Wanderlust Crochet - Rebranding, and sharing my knowledge
I'm doing a Facebook LIVE video today in a large crochet group to outline how I make crochet work for me.
Beyond being a therapeutic respite from the world around me, because I can absolutely sink into a project for days on end, crochet has become a huge financial savior in our lives.
I suffer from several mental health disorders and chronic migraines, holding a "real job" is hard for me. I have 2 kids on vastly different schedules, and childcare costs more than college in this area. So Crochet gives me the flexibility to take a mental or physical rest day without fearing for my job.
Some of the questions I was asked to touch on are answered below.
I learned to crochet from my grandma when I was 5, learned to amigurumi when I was 7 in elementary school. I started selling my hats and stuffed toys in my mom's second-hand store and by commission when I was 12 (7th grade).
When I was 4 months pregnant with my first son, (2012) I was in a car wreck and my OB put me on light duty possible bedrest. I had to quit my job, and became a couch bum. I hate hate hate hate sitting still for long periods, so I started looking into the Farmers markets and Makers markets I'd done when I worked with a local bakery. I arranged to have hubby help me set up and break down, so essentially I just sat, crocheted, and looked pretty....well miserably pregnant. But in that first summer, I average $75 profit per show. After costs. Not too shabby for not being able to work. That was an extra $300/month that we didn't have before.
After my first son was born, I continued to do markets and just took him with me. He was not quite 1 when we did his first show season. He'd sit in his high chair and play, or sleep in his pack n play int he back of the booth. The local show circuit was really supportive, and my neighbors would watch Connor while I used the bathroom, or went for drinks down the block. I averaged $150/show for this season.
In my hometown, I was known by the business name Owls Nest Boutique, I consigned toys and animal character hats with a local toy shop (60 me/40 them split). In 2014, my second son was born. During my pregnancy with him, I broke my foot and couldn't do shows, but I stocked a friend's booth and we shared the cost of the space. I made about $50/show after costs. Not a lot, but enough to help keep diapers on my kids' bums. but I was able to go back to work, so seasonal shows were my main focus, and the consignment contract with the toy store was my bread and butter.
In 2016, I moved to a new city, whole new market, I rebranded my business to pull away from the "baby" feel of Owls Nest, and my business became Lily Lane Eclectic. I sold hats and gloves and toys and dreamcatchers, and I found myself a little scattered as I re-established my business and found my new niche. It seemed like nearly every show I looked into sold slouchy hats and messy bun hats, or had a "yarn artist". So my first year up here, I focused on my past clients (custom orders through Facebook or from friends, etc. I got plenty of orders around Christmas and occasionally through the year for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. I also used this lull to refocus my Instagram profile.
I've worked with this name for 2 years, and in the last month rebranded again. My customers struggled to remember the name of the shop, it became hard to say and hard to differentiate between when applying for shows with another business I run (lillarose.biz/practicalglamour) and customers were confused on what I had to offer. I'd get asked constantly "ooh, is this knit" "did you make this or import it" and similar questions. I decided to follow my gypsy soul personality, and so we became Wanderlust Crochet PDX.
Since rebranding (last month) I've contacted my clients, I've been posting new products, I've narrowed down my niche(s) and I've focused in on what I need to do to be successful in this area. In 6 years of doing these markets in 2 different areas, I've only failed to make a profit twice. And both of those came down to the organizers, not the product.
A question asked in the group many times is WHAT do I make?
I focus primarily on Amigurumi. That is to say stuffed animals. I find that small creations rarely make it worth the time, so I've taken to making the following as my primary sellers
Brightly Colored Dinosaurs.
T-Rex
Gnomes
Gonk Gnome
Cacti & Succulents
My cactus designs are almost entirely improvised. Search Pinterest for "crochet cactus" and you'll get a plethora of ideas. The key for mine though, have been the containers.
No two succulent arrangements are alike, I buy my containers from everywhere. Hobby Lobby, Joanns, Michaels, Goodwill, Yard Sales, Thrift Stores, etc. They don't even HAVE to be "planters". I use candle holders, bird houses, bird feeders, toy trucks, recycled tin cans, and more.
As for pricing. There is no end all be all pricing strategy with handmade goods. I wish there were, it would make my life easier. I use a combination of Cost + Time (wage x hours) X2 (wholesale) or X4 (retail) ~ what I charge, but I also tweak things for covering differences in materials, some yarns are more expensive than others, some shows are more expensive than others, some projects cost less to make but are larger in the end. I search a lot on Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace and Artfire for similar items and use them to find a good market price. But like in real estate, the "market price" is what your market is willing to pay.
Using recycled materials, and being frugal with what I DO use, buying things on sale, making efficiency key in every process, these keep my costs down and my profits up.
I don't make a FULL TIME income on crochet, but most certainly a part-time one. Plus the reductions in "sick days" and not needing daycare full time outweigh the difference in what I make here and what I'd make at a "real" job.
