6 nifty ways to make money from crochet

If you love crochet as a hobby, but find it's taking over your life, you've probably wondered if there is any way to get the best of both worlds and make it pay. If you are looking for ways to monetise your craft, there are plenty of methods you can try to bring in a little extra income.
From selling patterns to creating bespoke articles, crochet can be much more lucrative than you thought.
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1. Sell items online
If you've become a proficient crocheter, but you don't have an urge to branch out creatively and design your own patterns, there are ways to make a little pin money. One of the easiest is to start selling your finished projects online. They'll need to be well made and perfectly finished, but you'll find a market for them via online outlets like Etsy. Check out the site first to see what other people are charging for similar articles and don't forget to credit the original pattern designer. You'll need to take great photos of your products and be prepared to send them off speedily to your eager buyers.
2. Sell items at craft fairs
Craft fairs and markets can be a great way to meet fellow crochet enthusiasts, see the latest yarns and, of course, sell your own wares. They can help you see what sells and what doesn't, so that you can target your efforts better. You may have to pay a fee upfront to set up at the fair or market, so you'll have to judge whether it's worth the investment. I've found craft fairs can be great to get crochet commissions.
3. Sell via local stores
Setting up your own business is risky and expensive, but there may well be small gift shops, haberdashers or craft stores in your area which would be willing to take some of your items on a sale or return basis. Ask around and see if you could find good homes for some of your projects and you'll be surprised at how well they sell.
4. Become a tester
Designers often need real live crocheters to put their patterns to the test - and they'll pay you to do it. Have a look online for the big yarn and crochet pattern firms and designers and apply for a fun new job. You may have to pass a crocheting 'audition' to land the post but could soon end up with the task of testing a pattern that could be tomorrow's must-have item.
5. Design and sell your own patterns
If you've got the creative bug and are always adapting crochet patterns to suit your needs, maybe now is the time to start from scratch and develop your own patterns. You'll then be able to sell them online to other eager crocheters, via sites like Craftsy and Ravelry. This can also lead to writing your own crochet books or contributing patterns to crochet magazines.
6. Teach crochet classes
There are plenty of ways to get into teaching crochet. Does your local school have any budget for someone to come in and instruct the kids? Can you set up a local crafting group and give lessons? Or do you prefer to take your skills online and develop a YouTube channel of your own? Some crochet tutorials get thousands of views and can make money via advertising and sponsorship.
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