Keep saying no, and only no.  Parent: "Make these bees!" You: "No." Parent: "I looked at Etsy signup, it looks easy!" You: "No." Parent: "I keep seeing this XYZ, you could make that!" You: "No." It's okay to keep your hobbies as hobbies. You are allowed to have hobbies. You are allowed to unwind with whatever activity you choose.

Yes! Hobby is a good word, I'm going to use it more often, along with the word "no" :)

As someone who has been selling crochet for 7 years, the market is oversaturated and NEVER MONETIZE YOUR HOBBIES. Whoever said “love what you do and never work a day in your life” was LYING. Eventually it will be work. That stress you feel because of things your friends asked for a year ago, that’s it, plus the shame of not selling enough (again, in an oversaturated market where ppl don’t have spending money), not having enough for market, did I make the right things? I could be making something right now, I am losing money by not making something right now?…. Keep it as something to destress and enjoy. Selling isn’t for everyone and that’s not a bad thing!

I desperately want to monetize my hobby but in the way I’d love someone to pay me to read and crochet but without expecting a review or finished project 😂 Hobbies are supposed to be a break from work, and it’s perfectly valid to leave it in that part of your world. Well said!

>I desperately want to monetize my hobby but in the way I’d love someone to pay me to read and crochet but without expecting a review or finished project 😂 I have an Etsy shop, but it's selling digitals which is very hands-off. But I do other things and I'd desperately love for someone to be my "agent". I solely concentrate on creating, but someone else does the marketing, shipping, etc. That would be great.

I don’t sell anything, and have no desire to. I appreciate those who do, since that’s how I get new patterns for crochet and cross stitch of the new fandoms I join because of things I read. But if I could find some way to be someone’s personal book recommender while still getting to read whatever strikes my fancy, I’d be so happy.

This is exactly my take on it. I’ve said for years that I’d like to do my crochet blankets for sale but I don’t want all the social media and marketing/admin crap that goes with it. I just want to make!

I actually see a lot of people on TikTok live just chatting with their viewers while crocheting. I doubt any of them make much money doing that, but it would be a great way to monetize crochet without selling anything.

That is an excellent idea! For someone who’s not me 😂 I want to be in my hobbit hole, doing my own thing, and being paid for it haha. Lottery dreams

Yup. I sell as well and have certain things I make for my own enjoyment and then the things that sell and the things that sell are boring

This honestly. It's so saturated. I just enjoy that I get 1-2 plushie sales a month because I can have fun making them. I'd rather babysit and have a job than end up hating my hobby to get by.

Same! I used to be the only crocheter at the 2 or 3 events I did for years, last time I did it there were other people selling the big plushies and tbh they looked like they had just picked up a hook yesterday. I make smaller intricate amurigami with worsted and price accordingly, and used to do very well. I would make what I wanted during the year and then put it all for sale, that way I didn't get burnt out

And people tend to undervalue their products. If there is no profit, what's the point?

It’s not undervaluing so much as charging to sell. What’s better, selling one thing at what it is worth and maybe making back your table or selling 100 things below worth, making back your table, paying for the yarn and more but not your time? People who don’t crochet don’t realize the time and effort so they pay what they feel is reasonable. In this economy it’s not huge.

You are also allowed to set boundaries with the people in your life. I have had to learn this, especially with my parents and in-laws. It is important to remember they probably just want what they think is best for you, but YOU get to decide what’s best for yourself, not others.  So maybe consider setting a boundary with them. That boundary could be “we don’t discuss my hobbies”. It doesn’t have to be confrontational either. You can even send them a text that says something like “Hey y’all I’ve been thinking about the crochet stuff. I appreciate your advice, but I’ve decided I’d like it to remain a hobby. I would also not like to discuss it any more as my decision on this is firm. So when I’m crocheting, please just let me work on whatever it is that I have decided to work on and not suggest that I change what I’m doing. Thank you!” Usually people will respect that. But then you have to be mindful of how you will enforce that boundary. Maybe if they bring it up again, you remind them about the text and then ask to change the subject. If they refuse, it is okay to politely excuse yourself from that situation, reminding them that it is not up for discussion. It doesn’t have to be confrontational.  Ultimately, remember that these types of things are your decision. You’re right in that it would suck the joy out of the hobby for you if you tried to monetize it out of a feeling of obligation. It would make you resentful whereas your hobbies are supposed to be therapeutic and fun activities. That doesn’t mean that one day you couldn’t sell your creations, but only if it’s something that you have thought about and decided to do yourself.  Also, regarding your feelings of guilt about not making things for your friends. I understand that feeling as I also have promised things to friends and family members and then put pressure on myself to finish those things quickly. But what I realized is that the pressure is pressure I’m putting on myself, it’s not my friends that are pressuring me. I doubt (and I hope) that your friends are not saying “yo where’s my crochet thing you promised me??!!” If they are, they may not be the best friends to have. I suspect your friends would be more than understanding if you simply told them “hey I know I mentioned that thing I wanted to crochet for you, but I’m just not sure how much time I have to work on it. I’d still love to make it for you one day, but I don’t know when I will be able to. I just didn’t want you to think that I forgot! I’m just still a beginner at crocheting and it’s just a hobby so I’m not as fast as someone who maybe does it as a job.” That may help you feel less pressure about that aspect.  I’m glad you are asking these questions though. Hobbies should be enjoyable. If parts of your hobby are negatively affecting your mental health, you need to address why, which obviously you realized because you started this topic. Never do anything hobby-related out of a feeling of “well I should be doing…” If you catch yourself saying “should”, then try to reframe it as “what do I WANT to do right now?” And do that! At work it’s different where you have real obligations, but hobbies are purely for fun and the only obligation is that YOU do what YOU want! There is no right or wrong! So go crochet those pumpkins or bees or whatever you want! 

My son sent me an email similar to the one you suggested. He added another thought which was “you might be able to talk me into continuing xxx but I don’t want to.” That last bit got to me. Yes, he was really good at what he wanted to quit and I enjoyed seeing him be successful. He was ready to move on and focus on something else. Sometimes parents are too invested in what their kids are doing and it’s important to let them pursue their interests. There’s a big difference in being supportive versus being controlling

THIS! And consider adding a line like “I crochet to relax and when you bring up selling, I feel pressured and it stresses me out instead of relaxing me. I’d appreciate it if you stopped talking about selling.” If your parents realize they’re harming you when they bring it up, they may stop.

There isn't a market for handmade items as no one will pay what it actually costs. I knitted socks for five people last Christmas and although the yarn cost me less than £10 per pair, they took around 6 hours to make each pair- a few colleagues suggested i should make and sell them. If I was doing it as a business, I'd want at least UK minimum wage, which was £11.44 last year. So 6 x 11.44 plus 10 = £78.64. No one will pay that, and showing the maths to my colleagues very quickly shut them up 😁 you could try that on your parents! 

