Can you actually start a crochet business without spending any money?
“It takes money to make money.”
I hate that saying. But it’s kind of true, even in the crochet world.
When I first started my crochet business back in 2021, I didn’t want to spend any money getting it off the ground. Fortunately, Etsy was free (ish) to start using. I just had to pay $0.20 per listing. I had to buy some yarn, which I didn’t *think* was an expensive investment. I thought, if I can buy a skein for $4, and make a $20 set of coasters, I’m profiting a lot! Right?
Not quite.
First of all, I didn’t just buy one skein. I bought, like, 20 skeins. Cause of course I had to have all the different colors to offer.
Second of all, no one wanted to buy crocheted coasters on Etsy. So I didn’t have any revenue.
Third, I spent a TON of my time doing all this work: crocheting, frogging, crocheting again, photographing products, coming up with listing titles and descriptions, and reading about Etsy strategies. I’ve learned that using up my time costs me money. This is one of the most essential concepts that business owners understand when they’re figuring out their business plans, and also a thing that most crochet artists DO NOT understand. I rarely meet other crochet business owners who charge a fair wage for their labor.
So, with my original mindset, I did not want to buy a tent, table, tablecloth, or any other display items. I wanted to be able to make money without spending any.
And this constraint I created is exactly what kept me from making money early on.
Skip ahead six months, and I get a push from a friend to try selling my crocheted products at farmers markets. Not sure what changed inside me, but I took the leap. And that’s when the real money started coming in.
Okay. So I’ve learned that, even in the crochet world, it takes money to make money. But does it have to take a lot of money?
Nope! At least, I don’t consider $200-$300 a lot of money to get started. You’ll make this back in a couple markets at most, as long as you have all the components.
Below is my free guidebook on how to start a Serious Crochet Side Hustle. Inside, I tell you where to find the equipment you need to get started for less than $200. You’ll probably need a little more cash to pay vendor fees to attend markets, but in the guidebook, I also tell you where you can set up for FREE!
Type in your email here to get the free guidebook.
If you try this, and it’s still not working, then what’s missing?