When I first wondered whether I could actually make money with crochet, I did what you’re probably doing right now. I Googled it.
“Do people really buy crochet?” “How to make money selling crochet.” “What crochet items sell best at craft fairs?”
I found a few helpful answers, and a whole lot of “it depends.” What actually taught me was doing it. I started my crochet business in 2013 with a table at a local craft fair. That grew into Made with a Twist, more than 19,000 Etsy sales, and eventually Crochetpreneur, where I’ve spent years coaching makers on the business side of the hook.
Here’s what all of that taught me: selling hats at a craft fair is just one door. There are more than 20 ways to earn money from crochet, and some of them don’t involve making finished pieces at all.
So grab a coffee, and let’s walk through them. Some you’ve already thought about. A few might surprise you. And one of them might fit your life better than the hustle you’ve been trying to force.
How to Make Money with Crochet: 20+ Ways to Earn from Your Hook
Can You Really Make Money with Crochet?
Yes, but how much depends almost entirely on how you price and which path you choose.
Selling finished pieces trades your hours for dollars. That can absolutely be profitable, but only if your price covers your materials, your time, and your overhead. Most makers who say “crochet doesn’t pay” are charging for yarn and giving their labor away. (Here’s how to price crochet projects for profit.)
Patterns, kits, teaching and content work differently. You make the thing once and sell it many times, so your income isn’t capped by how fast your hands move. Many of the makers I’ve coached end up with a mix of both.
The list below is grouped that way, so you can see which kind of income each idea brings.
Sell Finished Crochet Items
Ultimately, I think this is the first thing we think of when we consider making money with crochet–selling our finished products–getting our hats, blankets, amigurumi, whatever into the hands of end users. And that’s great, but there are so many options available in this category. I’m going to list out just a few of them.
Craft Fairs and Holiday Markets
Craft fairs are a great place to meet with your customers face to face, to find out what they love and what they’re willing to spend money on. Typically, you’ll find that you’ll sell better at Fall/Winter fairs than Spring and Summer ones, but some crocheters have built their entire business around summer crochet fashions or home decor product lines. These still sell well during warmer weather so they’re worth considering. Find your local craft fairs by searching for events online, contacting local churches and schools, and using websites like Festival Net.
Not sure how much to bring? Here’s how much craft fair inventory you really need.
More reading: Best Places to Sell Crochet Items Offline and In-Person.
Wondering where to sell and how to find vendor events? I wrote a post just for you! Click here to discover how to find craft fairs near you.
Consignment in Local Shops
Selling on consignment is a convenient, cost-effective way of getting your product into the hands of buyers. When selling on consignment, remember that the store owner will take a cut of the profits (in my experience, it has been 35%), so price your items accordingly. Consider selling on consignment at local boutiques, second hand stores (this is great for children’s items in particular), ski shops, hospital and other gift shops, shops known to sell handcrafted items, artisan co-ops, and anywhere your target market may be frequenting (hair stylist, shoe store, video game store, etc.).
Wholesale to Boutiques and Gift Shops
There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you receive your first wholesale order and the great big check that goes with it! Yes, in actuality, your profit per piece will be much lower, but by working in a production line fashion, you can minimize the time it takes to produce each piece and your overhead is minimized as well. Typically, wholesale prices are about 50% off retail prices so it’s important to price your product accordingly. My suggestion is to negotiate a lower split with the shop – handmade items just aren’t the same as manufactured products and you need to protect your profit.
Online Marketplaces and Your Own Shop
This is still the biggest source of handmade sales. Etsy is the largest marketplace, but it isn’t the only one: Amazon Handmade, eBay and newer handmade-only sites like My Community Made are all worth a look. If you’d rather own your corner of the internet, Shopify, Big Cartel or a WooCommerce shop on your own website keeps your customer list and your rules in your hands. Many sellers also make local sales through Facebook Marketplace and Instagram.
Here’s my step-by-step guide to selling crochet items online.