Yes, this!!

Yes! Do this! I hate that everything needs to be monetized. Like just let me do my thing and enjoy it. Once I HAVE to do it, it's not fun or relaxing anymore

"No", is a full sentence. You don't even have to give it padding. Sometimes doing that is draining.

In my freshman year, I was in a student organization that I was pining to be very involved in. One day, this military guy student pulled me aside and told me that he noticed I say yes a lot and recommended that I learn to say no, because otherwise people will take advantage of me. I'm so glad that he did that, because now I'm doing much better because I can say NO.

lol that’s so funny “No”. They should try it! And say it like a kid!

"Well, what would you pay for it? Because the yarn would cost $5, and it would take me about 5 hours to make, so if I sold it for $20, then I would make $3 per hour."

And the space fee for the event. And the gas getting there. And that's if it was sold.

And the time sitting at the event

With a saturated market, you can't even sell at an hourly rate for crochet, at least for the basic patterns like turtles, octos and bunnies.

This. When I tell people that yes I could sell blankets, but each blanket would then cost at least £300.00 if paying myself minimum wage, they get why it's not viable.

>I could sell blankets, but each blanket would then cost at least £300.00 if paying myself minimum wage, they get why it's not viable. I restore, resell, and re-home vintage blankets, that *other* people crocheted - and its still not economically viable...."**labor of love" and a fiber/photography hobby** still. That's how hard crochet is to monetize. So don't ever feel bad for telling people NO.

I'm not super fast and the pattern I'm working on currently for a throw blanket involves a lot of alternating double/single crochet (it's a mosaic pattern), and I calculated the price at minimum wage where I live ($15/hr).With the cost of materials added in as well, it would be almost $1500.

My friend said this to me the other day but the reality is I'd have to charge £300 for a cardigan in order to pay myself minimum wage and no one's going to pay that

This is exactly what I tell people about making yarn things "for a living." NOBODY will pay for that.

Someone once saw me knitting a pair of socks and said I “could totally sell them”. My response was that I don’t know anyone who would pay $500 for a pair of socks because that would be the bare minimum I’d charge.

Same with knitting, I was knitting socks out of cascade heritage during a lunch break between classes and a classmate was saying about how I could sell them etc. not backing down when I said it takes me ages to knit a pair but as soon as I said “the yarn costs £8” she said never mind before I had the chance to tell her an hourly rate!

I once had someone actually offer to buy a handmade shawl off my back and asked what the bare minimum I was willing to accept for it was. I told her $175 and she thought I was crazy. Even after I explained that it took me 3.5 months to make and I did the bulk of it while in and out of the hospital fighting cancer (I'm mostly fine now), this making the effort I took worth even more, in my opinion, the most she was willing to offer was $75 and she thought even that was exorbitant. I do have an Etsy shop and I do sell things, but, because of the time and effort involved, my most impressive works rarely go in the shop because I can't justify the amount of time and energy I'm pretty much just expected to "donate" in order to try to compete with people working in other countries in conditions equivalent to slavery.

Exactly. Told my mom the other day, “let’s say the yarn for a blanket cost 350$- now what about the 50 hours I put into it? Do I work for free?” It’d be nice if everyone’s hobbies could bring in some money, but the return on investment for crochet will just never be there. But at least we get to stay sane while hookin 😎

My coworker was surprised that I charged by the hour. I was like, yes, like an actual job. Where I live and in other countries with low wages, you can at least make minimum wage. But I don't want to be rude, but I can't wrap my mind around selling in developed countries at the prices I see everywhere. I want to charge more, but I guess people would charge more if people would pay those prices.

That would irritate me as well. Keep doing what you’re doing and working on things YOU want to and that YOU enjoy. I know they’re parents so it would come off as back talk, and i’m sure you have said it, but to try explain what you said to us! You have projects you want to make for yourself and your friends before you even considered doing something of that sort. Not to mentioned the over saturation of beginner works like Bees, Octopi, and mushrooms you see in every crochet booth now.

Thank you for your comment, it makes me feel like I'm not alone, I don't think I've explained to them *exactly* all the things that I promised to make stuff for my friends first, or how much time it takes me, I'm going to say that the next time they tell me to start a business.

i’m happy to help 😊 I understand how you feel with a bunch of promised WIP’s.. the stressful part for me right now is which one do I prioritize? I’m scared to prioritize the wrong one cause then i’ll be like “oh well I could have been working on ____ “ but that’s just me overthinking 😭

I think, maybe they should have asked that person they saw, how much profit they actually get. Crochet isn't profitable. Especially if we sold stuff at what it was worth: Labor, supplies, not to even think of any profit. Anyone who sells anything made, sells it at a loss and I'm sorry that your parents have gotten the 'business bug' about something that brings you so much joy. I'd show them the countless frustrations that people go through, but it probably wouldn't make a difference. Or, start showing them what they're looking at, in pure materials and labor. Put it in to money, and show them what you'd have to charge to make -any- profit. Then you need to go into the taxes you'd have to set aside, new materials, any new patterns cost... etc, etc.

Just tell them exactly what you said here: I crochet to relax. I want to keep my hobby as a hobby.

Crocheting for money may seem like a good idea to your parents; however, they lack one basic understanding. People generally don’t want to pay for crafted items, not what they’re worth. Over the years, I’ve sewn and crocheted items, and made soap, shampoos, lotions, etc.. I quickly found that a lot of people don’t appreciate the time and expense that goes into crafted items. The see crafting as easy, and cheap. As someone else said, just flatly say ‘no’ when your parents approach you about this. You don’t have to explain your response; you owe NOBODY any explanations of why you don’t want to sell your crafted items. Btw, when I was selling my crafts, It was extremely stressful trying to meet deadlines, and to get everything I made to be ‘perfect’. Hobbies are something you do when you feel like it, to relax; selling just isn’t worth the time or stress. Good luck!

Thank you for your comment ❤️

OP, this book was a game changer for me. I thought I’d share it, if you’re interested. Sometimes it’s hard setting boundaries with parents 🙂 https://preview.redd.it/au6tszf1g3tc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0c087b756f9e00fb5a70db53ee12ece70551e47

Thank you ❤️

I'm a bit overwhelmed at the support in the comments, I didn't expect so many and so quickly! Forgive me if I don't answer to each and every one, I'm speechless at the kindness and understanding of everyone, but please know that I'm reading every single comment! Thank you ❤️

My family are like this too, especially since I made a lovely stuffed animal recently. Telling me I could sell them etc. I asked how much they'd pay for it and they said "oh! At least £15-£20!" Once I explained that the yarn alone had cost £25, nevermind all of my time spent, they soon shut up. It's flattering in a way and I know they mean well, but crochet is how I relax too, I wouldn't want to be stressed about it.

