yarn from end to end, it would stretch from here to the Sun (96 million miles or so)

39. You crochet during dental treatment.

40. You win a fashion award for crocheting people's hair into interesting hairdos.

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Posted in: humor

Hello Kitty Free Crochet Patterns

Children, mom's, aunt's, grandmother's all love Hello Kitty. Who can resist that cute little face? I have compiled a short list of my favorite (free) Hello Kitty crochet patterns!

• Ami Hello Kitty
• Ami Hello Kitty wearing Suspenders 
• Hello Kitty Granny Square Bag and Scarf
• Large Hello Kitty Doll
• St. Patty's Day Hello Kitty
• Tiny Hello Kitty (Key Chain option)
• Hello Kitty in Mouse Costume
• Hello Kitty Key Ring
• Hello Kitty Children's Purse

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