Home Parties and Pop-Up Shops
Nothing makes a sale more quickly than hearing, “Oh, my gosh, you look so cute in that hat!” While home parties have been around for well over 50 years, they are still a viable option for extroverted sellers who love a crowd and don’t mind packing their product to carry with them. Following the model of Mary Kay or Pampered Chef, the handmade seller can provide a great, hands-on experience … and there’s always the benefit of wine!
Custom Orders and Commissions
Custom orders let customers choose the colors, size or design, and they’ll often pay more for it. Wedding blankets, team-color beanies, memorial pieces and pet portraits are all popular. The two keys are a deposit up front and a firm limit on how many you take at once, so a busy season doesn’t turn into a sleepless one.
Photo Props
Many photographers are looking for handcrafted items to use in photo props. Baby items, novelty outfits, diaper sets, and cocoons are all popular crochet props. The great thing about this is that your products practically sell themselves. If a photographer takes a photo featuring your prop, ask them to tag you in social media postings and give your business card to their customers along with the photos.
Important note: include care and safety labels for your baby items. Check the Consumer Product Safety Commissions guidelines before you begin selling.
Crochet Art, Installations, and Galleries
Some crocheters aren’t making hats at all. They’re making art. Sculptural pieces, oversized wall hangings, crocheted portraits, and whole rooms wrapped in yarn have shown up in galleries, museums, hotel lobbies and city parks. If your work leans more toward “how did you even make that?” than “what size is it?”, this path might be calling you.
Galleries and juried shows. Many galleries, art centers and juried art fairs accept fiber art, and crochet is getting more attention there every year. Start local: community art centers and co-op galleries are often more open to new artists than big-city galleries. Online calls for entry, like CaFÉ, list juried shows and exhibitions you can apply to.
Installations and yarn bombing. Cities, festivals, libraries and businesses sometimes commission large crocheted installations: wrapped trees, decorated benches, window displays, or giant pieces for an event. These projects can pay well, and they put your work in front of thousands of people. Watch for public art calls from your city or state arts council, and pitch local businesses and festivals directly.
Commissions for homes and businesses. Interior designers, restaurants, offices and boutique hotels look for statement pieces that feel handmade and one-of-a-kind. A large wall hanging or custom installation can sell for far more than a shelf full of smaller items.
Grants and residencies. Many state and local arts councils offer grants and residencies for artists, and fiber artists are often eligible. It takes some paperwork, but a grant can fund a project you’d never be able to take on otherwise.
To get started, you’ll need three things: clear, beautiful photos of your work, a short artist statement that explains what you make and why, and a simple portfolio, even if it’s just a page on your website. And price art as art. A one-of-a-kind piece isn’t priced by the hour alone; its originality and the story behind it are part of its value.
Finished Product Subscription Boxes
Yes, the subscription box has found its way to handmade. What a creative and exciting way to set yourself up for recurring monthly income that is (somewhat) predictable. It’s a win-win when you get to delight your subscribers with a new product each month. Companies like Cratejoy and Subbly make it easy to set up and get your subscription e-commerce business started.
Yes, there are crochet artisans who sell
Sell to Other Makers: Patterns, Kits and Supplies
Here’s something a lot of crocheters miss: your customers don’t have to be people who want a finished hat. Some of your best customers are other crocheters.
Makers buy patterns, kits, yarn bundles and little finishing pieces all the time. And because you design a pattern or a kit once and sell it again and again, this is where many makers find income that isn’t tied to how fast their hands can move. It isn’t effortless. The work just happens up front instead of with every sale.
Selling Crochet Patterns
If you love designing, this might be your favorite way on the whole list. You write the pattern, test it and photograph it once, and every sale after that asks almost nothing of you.
You have more places to sell than ever:
Etsy brings huge search traffic, though many shoppers there are looking for finished items, not patterns.
Ravelry is the crochet and knitting world’s own pattern library. Buyers come there specifically to find patterns.
Ribblr is newer and built around interactive patterns. It has also taken a public stand against AI-generated patterns.
LoveCrafts sells patterns right alongside yarn, so you reach people who are already shopping for their next project.
