Today’s interview is pretty awesome! Stephanie from Hookaholics seems to do it all, she crochets, she knits, she writes patterns AND she spins her own yarn! Lets get started!

HI! I’m Stephanie, a 30-something wife and work-at-home mom to five kids aged 2 – 9.  We live in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains right outside of Scranton, PA.  I started crocheting when my son was a baby.  My friends urged me to open an Etsy shop after my second daughter was born.  After baby number 4 arrived, I decided to quit my day job and focus on my crochet business.  I eventually started to write out some of my patterns and offer them for sale.  Most recently, I’ve taken up spinning my own yarn.  I love taking fiber and turning it into something amazing.  Spinning is so soothing, almost meditative.

What is a typical day in your life? 

Life with five kids is CRAZY.  Life with five kids and three Etsy shops is INSANITY, but I love, love, LOVE being busy.  My typical day starts bright and early, getting kids dressed fed and the two oldest out the door for school.  Once that settles down, I answer emails and re-list sold orders.  I hang out with the little ones and then after lunch, they take a nap and I get to work!  The hook or needles or spinning wheel comes out and I get down to business.  I package up orders and hand them off to my husband to take to the post office while I start putting together dinner.  The big kids get home and we sit down for dinner and homework and then we rush off to taekwondo.  Then it’s back home for baths and bedtime.  Once everyone is tucked in, I settle down with my yarn again and off I go!  I do my best work after the kids are in bed.  Did I mention the copious amounts of coffee I’m drinking all day?!

Where do you get most of your work done? 

I have a dedicated dyeing studio in our detached garage.  My husband was kind enough to sacrifice a corner of it after he saw the potential mess dye could make in the kitchen.  I also have a craft room upstairs but that serves mostly as a yarn and fiber storage area.  Honestly, the majority of my work happens from the couch.  My guilty pleasure is crocheting or spinning while catching up on episodes of the Maury show.

As a side note, I, Kandice, am in LOVE with this blanket and need a baby to make it for!

What is your favorite thing about running your own business?

 I love the freedom to create what I want, when I want and how I want.  There’s an immense amount of satisfaction that comes from being able to stay home with my kids while also contributing to the family income.

 What is the hardest thing for you in running your business?

 I am my own worst boss and critic.  Any “free” time I have is spent nurturing new ideas, testing out new dye recipes, spinning a funky yarn, or letting my imagination run wild with my crochet hook.  It never stops.

 What surprised you the most when you started your business?

 Honestly?  The biggest surprise has been how successful it’s been.  I never would have dreamed that I could quit my job and make money doing what I love.

What advice would you give to other business owners out there?

 Get fabulous photos of your products.  I love working with photographers for pictures.  They give your shop a much more polished and professional look.  I struggle with photographing my own items, but I’m getting there.

 I’ve heard the expression “Follow your Dreams”.  Don’t follow them.  Chase them.  Stalk them.  Hunt them down, throw them to the ground, hog tie them and make them yours.  Be prepared for a struggle.  I promise it’s worth it.

Where do you get your inspiration?

 Inspiration comes from everywhere.  I’ve had ideas pop into my head at the strangest and most random times.  I keep a list on my phone and jot down new ideas as they come to me.  When I’m dyeing wool to spin, I find inspiration from the colors of the season I’m in.  And Pinterest has some fabulous boards with color palettes.

What do you do when you’re NOT working?

 When I’m not working, I’m juggling the needs of three kids.  My husband and I and our three oldest kids all practice taekwondo.  Sparring with my husband is better than marriage counseling.  I love that we all have a common sport that we can all talk about and relate to, and it’s much easier to shuttle everyone to the same place rather than split up for dance/hockey/t-ball, etc.

What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?

I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I’m having a blast right now!

If you were invisible, where would you go?

If I were invisible, I’d follow my kids to school and see if they really do act like the angels that they claim to be.

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I said before I was married that I never wanted kids.

You can find Hookaholic Yarn here , patterns here and finished products here. You can also find here on Facebook. 

I’d like to thank Stephanie for a very entertaining interview, and some of the best business advice yet! 

Do you know a business I should consider interviewing for an upcoming Small Business Spotlight? Leave a comment or email me with a link to their information and let me know! Wish I would have asked a different question? I will be changing up some of the questions in the future, so if you have something in particular you would like to know be sure to let me know! 

Thanks everyone, Happy Tuesday!

