Turn Your Favorite Hobby into Cash

I love crafting. My favorite projects are crochet. I work on my projects while watching television, when attending children's sporting events, while waiting in doctors offices, and anywhere else I can carry my project bag. Large or small, I love trying out new patterns and yarns, and I love giving my creations to those who love having them as much I loved making them. Last year I began my most ambitious project to date. I decided to make all of my Christmas gifts for the year. I began bringing my smaller projects to work with me to work on during lunches. I never imagined that this small act would jump start a lucrative business. Some of the women marveled at my quick progress, and a few even suggested that I make some items to sell. I brushed the idea off at first, but then I began to wonder, why not? When I signed up to attend a painting class with some of these same women, I made us each a beret as a joke. They proudly donned their hats, and I began receiving inquiries into whether or not I would make some for sale.

There is a lot of money to be made from handmade wares, if you are willing to put in the necessary effort. The first step would of course have to be honing your skill and making your product. I don't think that I need to expound any further on that subject.

The next step would be to know whether or not there is a market for your product. You are your friends are your best advertising. If you make a beautiful scarf that gets a lot of compliments and requests, than you know you have found your niche and a great way to get the word out. Another way to check your market would be to go to craft fairs. Other crafters are a great source of information. They can tell you what does and doesn't sell and they can ever give you suggestions on where to sell your wares.

The next step would be to find out what the best way to sell your items is. I sell my crocheted products in a few places. A local art gallery offers free booths each Saturday for locals who make items by hand. There is a large market here for diverse handmade pieces, so I do really well at this venue. Another great way to sell handmade items is on www.etsy.com. This website allows you to set up a free online store where for a minimal fee you can list items (with pictures) and reach millions of people via the world wide web. This has proven to be extremely lucrative for many. While I don't earn enough to quit my day job, I do make enough money to pay for my crafting habit with a little leftover for leisure, however, it is important to note that the more effort you put in the better the revenues.