how to get paid to crochet: top 10 ways
by: hyggecrochetcoPosted on:

How to Get Paid to Crochet: Top 10 Ways to Make Money Crocheting

So, you’ve decided to turn your crochet hobby into a side hustle. Maybe you’re even considering starting a full-blown crochet business! Either way, there are so many options to choose from when it comes to making money with crochet. In this post, we’ll discuss the top ten ways that you can start producing an income by crocheting for those of you wondering: How can I get paid to crochet?

You can get paid to crochet by selling crochet items online and locally at craft fairs, selling digital crochet patterns, creating an ebook, starting a crochet blog, making a crocheting course, becoming a pattern tester, selling custom items, selling on consignment, creating a Youtube channel, or starting a subscription box.

Now let’s take an in-depth look at each method so you can determine which is best for you!

Top 10 Ways to Make Money Crocheting

Starting a new business venture can be exciting, especially when you get to make money doing what you love. Keep in mind, however, that making money with your crochet can take some time to build up.

It’s likely that you won’t see much or any new income at all in the beginning, especially when selling online. However, once you get momentum going in your business it will be much easier to see the resulting fruits of your labor.

The key to making money with crochet is… don’t give up!

1. Selling Items Online

Selling your crochet items online in digital marketplaces like Etsy can be a great way to start making a solid income from crochet. As a crochet business owner, I make a majority of my income (5 figures a month consistently) on Etsy alone! If you’d like to get a jumpstart on opening your Etsy shop the right way, be sure to grab my Etsy Launch Checklist for Crochet Business Owners!

One of the best parts of selling online is that this often gives you access to large amounts of buyer traffic who are already looking for handmade crochet items to buy. Combining an online shop with selling at local events like craft shows will also kick-start your brand awareness and expand your customer base.

Additionally, selling online means you’ll be able to easily see stats explaining which of your products convert the best and which you should consider focusing less on.

The downside of selling crochet items online is that you’ll have to compete with other shops selling crochet products, and you’ll also have to make the items as the orders come in unless you decide to make a set amount of inventory before you create your listing.

For a more detailed look at selling crochet online, check out our article:

The Best Websites to Sell Crochet Items Online

How to Become a Crochet Pattern Tester

Crochet Business Ideas: How to Turn Your Passion for Crochet into a Profitable Business

2. Selling Items at Craft Shows

Selling your crochet items at events like craft fairs can be a very profitable way to get started for those who may not be interested in selling online or even in combination with an online storefront.

The advantage to selling at craft shows is that you do not have to worry about making an item every time you get a sale as you would selling online. Instead, you can choose exactly which products and how much inventory you are going to take to the event, produce everything beforehand, and sell it on the spot on the day of the show.

For more on having your most successful craft fair, check out our articles:

Top 10 Tips for a Successful Craft Fair

How to Find Local Craft Fairs Near You

3. Patterns

Selling crochet patterns online is a great option for those who want a much more hands-off business. Pattern selling is mostly passive and doesn’t require much upkeep.

This is because you only have to make the digital file once, and then it can sell infinitely after that without any extra work. The low supply costs involved in pattern selling also mean a higher profit margin!

To learn more in detail about how to sell crochet patterns successfully, see our article about it here: Is Selling Crochet Patterns Worth It? How to Make Money Selling Crochet Patterns

4. Ebooks

If you’re looking to create as many income streams as possible, converting your crochet patterns into an ebook version and listing it for sale on Amazon through KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is a good way to do that.

You don’t have to limit yourself to pattern ebooks, though. You can create and publish an ebook about anything surrounding crochet, or even combine several patterns together as a set into the form of an ebook.

5. Start a Blog

Starting a blog surrounding your hobby will allow you to spend your time writing about something that you love and can also easily be monetized! It may take some effort to get your blog up and running, but after you’ve established consistent traffic, you can start running ads on your blog posts and promoting your favorite crochet products and tools through affiliate marketing.

It is popular for crochet sellers to post their patterns for free on a blog because they are still making an income through the traffic they receive from those pages.

6. Make a Course

Knowing how to crochet is a valuable skill to many people and one that many people are interested in learning. Creating a crochet course pairs well with both making an ebook and starting a crochet blog.

You can film a video course filled with valuable information for crocheters such as how-tos, pattern walk-throughs, or in-depth tutorials for beginners on certain topics and feature it on a website or blog, promote it through social media or on your Youtube channel and potentially make big bucks.

7. Pattern Testing

Crochet pattern testers don’t always get paid, however if you are very experienced at crochet and can produce a high quality, in depth review of a pattern for crochet designers and yarn companies, there are some opportunities to become a paid pattern tester. You can expect to earn between $30 and $150 for each test.

8. Youtube

Creating a Youtube channel is another excellent source of relatively passive income. Create a series of how-to videos, pattern tutorials, yarn hauls, etc. and then watch the ad revenue roll in after you’ve been approved from monitezation.

Putting yourself on camera is a good way to build your brand identity and connect with your potential customers. In addition to this, having a Youtube channel can drive extra traffic and sales to any of the other income strategies on this list!

9. Create a Subscription Box

Making your own subscription box is easier than ever. You can create and start selling your own subscription boxes through companies like Cratejoy and Subbly.

Some ideas for creating your own crochet inspired subscription boxes include monthly assorted yarn boxes, differing crochet patterns with all the supplies and instructions included each month, select crochet needles and tools, etc. The ideas for this option are endless.

10. Custom Items

Custom crochet items can be sold either online or locally. This is a good option to provide for people in your community who are interested in what you create. You may not be willing to make one of a kind products all of the time, but you can provide extra special items to people you know as they are interested.

Many online buyers are also on the lookout for one of a kind pieces of handmade clothing and accessories. Custom crochet items have the potential to do well when marketed towards a social media following for this reason.

An advantage to selling custom crochet items is that you can add a markup to the price because of the extra time and effort that goes into making a custom item.