Last week someone asked me some questions about getting ready for a craft show, so today I thought I would talk about that! A lot of places the Farmers Market season has just started and people are already starting to think about Christmas! If you’re thinking about selling at any Christmas shows you should start looking now, a lot of applications for November and December shows are due in July and August.

This question came at a good time, as I am doing my first shows of 2013 the next 2 weekends! The main question I get asked about getting ready for a show is how many hats I take with me. The answer to this question has changed over the years, so I thought it would be best if I walked you through my evolution, and you can see which part is most in line with your situation and see what I did there!

In 2010, when Sweet Kiwi Crochet first started I began selling at my local Farmers Market. When I started I would pick an animal and I wanted to try and sell and then make 1 or 2 of each size hat (I do 5 sizes, 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years, 3-9 years and 10-adult). When I first started my booth was a mish-mash of hats, scarves, slippers and purses. The first time I tried animal hats I just took 1 animal and though I’d see how it went. Because I was selling at this market every week I was able to slowly introduce things and see how they sold before I made a whole bunch of something. By the end of that first market season I had 5 different animals that I would take with me, and I would take 2-4 hats in each size in each style. So I would take 15 owl hats (3 of each size) and 15 giraffes, etc.

That Christmas I did 2 shows and I took a lot more hats. I had 9 different animals that I was making, and I made 4-6 of each size. After the first show was over I made as many hats as I could in 2 weeks to replenish the hats that I’d already sold, and when I ran out of hats in a particular size or style I took orders.

In 2011 I did the Farmers Market again, but because I still had hats left from the Christmas shows I was able to  add 6 new animals to my line and increase my numbers by having 6-8 of each size in each style. I was selling at the Gardners Market every weekend, and also sold at another show a couple of times that summer, so having a lot of hats in stock relieved a lot of stress!! That Christmas I did 2 more Christmas shows and was able to secure a booth space at a Boutique in a mall where I could sell hats all year.

Since 2012 I’ve been doing things pretty much the same. I try to have at least 2-3 hats in each size at the Boutique all the time, and I spend the spring making hats for the summer and Christmas shows. I’ve been able to figure out which styles and sizes are the most popular at the shows I go to (it’s different for different shows) and I make sure that I have 10-12 of the most popular styles and sizes before a show. For the less popular hats I try to have 2-3 of each size. I have the advantage of knowing that anything I don’t sell at a show can be taken to the boutique.

My numbers might sound crazy, and even a little bit daunting to someone just doing 1 show. My recommendation is to find a small show and try to take a variety of things. Take all different sizes an a lot of different styles and then keep a good inventory!! Pay attention to what sizes get tried on the most, what sizes get purchased the most, and what styles are the most popular. You can adjust the number of hats you bring and the kinds you bring as you figure out what people buy.  You don’t want to spend 100 hours making 1 style of hat only to find out that no one wants it.

To find out more about what I do to get ready for my craft shows you can refer back to my Selling At A Craft Show series from last summer:

Where Do I Find a Show?

How to Apply

I Got In! Now What?

What Do I Take?

What suggestions do you have for those just starting out at craft shows!? How do you decide what to take with you?

This week’s Small Business Spotlight is with the designer behind one of my FAVORITE websites on the internet! I’ve been obsessed with Carina from Polka & Bloom since I found her blog, Carina’s Craftblog. When I found out she crochets, knits and embroiders I was in awe! I am SO excited that she agreed this this interview, so let’s get to it!

Hi, my name is Carina – I’m Danish but live just outside London (in the UK) with my English husband. I’m an embroidery designer, author and craft blogger.

I design hand embroidery patterns which I sell in my shop, Polka & Bloom. I also teach online classes, write eBooks and content for printed books. This autumn my first book, Stitched Blooms, will be published by Lark Crafts.

I got started by accident, actually. The company I worked for went belly up and I was laid off along with several thousand others! It wasn’t a great job, so I wasn’t that sorry about not working there anymore. But obviously I missed the regular income! While I was looking for another job, I started selling a few patterns and I thought it might be worth pursuing. It’s not made me rich, but I’m doing something I absolutely love. And that is something I’m really grateful for.

What is a typical day in your life? 

Week days usually look like this:

8 or 9am to 12pm: writing/replying to emails, doing research for pattern designs, sketching and embroidering.

12-1pm: I have lunch while reading blogs. And do a few quick chores around the house.

1-3pm: Taking photographs, embroidering, preparing pattern files.