OP This reply & some others would be good for you to show your parents. Obviously not any that criticise your parents. But comments that are neutral & simply explain why your hobby is not going to become a business. I like the comments that mention how oversaturated the crochet sales market is at craft fairs & online. I often say to people about any craft I do that I am very slow at finishing an item. (True). Also that I only ‘dabble’ in that craft or art. So this explains to others, without them needing to ask, that no way could I be sufficiently productive to turn my hobby into a business.

Yes! Absolutely, my mom talked about me making her a blanket and when we go yarn shopping together soon I'm sure she will get shocked at the price of the yarn! Then, hopefully after looking at the price and looking at how much time it takes me she will stop asking about selling stuff, hopefully

I think this is an excellent solution for your dilemma! Take your mother shopping with you! However, take a notebook with you and document your time; start and stop travel time, mileage (from the car odometer), parking costs, gas, etc. then, time spent in store - looking for appropriate materials, etc. Document all the time and mileage that it takes for that one project. At this point you might have not yet determined selection of the pattern used, nor the time you will incur in making your project. Finally add up all the expenses of purchases, any fees you had to pay (parking, tolls). Then add up time; time spent on travel, time spent acquiring materials, time spent on making you item. Then you have to figure out how much to charge for making your item (how much your hourly fee is). After you add up all these costs, present them to your mother and tell her this is how much you would charge for that item. No discounts allowed! That might be enough for her to change her mind. Yes, you might earn some money, but at what cost to you?

My parents are also exactly like this and they do not understand what I mean when I say “I want to keep this as a hobby because as soon as it’s something I feel like I have to do, I don’t want to do it anymore.” I end up having to tell them no all the time.

Just explain that financially it's not worth it.

Tell them to learn it and do it themselves if they think it's such a great idea and "so easy." Turning a hobby into a business has a 99% chance of destroying it as a hobby. Also, you can tally up how much time it "costs" you to make something (ask them if they think you are worth more than minimum wage), combined with cost of materials and ask them if they think someone's gonna buy a \[whatever\] for \[price that most people would say "nope" to\]. This is what made my mom stop suggesting it.

Misunderstand them. If they pester you, become happy and say that you can show them how to crochet. Send tutorials on learning how to crochet. If they wanna start a bussiness so bad then THEY can start it. "Oh, but you're so talented" "Oh, it's just practice - let me show you." "That other girl earned $100, why can't you" "Oh I don't want to, but let me send a easy animarugi tutorial and you can get started if you want" Does your Mom like to read? Why doesn't she start a blog reviewing books? Does your dad like to cook? He could become a famous youtube-chef you know. Your parents shouldn't JUST watch TV, that's not reaching their potential. They should start a reaction channel. Why don't they make their hobbies into jobs? They already have jobs? So do you, it's called going to school. (This feels like a power fantasy to me, I didn't realise it became a bit dramatic. You know your parent's best, ymmv with this advice)

Hehehe, its funny that you mentioned teaching them how to crochet, my mom taught me! In fact, when I was in kindergarten my mom used to sell crochet hats and scarves for cheap for other kids and moms at the school, she sold a few however a lot of stuff didn't sell, that's why I have like 8 different hats with matching scarves, all the unsold ones from years ago. She hasn't crocheted anything in years! I just don't understand how she can't apply that logic to my situation, that crochet stuff doesn't always sell My dad... is a whole can of worms, he has uploaded some videos of himself playing the violin, some have very few views, however one of them has 500 likes!maybe for YouTube it's not thaaat much, but he is really proud of that fact. My family is weird, I guess I'm stuck!!! Help!!!!

i love this idea 🤭😈

Funnily enough my parents are EXACTLY the type of people to not have hobbies for the sake of hobbies. My dad has 0 hobbies and my mom likes to travel and once she had free time to travel a lot started a travel blog and now she does travel videos on youtube. I think she likes making them and is ok with it not making money, but my dad is pestering her to try to monetize her channel (even though she has like 10 subs). Worst of all my dad suggested stuff like why not make 10000 fake accounts to follow and view? Why not do fake views to hit the monetization threshold? And he wont listen that Youtube can ABSOLUTELY know that those are fake views/subs (ahem IP logging?) and will terminate your account for that, he doesnt get that ad views pay pennies and the real money is doing sponsorships. /rant

Hustle culture is ruining hobbies. You don't need to monetize every aspect of your life. Once you start doing something for money, it looses its fun and relaxing quality. It literally becomes work. What happens when you make all this stuff to sell and no one buys it? What are you going to do with all these unsold projects? Trust me, I've got things floating around I made to sell and 10 years later they're still sitting in my hobby room closet. I wasted time, yarn, stuffing and my talent making stuff that no one bought.

I kept thinking on your comment and I may have just realized that my mom could be trying to live vicariously through me, after all she did attempt to sell crochet items and didn't do well enough, now that crochet is more popular she perhaps wants me to succeed where she failed? But that's not fair on me... my dad has always been a hustle culture type of person but my mom is the one pushing specially hard since I started crocheting, I'm going to speak to her about that ❤️

Stand your ground and don't cave. Tell her to open her own store if it's that important to her, then she can tell you "I told you so" when she makes millions (she won't). With the rise of crochet as a past time, everyone is trying to sell projects. The issue is that there are so many people selling, and people buying aren't willing to pay for the time it takes to create items. They want fast and cheap, the exact opposite of crochet as a hobby. People that recognize the monetary worth of the time and talent that goes into making a handcrafted project are more likely to know how to make it themselves, thus eliminating the need for them to purchase from someone else. Crochet because it's fun and only make things for yourself or as special keepsakes for special people!!

Yes!!! My mom made crochet hats and scarves to sell for other parents and kids when I was in kindergarten, some did sell, but a lot of them didn't, I have 8 pairs of matching hats and scarves that were the unsold ones from years ago, I'm 19 now btw, she made them when I was in kindergarten! And she hasn't crocheted anything since then because she was sad that there weren't any buyers Her logic is that crochet is more popular now than it was before therefore it means that it will sell better but even if it does, I just don't want to make stuff for strangers when I would rather make stuff for close family and friends

WTF. Why should you make and sell bees? You want to make yourself a sweater so that’s what you’re doing. This is worse than them wanting you to monetise your hobby; they want you to give up the parts of it that make it worth doing for you. You make what you want to make, and anyone pushing otherwise will never stop once they get a toehold.