Your own website, through a tool like Payhip or a shop on your blog, lets you keep more of each sale and build your email list as you go.
You don’t need to be everywhere. Most designers start with one or two and add more once the first is running smoothly.
The part that trips up most designers is price. Here’s how to sell crochet patterns at the best price. And if you want to stretch a single design further, here are 12 ways designers can make money from one design.
Free Patterns That Earn (ads and affiliates)
Free patterns can make money too. When you publish them on your own blog, you can earn from display ads and from affiliate links, like linking to the exact yarn you used. Sites such as All Free Crochet let you submit free patterns that link back to your site, which sends new readers your way.
This is the system I use myself: free patterns and paid patterns, side by side. The free ones introduce crocheters to my work. Once they trust that my patterns are clear and fun to make, they’re happy to buy the next one.
One more idea: many designers offer an ad-free, printable PDF of a free pattern for a small price. Plenty of crocheters would rather pay a few dollars than print a page full of ads.
Magazines, Publishers and Yarn Company Designs
Getting a design into a magazine or a yarn company’s collection pays you up front and puts your name in front of thousands of crocheters at once.
Magazines. Crochet World, published by Annie’s, still works with outside designers, and other craft magazines put out calls for submissions throughout the year. Each one has its own deadlines, pay and rights terms. Read the rights terms closely. Some buy a pattern outright, while others hand the rights back to you after a set time so you can sell it yourself.
Publishers and catalogs. Catalogs like Annie’s sell designers’ patterns and pay a percentage of each sale, a bit like consignment. I had a pattern with Annie’s for quite a while. Honestly, I didn’t go looking for them: it was one of my popular Etsy patterns, and their representative reached out to me. A strong-selling pattern in your own shop is often the best pitch you can make.
Yarn companies. Many yarn brands hire designers to create patterns that show off their yarn, and some sponsor designers they love. Once you have a portfolio and a following, send a short, friendly pitch with photos to a brand you already use. It’s one of the nicest ways to get paid to do what you love.
Pattern Books and Kindle Publishing
Already have a handful of patterns? Bundle them into a book. Print-on-demand through Amazon KDP means there are no boxes of books stacked in your garage, and a Kindle edition gives you an author page and readers who might never have found your shop.
Books aren’t only for patterns, either. Stitch guides, technique tutorials and beginner lessons all work beautifully in book form.
Embellishments and Components
Some of the busiest crochet shops sell to other makers: flowers, leaves, appliqués, bows and patches. Other sellers buy them to finish their own products faster, and card makers, scrapbookers and hair-bow makers buy them too.
They’re small, quick and easy to batch, and they sell best in sets. If you love making the little things, this could be your niche.
Crochet Kits
Plenty of people want to learn to crochet but don’t want to hunt down the right yarn and hook. A kit does that part for them.
Pair your pattern with the yarn, the right hook, and the little extras like stitch markers, a tapestry needle or stuffing. Add a short video walkthrough, especially for beginners, and you’ve made something that’s genuinely easy to say yes to.
Kits make lovely gifts, and they sell well at craft fairs to the shoppers who say, “I wish I could make that.” When you price them, include your time to assemble each kit and the value of your pattern, not just the cost of the yarn.
Crochet Subscription Boxes
Think of a subscription box as a kit that keeps on giving. Each month, subscribers get a new pattern, the yarn to make it, and maybe a surprise notion or treat. For you, that means steadier, more predictable income than one-off sales.
Platforms like Subbly and Cratejoy handle the billing for you. Before you launch, work out your shipping costs carefully and plan a few months of designs ahead. Consider capping subscribers at first so the box grows at a pace you can keep up with.
Unboxing posts are free advertising. Give your box its own hashtag and invite subscribers to share their unboxing on Instagram and TikTok.
nail your niche with this worksheet
Free Worksheet for Creating Your Niche
One of the first steps in building your business is creating a niche so you can get clear on your market, your messaging, and your most profitable product line. Nail your niche with this helpful worksheet to walk you through the details.