3-6pm: More household tasks, preparing and eating dinner, spending time with the husband.

6-8pm: Writing blog posts, editing photos, writing a few more emails if necessary. Updating my website/shop etc.

I try to stop working on the computer by 8pm – But I may still be on the computer for a bit longer if I get lost in the blog-link rabbit hole!

8-10pm: I’ll be doing some more embroidery or maybe playing in my sketchbook. And writing my to-do list for the following day! Very important!

 I usually do some work on the weekends too, but nowhere near as much!

 Where do you work? 

At the moment we live in a one-bedroom flat, so my computer and desk are in the living room – it’s not ideal, but at least it means I’m in the same room as my husband when I’m working in the evening! When I’m embroidering I take a seat on the sofa. My fabric and thread usually spread onto the coffee table and the floor.

What is your favorite thing about running your own business?

My awesome customers! Every time I get a message from someone telling me they enjoyed stitching one of my patterns, I get SO happy!

 And I love that I can set my own hours. I work a lot but at least I can spread my working hours throughout the day (and evening). Or I can take the day off and go check out a museum in London if I feel like it.

What is the hardest thing for you in running your business?

Doing it alone. There’s just never quite enough time for all the ideas I have or tasks that need to get done. Learning to prioritize is something I am still working on.

 What surprised you the most when you started your business?

The fact that I actually did start a business. I’d never really imagined myself doing that.

 What advice would you give to other business owners out there?

Always do your work to the best of your ability, continue improving and learning new things. And make sure you get paid properly. If you let others underpay you, it’s not treating yourself or your business with respect. And it will hurt your bottom line – there’s enough hobby makers devaluing the work of creatives already.

If you could choose anyone as your mentor, who would you choose? 

I think Oprah would make a pretty great mentor. She’s a really savvy business woman!

 Where do you get your inspiration?

I get inspired by so many different things. The colours of a sunset, the sleeve pattern in a 15^th century painting. Buildings, a particular stitch or certain colours… Folk art from all corners of the world are a big source of inspiration for me.

What do you do when you’re NOT working?

I’m still embroidering! But I also crochet, sew, paint and draw. And recently I’ve also got a bit more ambitious with knitting.

If you won the lottery today what is the first thing you would do?

Depends on how much I won! If I won enough I’d pay off our mortgage and go visit my sister who lives in California.

What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?

I wanted to be an astronomer – I doubt that’s going to happen now!

You can find Carina on her Blog, Twitter (@carinacraftblog), Instagram (@polkaandbloom), and in her Shop. 

I’d like to thank Carina for answering my questions and sharing her awesome talent with us today!

Do you know a business I should consider interviewing for an upcoming Small Business Spotlight? Leave a comment or email me with a link to their information and let me know! Wish I would have asked a different question? I will be changing up some of the questions in the future, so if you have something in particular you would like to know be sure to let me know! 

Thanks Everyone! Happy Tuesday!

I’m not creative enough to come up with any Someecards myself, but these are some of my favorites I’ve seen lately…

Crochet jokes are fun

Today I’ve got an interview someone who has carved a very unique niche in the crochet pattern market, dog clothes! So let’s get started with Sara from Posh Pooch Designs!

Tell us a little bit about yourself :

 I am a 50 year old grandma who loves my grandkids, yarn, crochet and designing. I love the beauty of the rows of yarn in the craft stores. Oh, and I love my Chihuahuas too! They are the inspiration for my Small Business.

What is your business exactly? 

My business, Posh Pooch Designs,  started when I adopted 2 Chihuahuas, Maximo and Rosie Bell. Chis are always cold, even in the summer, so I started designing them cute little sweaters, hats and more.  People and friends would see my dog’s clothes and would ask me to make them for their dogs,  or ask for the crochet patterns.  So I began selling first from my Facebook page then on to Artfire, Etsy, Ravelry and Craftsy.  I sell my actual items as well as my crochet patterns. I have been doing this for about 3 and 1/2 years now and I am actually starting to make a profit.  I love what I do, and I am so happy to get to do it. What started as a hobby has turned into a fun business!

What is a typical day in the life of a Dog Clothes Designer?

Well it starts early, I feed the dogs first, then computer time, answering emails, emailing patterns, and printing invoices. Then I head to the gym for water aerobics. Most of the actual items are worked on in the afternoons. If I am in “designing mode” that is usually done in the afternoons as well.