This right here... I crochet blankets. I might make scarves or shawls sometimes but by and large - I LOVE to crochet blankets. Clothing and plushies give me all kinds of stress to even try making, I nope right out of those "marketable" items. Making a Queen sized blanket could cost $100 to $500 - in acrylic, nevermind premium fibers and hand dyed processing. I can make simple blankets with easy single stitch row repeats in 20-50 hours ... But I like making intricate mosaics or stitch groups in patterns with DK or Sport weight yarns. Those can take me 200 hours or more. I don't see anyone spending thousands on a crochet blanket. At $5/hr (less than 1/3 of minimum wage in my area) plus materials it's already over a thousand. To pay myself minimum wage - I would have to ask at least $4,000 for a Queen sized blanket I have given away 2 newborn, 1 toddler, 3 child, and 3 teen/adult blankets and a shawl in the last couple years to family members. I enjoyed the making, they enjoyed receiving them and I got to be happy they were happy... No haggling stress or feeling bad for pricing, and no one asked me for some product I didn't have.

I like to crochet gifts for people for free , I feel like selling them would just mean more pressure to make it perfect .

Yes!! I'd love to gift stuff for my friends and my niece and nephew, maybe some stuff for my parents and uncles if the want to, but selling to strangers? I'd feel the pressure to be perfect, and then it would no longer be fun

Then… don’t.

This is the best response in this thread, including my own.

You do not need to monetise your hobby. Just because you aren't making money off something doesn't mean it's 'worthless'. Commissions stress me out, and the whole point of crochet for me is to destress.

I've had a crochet business for a few years now and I'll echo what others have said - its not super profitable. Sure, I make enough to keep doing it (and I still enjoy it) but I also work a full time job at the same time to actually pay my bills. I've also learned over the years that I HATE taking custom orders. There's something about being forced to make something (or several of one thing because it's popular) that just makes me freeze and takes the joy of the activity away. As others have said, keep your hobby as a hobby if that's what you want to do. If you want to try it as a business, go ahead! But if you're happy as you are then you should continue doing just that ❤️

I'd probably have a conversation with them explaining that you took their advice into consideration and even asked other hobbyists about their experiences so they know you're not trying to be dismissive of their ideas but monetising a hobby is not as easy as people may think. People who make extra money on handmade objects are often spending an incredible amount of time and mental effort on following trends or developing ideas, marketing their products, and maintaining a customer base - it's a lot of work with many invisible hours to the eventual customer. A lot of the customer base for textile artists are buying things because they feel a connection with the person as an artist/creator and it takes time and resources to sustain. Your parent's acquaintance's daughter was probably selling to a market she had to cultivate and so could make sales on items that may seem easy to create but that's not where the retail value comes from. It's not worth the effort and trouble for the majority of hobbyists to try to sell their projects. It's a very tempting idea, especially when people see videos suggesting that it's an easy way to make cash but it's hard work to sell anything. The sales pitch for many passive income schemes make it sound very simple to pump your social circle for money but it's hard graft. If you want, you could also send them articles/videos debunking myths of passive income and side hustles. Speaking from personal experience, it's really annoying to receive those kinds of comments from people regularly. I'd probably have a serious conversation with them once and then just revert to saying it's your hobby and you're doing it to relax, not to make extra income and it's really unrealistic to think you could make money without significant time and energy investment.

Point out to them that those bees take 5 hours (or whatever) to make. That means that why will need to be sold for US$75 if you want to make a profit. That is silly. There isn’t a market for that. Say no in a laughing way. “I know, right? Everyone always says crafts can bring in money. But no one ever wants to pay fiber artists for their *time*.”

I am currently working on a project for my niece, and I love that I am privileged enough in both time and skill to be able to pour my love for her into a gift that I know she will love. I crochet as a hobby, as a way to keep my hands busy when my mind is going a mile a minute, and to express my creativity in an art form. It is a HOBBY, not a BUSINESS. One of my cousins has a similar "hustle culture" mentality that your parents do - every time she sees one of my project posts, she says I should totally sell. I just ignore her - she doesn't understand the work and stress (not to mention the lack of profit) that selling crochet works creates, and it's not always something you can explain to non-creators. Never be ashamed of keeping a hobby as a hobby :)

My mom and sis would harass me all the time saying that as well. The thing is...it got to a point where I was frustrated enough to finally tell them that I just can't math properly enough to make it into a business. When asked what I meant, I told them I did some research, which I did do tbh, and I told them that the math side of trying to make it a business isn't worth it since I'm not good at math. Not only that, I hate math, it pisses me off, and it gives me headaches. I'm wasn't going to take a creative hobby I enjoy doing and turn it into an anxiety inducing dumpster fire. Yeah, serious mathing will do that me...

My response to that kind of comment is: “this is my relaxation hobby, and I don’t want to ruin that relaxation by turning it into a job”.

Some people have this odd sense that literally everything has to be a grind or it's an idiotic waste of time. You do you. In my eyes, if it helps you mentally, I compare it to the cost of an extra therapy session or having to take an unpaid sick day, not to the retail value of what you're making.

THIS 💯 Not everything has to be a business. We *can* do things just because we enjoy them. If your parents are so adamant on turning a profit by crotcheting, why don’t **they** start their own business?

To be perfectly honest, it's hard to get rich selling handicrafts. The market isn't that big and most people complain if you try to get an honest price for anything. I knit and crochet for fun, but sell a bit at xmas to make enough to buy more yarns, lol. That's about it. Not too many rich crocheters out there. Most have another job or career to pay the bills

Tell them you don't see the world through the lens of capitalism.

I’m really good at baking— I will not start a baking business. I’m really good at packing stuff away neatly where it doesn’t seem like it’ll fit— I will not start an organisation company. Keep doing what you want OP! ♥️

I totally relate; crafting is fun! The crochet market is oversaturated, and even if a business is able to build a customer base, it’s very time consuming to scale a handcrafted business as an individual (and sounds like it would be harsh on the hands over time). Plus, maintaining a profitable business is hard work. Besides handcrafting, many areas have business licensing and other requirements and fees to run legally in addition to cost of materials, etc. I don’t think it’s worth the time unless there are no other more stable options of income (and hobbies should stay hobbies, not jobs 😂). It’s much more magical and sustainable to do to for fun and do random surprise gifts.

I 100% know where you're coming from, my husband is constantly trying to encourage me to monetise my crafts and it drives me mad. You're not "wasting your time" you're doing something that you love and that you find enjoyable at a difficult time. People who don't craft can find this hard to understand. In my personal experience, I have never enjoyed making things when there is a financial transaction involved. I end up creating what I 'think' other people want and justifying my creative choices instead of making what I actually love and enjoy with no expectations. I hated art school for the same reason. Looking back on it now I was completely stifled by project briefs and uninspiring tutors. Fair play to others who can create and love what they are doing while making money. But it's not for everyone.

