10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Crochet Business

Sixteen years ago, I turned my love of crochet into a business. I had yarn in one hand, ambition in the other, and a quiet hope that someone might like what I designed, and maybe I could earn a few extra pennies along the way.

There was no road map. Just trial and error, late-night Googling, and a lot of winging it. The online crochet community was tiny back then, and even smaller in my day-to-day world. It was just me, my hook, and a stubborn belief that there had to be something more.

I’d just left my full-time job as a web designer to raise a baby. I was burnt out from making other people, mostly men, rich off my skills, and I was sick of slamming into that low, invisible ceiling. Starting my own business felt like freedom, but it wasn’t without its risks.

The truth is, I learned a lot the hard way. If you're just beginning your crochet journey, or if you're a few years in and wondering why it still feels like such a grind, I hope these hard-earned insights help you find your feet faster than I did.

Let’s dive in.

1. Passion Alone Isn’t Enough
Crochet is calming, meditative, and deeply fulfilling, we all know that, but turning it into a business adds a whole new set of challenges. Suddenly, you're not just making things for fun, you’re handling marketing, customer service, admin, taxes, photography, packaging, shipping... the list doesn’t end, and if you’re not prepared for all those extra hats, it can start to dim the joy that brought you here in the first place!

The key is you don’t need to be perfect at everything, but you do need to accept that it’s not just about the stitches anymore. You’re no longer just making for yourself, you’re creating for an audience, and that shift, from hobby to business mindset, is where the real work begins.

2. Pricing for Profit Is Harder Than It Looks
I spent years undercharging for my work, or worse, giving it all away for free. I told myself I was being “accessible” or “building a platform,” but truthfully, I was undervaluing my time, my skill, and the years of experience I had under my belt.

Pricing properly isn’t just about covering your materials. It needs to include your time, your expertise, and yes... profit. If you're only charging what it costs to make something, or offering everything for free, you don’t have a business. You have a very stressful hobby!

That doesn’t mean you have to abandon free content altogether. Free patterns or tutorials can be fantastic tasters, an invitation for people to discover your work, but always give them the option to support you: offer a beautifully formatted, printable PDF for a small fee, or bundle patterns as a collection into an eBook.

The same goes for finished products. Don’t undersell yourself just to make a sale. If you want to offer something for smaller budgets, consider creating a few lower-cost items like key-chains or mini toys, without devaluing your larger pieces.

This leads nicely into the next point…

3. Not Everyone is Your Customer
This was one of the biggest mindset shifts I had to make. When someone stumbled across my website and asked, “Why are you suddenly charging for patterns?!”... I took it personally. It felt like a betrayal, like I was doing something wrong, but the truth is, that person wasn’t my customer, and that’s okay.

Since then, I’ve sold countless patterns to people who do see the value in my work, people who understand that supporting a designer is part of keeping the craft alive and thriving.

The same thing can happen in person. Maybe you’re at a craft fair and someone scoffs at your prices, or tells you they “could make it themselves for cheaper.” It stings, but remember: you’re not making crochet for everyone. You’re creating for the people who value handmade. Who recognise artistry. Who understand the hours, skill, and love that go into every single stitch. Those are your people, and they are the ones worth focusing on.

That clarity, knowing who you're for and who you're not, becomes your strength, and your selling point.

4. “Selling Out” Doesn’t Mean Losing Yourself
Every now and then, I design something I see trending online, and if I’m honest, a small part of me used to feel like I was betraying my creative spirit, like I was compromising just to fit in, but here’s what I’ve learned: making something popular doesn’t make you any less of an artist. It means you understand your market.

There’s nothing wrong with creating things that people are actively looking for. In fact, those “bread and butter” pieces, the ones that sell well and consistently, are often what keep the lights on. They give you the breathing room to work on the slower, deeper, more experimental pieces that feed your soul.

This isn’t a one-or-the-other game. You can honour your creativity and meet your audience where they are. There's room for both.

5. Social Media is a Tool, Not a Strategy
Social media can be powerful, but it’s not a business plan. Relying solely on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube is risky because you’re building your business on someone else’s land. Algorithms change. Accounts get suspended. Entire platforms can vanish overnight. If that happens, and you’ve got no backup, you’re left with nothing.

Social media should support your business, not be your business. Start thinking long-term. Build a home base you own, whether that’s a website, blog, or email list. These are the places where you control the conversation, where your followers become a true community, and where you’re not at the mercy of tech giants and their terms of service.

Use social media to invite people into your world, but make sure that world isn’t entirely rented.



6. You Can’t Do It All (and That’s Okay)
In the early days, I was doing everything. Markets, magazine commissions, Etsy shop, custom orders, pattern design, multiple YouTube channels, I was chasing every possible opportunity, all at once, and eventually, I burned out. Hard.

