Wool Goddess

I was recently asked how I can classify myself as a hobby crocheter when I sell my items on Etsy.

Well, here’s the thing…

Not everything I crochet is made to sell. Some pieces I keep, some I gift to family and friends, and some find their way into my Etsy shop.

But there’s something people often don’t realise about crochet: selling your handmade items doesn’t necessarily mean you’re making a profit.

Take a £40 item, for example.

Currently, I have a few 4ft Granny Square blankets on Etsy. Each of my blankets uses thirteen balls of Stylecraft Chunky yarn cost per 100g ball is currently £2.35 at Wool Warehouse

Yarn Cost: £30.55
Packaging: £2.00
Postage: £4.70

Etsy listing fee: £0.16
Etsy transaction fee: £2.60
Payment processing fee: £1.80
Regulatory operating fee:£0.19
VAT on Etsy fees:£0.95
Etsy Total Fee: Approximately £5.70

That’s a total of £42.95 in costs against a £40 sale.

A loss of £2.95. And that’s before I’ve even considered my time.

So where’s the profit? There isn’t one.

For many of us who crochet as a hobby, selling a few pieces simply helps recoup some of the money we’ve spent on yarn, so we can buy more and keep doing what we love.

Because let’s be honest, if you crochet frequently and quickly, the yarn bill can become eye-watering! Unless you’re lucky enough to have unlimited funds, you either need to slow down, find another way to fund your hobby, or sell some of what you make.

And I crochet because I LOVE it.

It’s my biggest form of relaxation. It helps me unwind, keeps my hands busy and brings me so much joy. I don’t want every stitch to become a business calculation or every project to come with the pressure of making money.

Of course, I could factor in my hours of labour, price every item accordingly and try to make a proper profit. But realistically? At those prices, many of my makes would probably sit in my Etsy shop gathering dust.

And that’s okay if you live in a big house with a lot of storage space; again, I don’t.

I’m not trying to build a crochet empire. I’m enjoying my hobby, sharing my makes and occasionally selling something to help fund the next ball of yarn. So yes, I sell on Etsy. But that doesn’t automatically make crochet a business rather than a hobby. Sometimes, selling handmade items isn’t about making money. It’s about keeping your favourite hobby affordable.

Tell me, fellow crocheters… do you sell your makes to fund your yarn addiction, or do you keep everything you create?

Love & hugs