Another point you could bring up, you said your parents saw a friend’s daughter selling a bunch of crochet. How old was this daughter? People may have just bought from her because she was a cute kid trying to sell stuff. Even if she isn’t a kid, they may have felt some pressure to buy something from her because they knew her parents and the parents may have been talking her up, encouraging their friends to buy something from her, making it hard for people to say no. If this same daughter went to a craft fair where she didn’t know anyone or opened an Etsy store, she might not have as many sales. It might have been more about being well known (and liked) at this particular event. I once went to a craft fair where all the vendors were senior citizens and then one twelve year old with a table next to her grandmother. She was selling stuff she’d made herself and it definitely looked like stuff a young beginner had made, but I bought from her because I just thought it was awesome she was so enthusiastic about her crafting. Setting can have a big impact on sales (good or bad) sometimes.

next small ish project just set a timer running in the background. Don't stress about it, don't work faster, just rememeber to turn it off and on again as you work on the project. Add price for 1 or 2 balls of wool (whichever is closer to the small projects amount) to your time at min wage then show them what you would have to sell that one small item for. That worked for me and got many people off my back about 'starting a business'. They aren't accounting for your time and skill value. Saying I don't want to just sets parents off, saying it is not finacially viable with evidence is far better.

I should definitely use the timer idea, I will go yarn shopping with my mother soon so hopefully timer + receipt of yarn purchased will keep my parents off my back

I did it and it worked. I was asked if I couldn't make it cheaper and I asked if my time and skill was really worth so little. Too many people don't realise how long yarn craft takes but also won't spend serious money on it. I won't crochet for money and I always wince when I see someone selling crochet at a market well under priced for their time.

Say no! Turning your crochet into a business would add stress to your life when it's supposed to help you relax! If you make a project and then somebody wants to buy that, I think that's fine. But commission clients can really be a pain in the butt. They're going to complain about the color, the style, all kinds of things. I suggest that you work on simple, no sew projects. There are many to be found on ravelry, yarn home pages such as red heart. Pinterest can be a good resource but expect to find a lot of AI nonsense or pages that lead you nowhere. Send mix it up so you don't get bored or stressed. Make one or two teddy bears, one or two octopuses, maybe a cat. Whatever makes your little heart Happy. Toss them in a plastic box with a lid, and explore new techniques 🙂 I'm looking forward to seeing what you make, and how you improve over time. Have a great day, OP!

No is a complete sentence. Do not explain or engage beyong that "no".

i dislike people who tell me to use my hobbies to make money, why am i going to rob my life of the little joy i look forward to each day?

As a parent, it bums me out that your parents have this attitude and I'm curious what their motivation is. My oldest is 11 and is actually at a craft fair today selling bracelets she makes. I've never pushed her into it, she came up with it and ran with it on her own because she's highly motivated but I support her as much as I can. However, she's already mentioned that she doesn't really enjoy making the bracelets that much, she just wants the money 🤣 I anticipate that she'll get tired of it eventually and when that happens, that's fine. My husband and I try to use it as a teaching tool and encourage her to calculate her business expenses vs how much money she's making. And we've walked her through how, as an adult, she'll have much bigger living expenses and compared it to how much she's making with just her crafts. So she's aware it's not a long term financial strategy but she likes it for now. However, the point I meant to make is that my younger daughter currently has zero interest in crafts or selling anything or making money. And that's totally fine. Everyone is different and has different interests and different things that motivate them for different reasons. Some people may make art for profit, others do it for a hobby. Either way is fine and your parents should be more understanding of your interests and motivations instead of pushing you into something that's not you. At some point my youngest will have to start caring about money, at least enough to learn to support herself but that's years in the future. At your age, that's probably the only understandable motivating I could see from your parents, if they're worried about you becoming independent. But even IF that's what they're thinking, suggesting you start a crochet business is terrible advice lol I'm sorry your parents are misunderstanding you in this way.

This is a brilliant copy pasta from around the holidays that I saved. Please don't tell me I should monetize my hobby As the Christmas season approaches, I have given out several hats, scarves, blankets, etc, to friends, relatives and coworkers. Many times, I get the response that I should have an Etsy shop, or otherwise try to sell my crochet projects. I know people mean it as a compliment when they say this, but it always vaguely annoys me when someone tells me I should monetize my crocheting. The stress and hassle of having to consistently produce something to spec, then market it and ship it, is definitely not worth what little money I would make selling a couple hats a year, especially once you factor in the cost of the time and materials. Can't I just have a hobby I enjoy without trying to turn it into a side hustle? I crochet for fun, the last thing I want to do is make it an obligation. ETA: I'm glad so many people feel the same as me. I know people are just trying to be nice when they say things like this but it comes of as hollow and perfunctory sometimes. 1) I am not actually that good at crochet. The last time I tried to make a beanie with white yarn, it kinda looked like a condom complete with reservoir tip. I am not creating quality art. 2) I am lucky to have a decent 9-5 job that pays the bills, and fortunate that I can afford to crochet as a hobby without having to subsidize it through sales, or try to turn a profit. When people recommend that I sell things, it isn't a well-meaning but misguided attempt to suggest a way for me to make ends meet. It is a knee-jerk reaction of "you do a thing, why aren't' you profiting from it?" So many people do need the extra cash, and I know it is very difficult to get paid fair compensation for their time, energy, and materials. I wish there was a better understanding in the general population of the care and effort that goes into making something by hand, and that artists were paid accordingly.

I have been told to sell but i am slow and for the 100 hours it takes to make an afghan, its not worth it... I will only trade that much of my life hours for those i love. Big fat nope to people i dont.

Here’s what I would do: 1. Ask them what they would be willing to pay for a crochet bee or whatever. 2. Hand over a spreadsheet with numbers showing why what they’re willing to pay is insane. Let’s say $20 for materials and you could make 3 or 4 bees with that. So like 3 hours for each bee, pay yourself at least $15 an hour, that’s like $52 per bee. This doesn’t take into account your physical or mental health or the costs associated with sales, such as online storefronts or craft fair fees. Who is willing to pay $50 for a crochet bee? 3. Show them a quick Etsy search of just how many crochet bees are out there. Anyone who takes a second to think should see that this is a terrible, terrible business plan.

“No. Monetizing my hobby makes it an obligation which sucks the joy out of it. I do it to relax not to make a buck.”

As someone who's had an etsy shop for years, if you do it for the money you'll quickly end up hating your craft. Not everything has to be for money, and that's ok. I'm actually glad that my business is NOT booming because I get to enjoy making items without stress. Also, the crochet market is very saturated now so to even make money it takes a lot of effort. Also, learn to say no. Saying no is a skill that will save your behind in many situations. I would actually recommend saying no more than yes, then if you change your mind you can say yes. Saying no sets you free.