I usually yarn shop a few times a week, whether I need it or not!  Crochet and designing and my business is going all through the day, so I would say I devote about 10 to 12 hours a day to it. I have more business in the fall through January, but I really keep busy year around.

I have a craft room where I work, as well as a business office ( at the desk in my dining room ) where I do my computer time. I also work out on my back deck when its sunny outside.

 What is your favorite thing about running your own business?

 The best thing about my business is I get to work at home, I am my own boss! And I get to do what I love! Also, I have really enjoyed getting to know lots of other crocheters and crafters.

What is the hardest thing for you in running your business?

 The hardest thing is deciding which design or pattern to work on. My head is so full of designs and ideas and not enough time to work them all out.

What surprised you the most when you started your business?

 I was surprised that so many people liked my dog designs. I mean, I love them, but when others love them, it just makes you feel like what you are doing is worth it.

What advice would you give to other business owners out there?

 It takes hard work, and takes time to really start making money. Be willing to put yourself out there and take some chances.

You may be hurt or taken advantage of, but if you want your dream, this will happen. Hang in there and don’t give up.

Another thing, is to be original. There are a lot of copy cats. Try to find your niche and stick with it.

If you could choose anyone as your mentor, who would you choose? 

 I don’t really have a mentor, but my family has been my biggest cheerleaders. Encouraging and helping me along the way.

My daughter also has a Crochet business, Calleigh’s Clips and Crochet Creations making photo  props. She helps with a lot of the computer issues.

My dogs, Maximo and Rosie are my inspiration. They love to model. Every time I get out the camera they are ready to model. of course the are paid in dog cookies.

What do you do when you’re NOT working?

 When I am not working, I love to spend time with my family. and attending our local church.

You can find Posh Pooch Designs on her Website, Blog, Facebook, Etsy & Artfire

I’d like to thank Sara for being willing to talk to me today and share her business with us!

Do you know a business I should consider interviewing for an upcoming Small Business Spotlight? Leave a comment or email me with a link to their information and let me know! Wish I would have asked a different question? I will be changing up some of the questions in the future, so if you have something in particular you would like to know be sure to let me know! 

Thanks everyone, Happy Tuesday!

This is a good question, but it’s a bit hard to answer for sure.

Ravelry & Craftsy let me know how many times each of my PDF’s has been purchased, but Etsy does not.

My Top 5 Selling Patterns on Ravelry are:

The only different between Ravelry & Craftsy are the Monkey Hat and Hooded Scarf patterns are my #1 and #2 sellers on Craftsy, but don’t even make the top 5 on Ravelry!

I haven’t been able to figure out what makes some patterns more popular on different sites, especially since the same pictures are used, but I guess that’s just how it is!

Any Me Anything will be back next Friday, so if you have something you’d like to know leave a comment!

Today I’ve got a great spotlight on Heather, the creative genius behind Keep Calm and Crochet On UK.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

 I’m a happily married, full time working mum with a toddler and a dog. With a hectic lifestyle the one thing that keeps me calm and sane is crocheting.

Tell us a bit about your business:

I started my business page on Facebook in April 2012 but didn’t really start the business going properly until 6^th June 2012. I am certain of the date as that’s the day I finished my degree (after 6 years!).  Now that the studying was over I had the time to concentrate on putting my efforts into something new.  A year on and I have 4000 fans on Facebook!  I am working hard designing original crochet patterns whilst working on custom orders. The patterns I design are varied but I specialize in blankets and individual afghan square patterns.

 I re-caught the crochet bug when I was pregnant with my daughter who was born in 2011. I was overwhelmed by an urge to make something so I started with a filet crochet bunny blanket (that unfortunately was lost at some point).  My Nana and Mum had taught me the basic’s when I was young so I quickly fell back into a crochet rhythm and once the blanket was finished I was well and truly re-hooked on crochet!

What is a typical day in you life like? 

Typical day for me starts at 6 am when my two year old daughter shouts down the baby monitor to wake me and my husband up.  I’m at work for 7 am for 9.5 hours (as I work a condensed week) so it’s a quick turnaround in a morning.  When I come home after picking up my daughter from nursery I make our tea, do a bit of house work before putting her to bed around 7 pm – it’s then when I get my time to crochet!  I can usually get in 2-3 hours each evening whether that be working on a pattern or making something up.  I usually get more time to crochet at the weekend (which starts for me on Friday) if we don’t have anything planned and will often crochet on and off throughout the whole of Friday, Saturday and Sunday – I think I crochet fairly quickly which helps.