Here’s what I’ve learned: you don’t have to be everywhere. In fact, you shouldn’t be.

It’s far better to focus on the platforms and projects that genuinely align with your strengths and lifestyle than to stretch yourself thin trying to be everything to everyone. Doing one or two things well, with joy and intention, is far more sustainable (and successful) than juggling five things in a constant state of low-level panic.

These days, I still have multiple accounts and platforms, but I only post when I want to. The pressure to constantly create has lifted. I’ve narrowed my focus to the places that feel most like home: Instagram and my crochet YouTube channel, and I’ve let go of things that no longer served me, like my Etsy and Ravelry shops or magazine work that didn’t feel aligned.

The result? More energy to show up fully for the people who matter, more space for real connection, and a business that feels grounded and human, and that’s something I wouldn’t trade for anything.

7. Rejection is Part of the Job
Whether it’s a craft fair that turned you down, a customer who ghosts you after asking for a quote, or someone who leaves a harsh comment about your pattern... rejection stings. It’s human to take it personally, especially when you pour so much of yourself into your work.

But here’s the truth: it’s not a reflection of your worth, or even necessarily of your work. Not every opportunity is the right fit, and not every person is your audience.

The goal isn’t to avoid rejection, it’s to build the resilience to keep going. Learn what you can, let the rest go, and keep showing up. Over time, your skin thickens, and your focus sharpens. What used to shake you doesn’t anymore. In fact you will be laughing at the comments in time!

I dive deeper into this topic, and how I’ve dealt with rejection and negativity, over on my YouTube channel. You can watch the video here:



8. Systems Save You
In the beginning, I kept everything in my head: orders, design ideas, supplies, deadlines, to-dos, and for a while, it worked… until it didn’t.

I once completely forgot to reply to a customer. Just slipped through the cracks. Not exactly my proudest moment.

Since then, I’ve learned the value of creating systems that support me: checklists, a whiteboard by my desk, spreadsheets, digital reminders. Whatever works. The right tools don’t just keep you organised, they help you breathe.

Now, when business ramps up, I don’t spiral. I know what needs to be done today, and I’m not wasting energy trying to mentally juggle tomorrow’s to-do list. A good system brings clarity, focus, and calm, and in the long run, it saves you time, stress, and even money.

9. Community Over Competition
When I stopped viewing other crocheters as competition and started genuinely connecting with them, everything changed. I found support, inspiration, and friendships that have lasted for years.

In the early days, I thought I had to do everything alone. I carried that mindset over from years of working for people who didn’t appreciate me, and I was determined to be fully independent. I believed everyone else was doing it wrong, and that I had to prove myself by doing it all myself.

But I couldn’t have been more mistaken.

That isolating mindset cost me. I missed out on collaborations, connections, and opportunities that could’ve helped my business, and my spirit, grow. Eventually, I realised the truth: there’s more than enough yarn, creativity, and kindness to go around.

Other designers and makers are not your competition. They’re not you, and you’ll never be them, and that’s the beauty of it. What makes your business unique is you. 

Yes, you’ll still encounter copycats or people who treat you unfairly, but they’re not your tribe. By staying true to your voice, you’ll attract the kind of community that lifts you up, not tears you down, and often, those people will bring more to your business than they’ll ever take away.

10. Your Voice is Your Superpower
There are thousands of crochet businesses out there, but there’s only one you.

Your story, your style, your voice... that’s what makes your business stand out. People aren’t just buying your products or patterns, they’re connecting with the person behind them. With your passion, your perspective, your way of seeing the world.

So let them in.

Be yourself in your writing, your designs, your videos, your interactions. That authenticity is what people connect with, and it’s what they’ll come back for, again and again.

Your voice is your superpower. Don’t hide it.

Final Thoughts
Starting a crochet business has been one of the most challenging, and rewarding, things I’ve ever done. Over the years, I’ve grown not just as a maker, but as a person. These lessons were hard-won, and I hope they help you skip a few stumbles and walk your own path with a little more confidence and clarity.

It's been nearly two decades now since I've worked in an office and I am so grateful for everything I have learned along the way. All the ups and all the downs have got me to where I am now as well as the people and companies who have helped me get there. Even relocating to a new country and dealing with foreign taxes and new systems has been a struggle, but it has taught me resilience and given me the understanding and freedom to know that I have the power and strength within me to continue to do great things. I may not earn a million dollar salary, but I earn enough now to be fully independent, support a small team of amazing people and 

There’s so much more I want to share, so keep an eye out for the rest of this series, and if you have any questions, thoughts, or your own “I wish I knew” moments, I’d love to hear them. Drop me a comment below or get in touch, I’m always up for a good yarn!