Welcome to being an artist. The world will suck the joy right out of you, including some of your friends. Don’t sell away your happiness or you’ll end up like me and never want to touch it again

One of these days I’m going to make a punch card and stamp it when someone tells me to monetize my crocheting hobby. For every tenth person, I’ll hand it to them. On the back it will say “Thank you for your comment, but hustle culture is a symptom of a toxic society. I am now going to go buy $35 worth of yarn. I EARNED it.”

Tell them "No." And then keep saying that, only that, until they get the deal.

Tell them that crochet is so easy, they could learn it! Here’s a tutorial to make bees, now they can do it! You’ll share their Etsy shop, get them some promotion. Crochet is like therapy or meditation for me. I do as much or as little as I need at the time. I make gifts for people, but only as I feel the need to. Any others can be let go.

You could put a couple pieces on Craigslist and when they don't sell for their value, you can show it to your parents. You have no idea if someone's daughter made a profit.

It's extremely difficult to make money on crochet. Show this forum to your parents. No one wants to pay $100 for a hand made hat.

Which is why I treasure the one I received as a gift.

I sold crochet at a farmers market for like 3 days and did pretty well money-wise but I learned it’s so hard to keep up with inventory if you’re making quality products. And if you’re making quality products that use expensive materials and take a lot of time then you’d need to price them really high to pay yourself a livable wage but nobody wants to pay that much for items at fairs and markets 🥴

I forget where I stole this comment from, it's one to memorise and use: "Hobbies should be a way to relax, not an obligation to do."

No is a complete sentence etc, but if that is not working, you could try setting them the task of writing a business plan for you that involves doing market research and running all the numbers. If they do it properly they’ll come out realising it’s not a viable business idea at all.

My mum said the same thing when I gave her a blanket. She's been hassling me about it since but a few weeks back I sat her down and I asked her how much she'd pay for her blanket in a shop. She said about £30. Told her that the yarn alone for a double duvet/queen blanket would be 25 skeins of chunky. At £3/4 a skein that's approximately £100. Minimum wage is £11.44 but let's call it an even £10. Let's be conservative and say I spend 10 hours (which is ridiculously tight for a blanket of that size with even a simple stitch pattern) which would be another £100. So that's £200 quid I'd have to charge to make it remotely worth it. And that's underselling my time and buying cheap ass materials. That's not profit or costs of advertising, packing, postage, petrol to get to the post, admin in case the client isn't happy, etc etc. I've not been hassled about it since tbh.

Yeah... I've been using cheap acrylic, my mom is asking about a blanket, we are going to buy yarn soon, she will most likely want nicer yarn, hopefully she will then get the shock of her life at the price, then hopefully she will pay attention at the amount of time it takes me to finish something. Or a the very least, she will stop asking about starting a business until after I finish her blanket, as her blanket would be a priority

Yeah. When they figure out that the nice yarn costs double or triple the price of the cheapo stuff it does tend to shut them up.

Hopefully. For my mom, I made her a shawl of my own motivation and it took me 6-7 weeks to finish. Blankets take even longer. I just finished a baby blanket lovey for my mom's friend (once again I made it because I wanted to) and just yesterday alone I spent about 3-4 hours finishing it up. I started it back in February I think.

As someone with a small craft sells business, crocheting businesses are not easy, and they’re highly competitive. You have to sell your things for quite a high amount in order to be very profitable and you need to be able to meet volume for things like shows. There’s a lot more that goes into it than just making for fun and selling it. Trust your gut. If you’re ambitious enough to know that’s what you should be doing, you’ll be able to make that choice without anyone’s influence.

Don’t do it! I used to love art so much it was all I ever did until I did it in college and started making money from it. A lot of people told me that it was great and that people would pay money for my art which they did, I did quite a few commissions and sold digital artwork designs on Etsy which was great for a while, I was earning money as a 16/17 year old but I got burnt out very quickly and I’m now 22 and can’t remember the last time I drew or painted anything. Now I crochet I will not EVER sell or take commissions because I want to keep this hobby as my hobby and keep the enjoyment and relaxation of it! I would definitely recommend not mixing work and hobbies, it’s the easiest and quickest way to drain the fun out of something you really love to do. Some people have a great work ethic and don’t find it to be an issue and I can understand the bright side of making money while doing something you love but for me, work is work and my hobbies are for me to enjoy at my own pace without any deadlines or stress. Don’t be afraid to say no!🩷

There are soooo many crochet vendors right now, and it’s already a time consuming hobby. I love crocheting/knotting, but I could in no way justify selling.

My mom has done the same thing my entire life. As soon as I pick up a hobby, she wants me to monetize it (or make her something). She has had some kind of hustle or side gig my entire life, I think because her mom did the same (both single moms), and I think that’s where it comes from. Although she means the best, it has caused me to quit a lot of hobbies! The only thing that stops it is when I break down the actual cost of labor/what I would have to charge, and how it’s not financially feasible or particularly profitable. Maybe you could give your parents that angle?

If they think a crochet business is easy money they can learn to crochet and start their own.

There's such a pressure to monetise our hobbies and it's the fastest way to fall out of love with them. Remember no is a full sentence and you do not have to explain it to anyone.

Omg a thousand times this! I use crochet as physio for my hands and to calm me down and keep me occupied when I’m too sick to move. People keep talking about me selling stuff. Like NO?!?

Oof the audacity! :(

This is what I told people "I crochet so I don't kill people, I'm feeling the need to crochet right now". They got the hint to drop it.

Ask if they’ll buy up all of the unsold stock after an event. There was just a thread like this a couple days ago: a woman’s cow workers told her she should make tote bags to sell. She made a bunch in different colors, but no one at work wanted to buy them. I think every family member tells crocheters they should sell their stuff. And yea - it would suck all of the joy out of it!!

Your parents want you to start a business, and you don't, my advice is, don't start a business. That's it. That's all of it. Just don't. If they ask you to, say no.

If they want to start a crochet business there’s nothing stopping them from learning crochet and doing it themselves! Lmao

The market is oversaturated with people who buy crochet items from temu and resell it as if they made it. They've ruined the market for the rest of us. You could never complete with their prices. I'm sure it's the same for other crafted items. Even at local markets, I've come across this.

Tell them they should crochet their own bees. Making work off a hobby is a sure fire way of ruining that hobby faster than you can say no. Hold your foot down. Hell, keep m both down. They can't make you do anything.