I'll add links as I find them to help you build your business.
Thanks!
Beyond being a therapeutic respite from the world around me, because I can absolutely sink into a project for days on end, crochet has become a huge financial savior in our lives.
I suffer from several mental health disorders and chronic migraines, holding a "real job" is hard for me. I have 2 kids on vastly different schedules, and childcare costs more than college in this area. So Crochet gives me the flexibility to take a mental or physical rest day without fearing for my job.
Some of the questions I was asked to touch on are answered below.
I learned to crochet from my grandma when I was 5, learned to amigurumi when I was 7 in elementary school. I started selling my hats and stuffed toys in my mom's second-hand store and by commission when I was 12 (7th grade).
When I was 4 months pregnant with my first son, (2012) I was in a car wreck and my OB put me on light duty possible bedrest. I had to quit my job, and became a couch bum. I hate hate hate hate sitting still for long periods, so I started looking into the Farmers markets and Makers markets I'd done when I worked with a local bakery. I arranged to have hubby help me set up and break down, so essentially I just sat, crocheted, and looked pretty....well miserably pregnant. But in that first summer, I average $75 profit per show. After costs. Not too shabby for not being able to work. That was an extra $300/month that we didn't have before.
After my first son was born, I continued to do markets and just took him with me. He was not quite 1 when we did his first show season. He'd sit in his high chair and play, or sleep in his pack n play int he back of the booth. The local show circuit was really supportive, and my neighbors would watch Connor while I used the bathroom, or went for drinks down the block. I averaged $150/show for this season.
In my hometown, I was known by the business name Owls Nest Boutique, I consigned toys and animal character hats with a local toy shop (60 me/40 them split). In 2014, my second son was born. During my pregnancy with him, I broke my foot and couldn't do shows, but I stocked a friend's booth and we shared the cost of the space. I made about $50/show after costs. Not a lot, but enough to help keep diapers on my kids' bums. but I was able to go back to work, so seasonal shows were my main focus, and the consignment contract with the toy store was my bread and butter.
In 2016, I moved to a new city, whole new market, I rebranded my business to pull away from the "baby" feel of Owls Nest, and my business became Lily Lane Eclectic. I sold hats and gloves and toys and dreamcatchers, and I found myself a little scattered as I re-established my business and found my new niche. It seemed like nearly every show I looked into sold slouchy hats and messy bun hats, or had a "yarn artist". So my first year up here, I focused on my past clients (custom orders through Facebook or from friends, etc. I got plenty of orders around Christmas and occasionally through the year for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. I also used this lull to refocus my Instagram profile.
I've worked with this name for 2 years, and in the last month rebranded again. My customers struggled to remember the name of the shop, it became hard to say and hard to differentiate between when applying for shows with another business I run (lillarose.biz/practicalglamour) and customers were confused on what I had to offer. I'd get asked constantly "ooh, is this knit" "did you make this or import it" and similar questions. I decided to follow my gypsy soul personality, and so we became Wanderlust Crochet PDX.
Since rebranding (last month) I've contacted my clients, I've been posting new products, I've narrowed down my niche(s) and I've focused in on what I need to do to be successful in this area. In 6 years of doing these markets in 2 different areas, I've only failed to make a profit twice. And both of those came down to the organizers, not the product.
A question asked in the group many times is WHAT do I make?
I focus primarily on Amigurumi. That is to say stuffed animals. I find that small creations rarely make it worth the time, so I've taken to making the following as my primary sellers
Brightly Colored Dinosaurs.
T-Rex
Gnomes
Gonk Gnome
Cacti & Succulents
My cactus designs are almost entirely improvised. Search Pinterest for "crochet cactus" and you'll get a plethora of ideas. The key for mine though, have been the containers.
No two succulent arrangements are alike, I buy my containers from everywhere. Hobby Lobby, Joanns, Michaels, Goodwill, Yard Sales, Thrift Stores, etc. They don't even HAVE to be "planters". I use candle holders, bird houses, bird feeders, toy trucks, recycled tin cans, and more.
As for pricing. There is no end all be all pricing strategy with handmade goods. I wish there were, it would make my life easier. I use a combination of Cost + Time (wage x hours) X2 (wholesale) or X4 (retail) ~ what I charge, but I also tweak things for covering differences in materials, some yarns are more expensive than others, some shows are more expensive than others, some projects cost less to make but are larger in the end. I search a lot on Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace and Artfire for similar items and use them to find a good market price. But like in real estate, the "market price" is what your market is willing to pay.
Using recycled materials, and being frugal with what I DO use, buying things on sale, making efficiency key in every process, these keep my costs down and my profits up.
I don't make a FULL TIME income on crochet, but most certainly a part-time one. Plus the reductions in "sick days" and not needing daycare full time outweigh the difference in what I make here and what I'd make at a "real" job.
I'll add links as I find them to help you build your business.
Thanks!
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