Get Paid to Crochet: Services and Content
Not every crochet income comes from selling something you made. Some of it comes from what you know: teaching, creating content, or lending your skills to other makers’ businesses. If you love crochet but don’t love shipping boxes, this might be your corner of the list.
Teaching Crochet Classes (home, library, yarn shop)
If you light up when someone finally gets their first granny square, teaching might be right up your alley. Before you start, think about who you want to teach (kids, beginners, advanced makers), what you’ll cover, what you’ll charge, and where you’ll teach.
At home. Teaching from your own kitchen table is cozy and convenient, especially if travel is hard for you. Check a few things first: neighborhood or HOA rules, liability insurance, parking, accessibility, and how comfortable you are having strangers in your home.
At the library or community center. Many libraries offer free space for classes. They often need to be open to the public, and sometimes free, but they’re a wonderful way to build trust in your community, practice your teaching, and fine-tune your lessons. Those classes often lead to paid opportunities.
At a yarn shop. Local yarn shops are the perfect place to teach, because the crocheters are already there. Many will advertise your class and give you space to teach. Larger chain stores sometimes ask for certification, which you can get through the Craft Yarn Council Certified Instructors Program.
At schools and after-school programs. One reader shared that after teaching a beginner crochet session at school, the kids begged her to start a yarn club. After-school clubs, homeschool co-ops and summer camps are often looking for hands-on activities, and crochet fits beautifully.
Online Courses and YouTube
Teaching online lets you reach students far beyond your town, and you can record a lesson once and sell it for years.
Online courses. Marketplaces like Udemy and Skillshare bring students to you, though they take a share of each sale. If you’d rather keep more of what you earn and own your student list, a course platform like Thinkific or Teachable lets you sell from your own website.
YouTube. People search YouTube the way they used to search Google, especially for anything that starts with “how to.” A crochet tutorial channel can earn from ads, sponsorships and affiliate links as it grows, and a good tutorial keeps getting found for years after you post it. It’s also one of the best ways to send people to your patterns and shop.
Blogging, Podcasting and Content Creation
Do you love to write, talk, or share what’s new in the crochet world? Creating content lets you build your brand, connect with your customers, and earn from ads, affiliate links, sponsorships and your own products and courses.
It takes time and consistency. But a blog post or podcast episode can keep bringing people back long after you’ve created it. I’ve seen it with this blog and with my podcast, Crochet Business Chat.
If you’re wondering whether blogging is right for you, start with How to Start a Profitable Crochet Blog and How to Start a Blog for Your Etsy Shop or Handmade Business.
Pattern Testing
Every good designer needs pattern testers. Many testers are paid with the finished pattern, or the pattern plus yarn, but experienced testers can earn real money for fast, careful work.
Testing is a great fit if you’re detail-oriented, patient, and good at clear, kind feedback. It’s also a wonderful way to build relationships with designers, which can lead to the paid work below. Here’s my full guide on how to become a crochet pattern tester. To find testing calls, look in Ravelry groups like The Testing Pool and in designers’ Facebook groups.
Contract Crocheting and Sample Making
“Are there companies that pay you to crochet?” I hear this question a lot, and the honest answer is yes. It’s usually designers and small businesses, though, not big companies.
Busy designers hire contract crocheters to make shop samples, photo samples and trade-show pieces. Sellers with growing order lists hire makers to help fill them. Yarn companies sometimes need sample stitchers, too.
To find this work, watch for calls in designer Facebook and Ravelry groups, or reach out to designers whose work you already love. Share photos of your finished pieces and how quickly you typically work. Before you start, agree in writing on your pay, your deadlines, and who supplies the yarn.
Tech Editing
If you’re the person who always spots the stitch-count error on row 12, tech editing might be for you.
Tech editors check patterns before they’re published: the math, the stitch counts, the sizing, and whether the instructions are clear and consistent from start to finish. Designers pay per pattern or by the hour, and good tech editors are in demand.
It uses the same detail-loving brain as pattern testing, with better pay. Many tech editors start as testers, then build their skills with practice and training before taking on paying clients.