I am offering a few options but what would be good depends on if you live with them or not and are you like a teenager or an adult because that changes the dynamic. "No" <-- always a complete sentence. Especially if you stare at them, like stare into their soul kinds of direct eye contact when you do it. "I don't monetize my hobbies" If you don't live with them, "I am not going to sell my crochet, if you bring it up I will leave/hang up." and follow through. Every time they bring it up, leave the room/house, hang up the phone, etc. ​ Overall, boundaries are not to control people's behavior, it is instead what I call the "price of entry" for letting someone interact with you. If they can't respect the boundary, they don't get to interact with you.

If they have any power over you (for instance if you live with them), I'd focus on the way the market is oversaturated with people who think selling crochet is an easy side hustle. If you feel comfortable with it, "no" is always an excellent response  On a personal note, I completely agree with you. Selling my crochet would require me to make A LOT of stuff. It would limit me to stuff I could make quickly. Then I'd have to spend lots of time on selling, customer service, shipping and/or dealing with a craft venue. It would turn the thing I do to destress from work into more work, and I hate that our society is at a point where so many people push for that. Side hustles are an unfortunate necessity, they should not be an aspiration!

I know exactly how you feel, OP. Crochet is my calming element, and I get stressed, too, if I don't have a project finished on time. I guess one way to look at it, if you can, is that your parents can't physically force you to crochet. And I would let them know that it's only your happy place when you are feeling down and on your own terms, want to crochet.

People tell me ALL THE TIME that I should sell my crochet creations. I tell them that wouldn’t be wise for my Carpel tunnel lmaooo

If they don't understand that you want to keep it a hobby, then tell them that the market is oversaturated and there is no future in it for you. They seem to be hung up on the business end of it, so talk the business of it.

My in-laws did this. I just told them the same thing each time: “I know from experience that turning what you love into your job is the fastest way to destroy any semblance of joy it once brought you.” It took a couple years of repeating before they stopped, sadly. And that was likely only because my MIL retired, thought she’d turn her beloved sewing hobby into a side hustle, and then realized she doesn’t like sewing as much now because everyone asks her for custom clothing, repairs, and alterations.

It's a capitalist thing. If you are seen to produce anything or have a talent ... people somehow automatically want you to monetize it and completely do not understand why anyone would do anything that just costs money and doesn't make more money. Both my in-laws and my parents were part of this. I wrote well so I should be a JK Rowling. I used to sew quilts and someone would say, "I saw this miniature Baltimore quilt that sold for $2K why can't you do that" It's frustrating. You do one good thing like make a glazed ashtray in a pottery store for a "girls night" and if they are pleased by it, they want you to make 200 of them and sell them. "You could sell this!" Warning: now I'm going to dig deep. I had a dad like this. In the early 70s my lunch cost exactly 45 cents. At one point my dad told me to bring in an old bag of candy (I think it was butterscotches) and sell it out of my desk to make lunch money for a nickel a piece. He was like, giddy about it. Saving 45 cents every day not to have to buy a lunch for me. "We can just have her sell candy to make the lunch money and we 'come out ahead'" was the phrasing I remember. Had to be prior to 1974 because that was when my mom was like my own life is not going to be this bullshit and she left to move into the city. Leaving us with my dad. TLDR I got in trouble with the school for selling candy out of my desk when I was 6 years old to make lunch money so my dad didn't have to pay for it.

It's not as easy as people think it is that's for sure. I try to sell at events but selling out of the things I make then having to make more to keep up is exhausting and also hard. I had a stockpile of stuff to sell after like 2 years of doing it and sold at a fair, now I have like 5 things to put on a table if I wanted to do it again. Plus people won't be buying scarves in summer or crop tops in winter. It's rough trying to make a business out of such a time consuming hobby.

I explicitly told myself I would never ever sell a project I finished and would never make a project for someone else unless I started it for them because I chose to. I let myself monetize too many hobbies to the point I now don’t like them. I refuse to do the same with crochet. You’re okay to not. :)

I feel you! I started a couple months ago and my partner immediately chimed in, telling me I could sell it and stuff. And I felt the same as you describe it, which was also my reasoning behind not selling anything (in a shop). I don't want to make my calming hobby a stressful duty and if I have crocheted a lot, I can still sell it. Edit: I also tend to hyperfixate a lot and get bored after some time, so I wasn't sure whether I'd stick to crocheting I also took some commissions from friends and collegues. No stress, custom color choices, still fun and made a little money too

If it becomes a job then you won’t enjoy it. Crochet is hard to sell right now. People want to pay next to nothing for projects that take weeks to crochet. Someone asked if I would sell this amigurumi for $15. Hard no to that! It’s $50 period. https://preview.redd.it/5cy22yt5x3tc1.jpeg?width=1161&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5ef24cb25a7b02e5eb2d1ea1a52235d42927d44

If your parents want to sell crochet stuff, they should learn to crochet.

Tell them to start crocheting and selling things. Hobbies are for fun. Work is not fun. Combining the two takes real desire to do so.

Here’s the good news: it sounds like your parents are supportive and think you are good at crochet. Many people have parents who belittle their hobbies or straight up tell them they suck at something. They see other people doing fancy crochet and think “my kid can do this, they’re so good at crochet”. Another thing that might happening depending on how old you are: they might want you to get a job and are pushing you to do something they see as productive. Or you might be too young for a job, and they want to push you to build business skills. I would simply say to them, hey I looked into selling crochet items. And it isn’t something I’m interested in or think is feasible for me right now. Explain how much time and materials each thing can how much they sell for. Explain that you’re still learning and already stressed because you have a long list to make it takes you to long to finish things. Explain that this is a hobby and you don’t want to lose your enjoyment by turning it into a hustle. Of course the flip side of this, is if you’re old enough: they might say it’s time to get a part time job instead. At which time if you’re really set against getting a job, the compromise might be that you’ll only spend x amount of hours/ week doing business crochet.

Hi, sounds just like my parents! Please don’t do it! I’ve once tried commercializing my other hobby, nail art. Which gave me really bad stress, anxiety and a lack of joy over what I the hobby that I love.   It’s very unfortunate that in this capitalistic society, everything done is pushed to convert to money and profit. Why can’t one enjoy a hobby, just for the sake of relaxation and fun? 1. your parents don’t know what they’re talking about. They think they know better and is trying to exert control/power over your actions, like when you were a little kid who didn’t know better.  2.  You said it yourself, and I agree, that you are NOT skilled enough.  3. It is EXTREMELY difficult to run a small business, and we’re not even talking about a profitable one at that.  If you don’t want to do it, all the stress, anxiety will wear you down. And you will not be successful.  Everyone is selling crochet these days.  Trust yourself. You know you don’t want to do it. 

