It has been more than 10 years ago that I started my crochet business but before that, actually, I was in grade three at the age of nine that I learned how to crochet.
Many years ago, crochet was taught in the classrooms under homeroom subject. Sad to say, this craft is no longer taught in schools.
Our first project was a doily. Below is a sample of a doily crocheted by me.
As our teacher has around 40 students to teach, not all can be given the attention for a one on one tutorial so I turned to my mother to teach me the basics. My mom was able to crochet a bedcover for a queen bed. Surely, she is the perfect person to teach me how to crochet.
That was my first encounter with crochet.
My next encounter was when I was in 2nd year high school. This time our project has levelled up. We need to make an amigurumi.
Amigurumi is a Japanese art of crocheting a small project, usually creatures that are being stuffed with fiberfills.
My project at that time was a dog. But sad to say, I don't have a picture of that and I think I gave it away. But since then, I have made several amigurumis. Below are just some of the small key chain amigurumis that I crocheted.
Instead of filling it with fiberfill, I use my scrap of yarns to fill them up. Aren't they lovely?
And that was the last time that I held a hook and yarn in my hand. I have not thought of crochet until in year 2009.
Our church at the time was just a temporary building made of wood and was very small. Our parish priest was doing some fund raising as a new bigger, wider church will be built. He was asking for financial donations from the parishioners. Although I did my share but I also thought that if I give, say, 500, that 500 will remain as 500. What if I buy yarns out of my 500, make small projects that might sell and give the proceeds to the church, that 500 will grow.
And that started my eagerness to crochet again. I made some hairclips and headbands and sell them to my officemates. Every Sunday, I turned over to the committee 70% of my sales and the unsold items for them to sell as they also held a small bazaar every Sunday. I retain the 30% to buy more yarns and materials.
The pictures below are the hairclips and headbands that I crocheted for the fund raising.
They are just small items that can easily be sold.
Since then I was hooked.
I tried making bigger items and accept orders from friends. By then, our church stopped their Sunday bazaar. I progressed to making baby booties as they were the most ordered items.
These are just some of the booties I crocheted.
I also made some beanies. Some were sold, some were in inventory. And plenty went to inventory. Now I have a lot to sell that I don't know where to sell them.
Maybe the good Lord was looking down on me as one time, I was browsing thru Facebook, I came thru a post from Maker's Market advertising their upcoming bazaar in one of the malls in our city. I was so excited that I tried to apply for the bazaar. As I really, really want to be accepted, I went to the church to pray for it. A week after I got an email from them saying that I have to pay the lease for the two days bazaar in order for my slot to be reserved. I did not hesitate, I paid for the lease and got that slot.
This was my first ever bazaar last December 2015. I named my business Pretty Crafts.
I made a sale of more than Php 8,000.00 or around $160.00 for the two days that I stayed there. Of course, a portion was donated to our church fundraising.
Since then I have been joining bazaars, 3 - 4 times a year. Every year, my inventory has increased and evolved.
Here are some photos of my other bazaars.
And this is the last bazaar that I have joined. Because of the pandemic, it is not safe to do bazaars yet.
I imported yarns from UK, USA and New Zealand to add to my inventory.
At the start of my crochet journey, I thought the craft has died as this was no longer taught in school. But during my bazaars, I learned that there are still a lot who do crochet basing on my yarn sales.
This really is my happy place.
Will talk more about my crochet journey in the next few days.
Have to put down my pen or rather stop clicking my keyboard as my fingers are getting tired. 😀 As if this is a very long article. 😁
Thanks for dropping by and see in the next chapter.
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A blessing in disguise. 😊 I remember my elementary days when you mentioned about homeroom subject. I loved that subject, HELE. But with crochet, I only know how to do about 1-3 layers. To tell you the truth, my doily was made by my late aunt because she was the one in their family that knows how to crochet. She taught me but she said that my hands were so hard that I needed to loosen it up a bit. It was really hard for me. That is why I always remember her with anything related to crochet. I even encouraged her during that time to make some coasters and sell it but then she had a stroke that she wasn't able to hold a needle properly. Back then I really had interest with business. 😁