It is hard to fit in everything that you want to do but for me the time spent working on designs or actually crocheting is my down time.  One of the best things about having this sort of business is that I can do it at home whilst spending time with my family.

 The busiest times for me are definitely Christmas as I also like to make gifts for my family – this year I plan to start in September!  I think more and more people want to buy something special, unique and handmade these days so this year I will be working on some stock for some ready to ship items rather than try to make everything to order in December.

I usually crochet in my living room in a comfy chair surrounded by cushions and yarn.  I have been known to crochet anywhere though even the motorway (whilst my husband drives).  Since I started my business I feel antsy if I am sitting without a crochet hook in my hand these days.

What is your favorite thing about running your own business?

 I love the challenge and creativity that is involved in creating something new out of crochet.  I love trying to put it down on paper in a way that others will understand.  For others to understand the vision that I had and be able to make it to – well I get a real kick out of it!

 I would say that I mainly make baby blankets (though I do make other things) and I love the idea that something I have made is going to be used to wrap up a baby or child either for bed or for their pushchair or just for them to snuggle.

 Also as someone who eats, sleeps and dreams crochet I love all the interaction I get on Facebook with other like-minded crafty people.

 What is the hardest thing for you in running your business?

 The hardest thing for me is that there is never ever EVER enough time in the day to do everything I want to do as well as the things I have to do.  It’s hard going at times trying to run a business, work a full time job, be a mother and a wife but I wouldn’t change it for the world!

What surprised you the most when you started your business?

 Strangely I was surprised that people seemed to like what I was doing, wanted to interact with me and to actually buy my patterns and what I had made.  It has certainly given me a confidence boost knowing that people actually do want to do all those things.

 What advice would you give to other business owners out there?

 Perseverance is key I would say, just keep on going and you will get there eventually.  It took time for me to build up my business and I am still building it now.  It’s important to remember that everyone starts at the bottom and works their way up but you have to be prepared to put in time and effort in.

If you could choose anyone as your mentor, who would you choose?

 I’m blessed that my mentor is also my mum; she is more experienced and knowledgeable about crochet than me and is always there to guide me when I need help to figure something out or just to gauge an opinion about something.  There are times now though where I am showing her new tricks and techniques which is such fun for both of us.

 I would say I get my inspiration from everywhere, I often see things and think; would that work crocheted? Or I want something specific that I can’t find so play around with some yarn until it develops into what I want. Or I see some colours and I think I want to make something that colour.  Or I see some yarn and think I’ve just got to make something out of that.

 There are also hundreds of other talented craft and crochet people out there on Facebook , Ravelry, Craftsy and Pinterest that inspire me as well.

 What do you do when you’re NOT working?

 When I am not at my full time job or crocheting I like to read.  Although my degree was in English Literature I think you can’t beat a good crime thriller; Karin Slaughter, Tess Gerritsen and Val McDermid are my kind of reads.

If you won the lottery today what is the first thing you would do?

 Quit my day job!  Then with my family go travelling and spend the time carefully plotting how I can take over the world one crochet goody at a time!

What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?

 I wanted to be a teacher, it’s something I might still pursue in the future but when my daughter is older.

 What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

 I have a great memory for things that happened awhile ago but my short term memory sucks – I often walk into a room and forget what I was doing!

If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live?

 If I could take my family and friends with me it would be Italy as my husband and I love it there. But I couldn’t just emigrate I would miss everyone too much.

You can find Keep Calm and Crochet On UK on Facebook, Pinterest, Craftsy and Ravelry

Thank you Heather for sharing your insight! It’s been great learning so much about all the crocheters out there!

Do you know a business I should consider interviewing for an upcoming Small Business Spotlight? Leave a comment or email me with a link to their information and let me know! Wish I would have asked a different question? I will be changing up some of the questions in the future, so if you have something in particular you would like to know be sure to let me know! 

Thanks Everyone! Happy Tuesday!

Rather than an Ask Me Anything question this week I wanted to make sure you know about a sale I’m having!!

Starting today you can use coupon code Summer in my Ravelry or Etsy pattern shops and you will get your entire pattern purchase!

This sale will run the entire Memorial Day Weekend, so just get your order in before Monday evening!!

Any Me Anything will resume next Friday, so if you have something you’d like to know leave a comment!