How to Choose the Right Way for You
Crochet Business FAQs
It ranges from pocket money to a full-time income, and the difference is almost always pricing and product mix, not talent. Makers who price for their time and add scalable income, like patterns or classes, earn far more than those selling one-off pieces at yarn cost. My own business started with an inexpensive hat at a craft fair and grew to six figures over time.
Yes, though it’s mostly designers, small businesses and yarn companies rather than big employers. They hire contract crocheters for shop samples, photo samples and order fulfillment, and they hire pattern testers and tech editors. Look for calls in designer Facebook and Ravelry groups, and get pay and deadlines in writing.
Items that solve a problem or make a great gift tend to sell best: hats and other wearables, amigurumi, baby items and home decor. What sells for you depends on your customer and the season, so start with what your audience already asks for.
It depends on where you live. Many cities and states require a business license or a sales tax permit, especially for craft fairs. Most big marketplaces, including Etsy, now collect sales tax for you in the U.S., but local rules still apply. Check with your city or county, and read 5 Common Ways Crocheters Break the Law.
In most cases, yes. A pattern’s copyright covers the written instructions, not the item you make from them. Still, check each pattern’s terms and credit the designer when they ask. Here’s the full answer: Can You Sell Crochet Items Made from Someone Else’s Pattern?
Start with the path that fits the life you already have. If you love talking with people, try a local craft fair or market. If you’d rather stay home, an Etsy shop or a few patterns is a gentler start. Pick one, price it properly, and give it a full season before you judge it.
Whew, that’s a lot of options. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, that’s normal. You don’t need to do all of these. You need one that fits.
Ask yourself three questions:
Do I want to make things, teach things, or create content?
How many hours a week do I actually have? Not on your best week, but on a normal one.
Do I want income tied to my hours, or income that keeps working when I’m not?
Your answers will point you toward two or three ideas on this list. Start with one, price it so it actually pays you, and give it a real season before you decide whether it’s working.
This business doesn’t have to cost you your evenings or your joy in the craft. Profit and peace can live in the same business. You’re a figure-it-outer, and I can’t wait to hear what you build.
Which of these are you trying first? Tell me in the comments. I read every one.
Keep Reading
Want to learn even more? You might, also, be interested in these articles:
- How to Price Crochet Projects for Profit
- Sell Crochet Items Online in 10 Easy Steps
- How to Make Crochet Your Full-Time Job
- 12 Proven Crochet Business Ideas for Lasting Success
- Why You Need to Stop Selling Crochet if You Want to Succeed
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Updated October 2026
After reading this article I feel motivated to start a crotchet business. I have the strategy but my challenge now is pricing.
I’m so excited to here that you’re ready to start your business. If you need help with pricing, please check out this post: https://crochetpreneur.com/a-crochet-pricing-strategy/
Best of luck to you!
Pam
Thank you for this insightful article.
I love crochet and have taught many adults and children, designed my own patterns, and consider myself quite experienced in crochet. But I am not at all business minded. If I had a choice, I would like to have a couple of local shops through which my finished items could be sold, rather than owning my own space. Would you have any advice on how I could make contacts with shop owners and what the legal requirements would be for being a crochet seller in this way? Thanks!
Hi Milla,
The legal requirements for selling are going to be location dependent. So, I’d recommend you contact your local Small Business Association or local government for help with that.
As far as connecting with local shops goes, I’d suggest you go visit some shops and see if any of them fit with your own product’s aesthetic and have the same target market. Then, create a portfolio of your best products. Set up an appointment with the shop owner, bring your portfolio and a few samples and discuss the options. They may want take some products on consignment (usually a 35% commission) or they may wish to purchase wholesale. So, be sure to have your wholesale pricing worked out before chatting with them. Then, whatever agreement you come to, be sure to get it in writing. 🙂
I hope this helps!
Pam
What if u don’t design anything; that u take other designers patterns like for me hats & tutorials & I make THEIR products. Could I still start a business only selling the finished hats I’ve crochet? Cuz I don’t want to break any laws cuz I follow great designers & when I finish making their products there great . So was wondering if I cld sell the finished product (Hats) & start my own business doing that but if I need to also put who the designers are I will do that as well! I wld not try to sell THEIR patterns I know I can’t & wouldn’t do that. I’m already a subscriber to UR stuff so I get all ur emails! I hope this makes sense lol. Thank u for all ur hard work u do! Thank u Pam Carter
Hi Pam,
Yes, you can absolutely make a business selling the products you’ve made from the patterns of crochet designers. Each designer has a different preference, whether they want to you mention them as the designer or not (and also if they request that you not sell patterns from their designs). All of this should be listed within the pattern file, itself. The problem with doing finished-product sales only is scalability. If you’re looking to create an empire, you’ll eventually need to hire contract crocheters to fulfill orders for you as you manage the inner-workings of the business. But if you simply want to create a nice income for yourself with products you make, that’s absolutely possible! In fact, there are some others in the Facebook group who are happy doing exclusively product sales. If you’re not already in the Crochet Collective, it’s a free group on Facebook where crochet business owners can gather and support one another. You can join us here: http://facebook.com/groups/crochetpreneurs I hope to see you there! Pam
Is it necessary to include care instruction labels to wearables like tops, capes, wraps, bathing suits, etc?
HI Eunice, It isn’t necessary, but it is, certainly, a good service to your customers. I simply include a little “product care” guide in my online listings and on the tag that I attach to each outgoing product.
Hi, thank you sooo much for this list. I’ve been interested in selling my stuff at a craft fair but never knew how to do it. Thank you again!🙂
Hmmmm…… I dont’t think i will be able to sell something. I do not live in States. I live in Europe in a small town, and i would not like to make my life complicated with online stores, in my country fairs are almost at zero, there are no shops where i can sell, so i’m very dissapointed.
But i want selling crochet items, i’m so good at it, but i don’t know how in my town, i would like to sell them personally, but i do not know how to make some advertising for me. Please if you can help me, it would be really kind. Thank you😢😢
HI Naavin, Well, it sounds like you’re in a difficult situation. If you are not able to sell locally and are not willing to sell online, then your options are very few. If there are no boutiques in your area that would be interested in purchasing wholesale and there are no consignment opportunities or local fairs, your only other option would be to open your own shop. My suggestion would be that you look for other ways, besides selling finished products, to make money from your love of crochet. Teaching may be an option for you. However, if you’re not open to reaching customers online, you’re making that choice to limit your reach. So, I’d suggest you take a look at that option.
Hi Pam,
Great list 🙂 I have thought about most of these at one time or another, but I did pull a few more ideas from this post. Also want to share the idea of teaching to children in after-school clubs! This idea was given to me recently by a teaching colleague who pointed out that we just don’t have much for kids in that arena around here. I taught a “center” on beginning crochet during the week before the holidays and now kids are clamoring for me to start a Yarn Club. They loved it!
I am really interested in selling what I make. The problem is I don’t know how to price the finished product. Any advice you can give would be appreciated.
Hi Iris,
Thanks for asking. This post should help! https://crochetpreneur.com/a-crochet-pricing-strategy/ Pam
So I am African from Nigeria. The crochet business has not really been seen or should I say taken very serious, we mostly import most crochet work, and yarns are really rare to get here as well, and buying yarns online is very expensive because they are mostly imported. How do I get to start a crochet business in this kind of situation?
Hi, I’m so glad I loterally stumbled upon your site. I’ve been thinking (and a friend suggested it) that I sell my crochet stuff to friends and acquaintances or to whoever might be interested. I asked on fb groups who would be interested but so far not much feedback. I have calculated how much yard would cost and how much I might have to ask for my first order and it’s quite a lot. I almost feel shy/ashamed of the price. But I guess I will have to start somewhere. I saw another lady on here’s comment/question about if it will be okay to sell the finished stuff that she crochetes off other designers ideas, because that is what I currently do, I follow youtube channels. That was a helpful comment and answer. Hope to hear from you.