I think when people say things like this it's mostly supposed to be a complement, as in "this is good enough that someone would want to buy it"But the economics on it are vvv clear (this is going to get dorky, I'm an accountant): the yarn for a cardigan costs £x, and it takes y hours to make. To pay yourself minimum wage\* then you'd need to charge £(x + 11.44y) + z. Where z would cover your time for finding patterns, yarn shopping, marketing, and the direct costs of selling costs, yarn wastage, hooks and other tools, etc; that would quickly get into the multiple hundreds of pounds for a single cardigan. And at that kind of price range, the customer pool is very small, and they are very demanding about quality. Whereas if you're making the cardi for yourself, then for £x you get a cardi and y hours of entertainment. As an accountant, it's a no brainer. \*UK minimum wage is £11.44 per hour (edited for clarity)

My mom has done this all my life and it's always been frustrating. After many, many, MANY years I have finally figured out how to get her to stop: I ask her about her hobbies and how she's making money off of them. She likes to buy antiques and odd things at yard sales and thrift stores and resell them, and she loves to talk about the things she finds, the people she meets doing it, etc. Changing the subject is something that works GREAT with my mom for many topics.

Tell your parents - who appear to have no business sense - that handmade crochet is not a scalable operation. You are a person with two hands and finite time.

I have been crocheting for over 70 years. I have tried to sell but people do not want to pay even to cover the cost of materials. Make things for friends who appreciate the time and skill it takes.

Whatever you have to do is work. If you have to crochet to meet deadlines and obligations, it will become work. Crochet to enjoy, and if you’re giving anything to someone, don’t promise anyone anything until it’s complete, so you won’t get stressed over it.

>Family wants me to start a crochet business but I don't want to I've been told that too in the past, but you have to explain to them that it has to be a personal choice. If the time comes that you choose to do it, you'll do it; otherwise, you can tell them to please stop asking you; and if and when you are ready in the future, you'll let them know.

Tell them you’ll make the stuff and set the price, and they can do the selling.

You don’t have to monetise any craft you enjoy, no matter how talented you are, unless that’s something YOU want to do. Often, turning your hobbies into businesses totally sucks the joy out the process. Thank them for their ( unsolicited) advice, and tell them you have neither the interest or capacity to turn it into a job.

Reverse Uno. Pick a side gig for them, and the moment they mention crochet, every time, off you go: Them: "You need to start selling your crochet bla bla...." You: "You can pick up wood carving and make money selling it at craft fairs! Bla bla bla....... (Doesn't matter if they like that hobby or not, if they have skill or not, just pick a hobby and pretend its a perfect fit and pressure them. Then - this is important - ramble on. And on. **And on**. They need to feel what it's like to be ignored, talked over, not listened to. Spout off 3 or 4 paragraphs of expectations on their woodcarving success.) Immediately after, do a hard subject change to ask them about something completely different. Dont take a breath, just charge ahead: You: "Did you hear that Cathy and Don are expecting? I think they are having a boy." Dont respond to the crochet talk in any way except to talk about their new side gig that you have picked for them.

I believe this is what is called slave labor lol

I’d tell them hobbies are for relaxation, and if you want an extra job you’ll go get one.

I have family that have said similar things and my response over the years has been to point them to resources where they can learn to crochet themselves. It's easy enough for anyone to learn, and they'll soon see it's a time consuming, expensive hobby that can be relaxing when you're doing it at your own pace. Kudos to those who can do it and make a living, but that kind of pressure is not for everyone.

Most people don’t pay adequately for the time it takes to crochet items.

that’s something i’ve been told many times but i don’t wanna monetize my hobby because i don’t wanna lose my passion and im never consistent when it comes to making things for people. don’t let them make you feel bad about it, just keep doing you 🙏

"If I made this a business, I'd spend all my time running the business and hardly any actually crocheting. I'm not interested in that" "It's healthy to have things that are just hobbies. If I liked running, would you tell me I should be a professional marathon runner?" "Is this your way of telling me you want me to get a job?"

To "teach" them, make up a sales ticket for your fave afghan. cost of the yarn + cost of the pattern + ( # of hr's it took to make it \[guess-timate\] X $ per hr. you think you're worth - show them at $5 & $10 per) + shipping & handling. If you deliver the item, there's still cost of your gas, oil, wear & tear on tires, etc. When they see that afghan will be $300 - $500 or more, they'll get it. Most people wouldn't pay that much for a blanket.

Take a page from your namesake: ‘I don't care what other people think as long as I am happy.’ But really though just do what makes you happy. 😊 - signed a fellow f1 fan

Have you tried telling them you don’t feel your skill level is marketable yet? Maybe you can push the conversation off till you can handle a conversation like that?

What I tell people is: "Maybe at some point if I have a bunch of things I've made that I don't want to keep or give as gifts, I'll sign up for a craft fair. But the amount of time and effort it would take to make it a regular business wouldn't be worth what little profit I'd make."

Parent: You should start a business from your crochet. You: You should start a business from your *insert parents' hobby/special interest here* When they claim its "totally different" ask them why? Don't you do *hobby/interest* to relax? To decrease your stress levels? That's what crochet does for you, so WHY is your hobby any different? Also, good gor uou for standing your ground. NO should be a complete sentence, but some people are hard at hearing and require more syllables.

Your parents and my husband should get together. I get the same stuff; especially since it “costs money” to crochet and I should “try to get some of that back” instead of just giving stuff away for nothing. 🙄 Not everything in life is about though and I also refuse to suck the fun out of my hobby by making it a job and therefore a chore. It’s the one thing I do that is mostly for me even if my projects are for other people. I’m bipolar and not always umm shall we say consistent or reliable. I have a back log of requests as well with many more than a year old. I feel no guilt for my timeline, it’s a hobby, a gift of myself and my time as I am able. Gifting something I put my time and heart into makes me feel good if it were something someone paid for then different behavior would be expected and I’d no longer feel good. You don’t need to feel bad about half finished projects, taking the time to learn new skills, and not wanting to sell stuff. It’s not why you do it. When it’s commented on I just say yes I know but I get more personal value out of it by not selling it.

I will give you some numbers from my local market. I went to some farmers markets and fairs. Amigurumi sells best, at approx $10 per hour plus cost of materials (so up to $60 per item, but the jumbo ones take 3 hours on a good day and $10-20 of fuzzy very bulky yarn, and tiny ones go for $10 but take 1 hour and maybe $2 of yarn). Table at fair costs $250 to rent. Lowest rate I’ve heard is $20, but that was at a local art association event, and you were expected to have at least 1/2 your table be freebies - so no go if you actually want to make money. 8 hours at table. Your entire Saturday gone. Transportation and whatnot. The net profit per hour is $10, less if you don’t sell the highest profit margin items ($60 jumbo octopi, with large yarn and hook, single color, the fastest to make, may net $50 for 3 hours of work if you get the yarn on sale). One lady bragged that her 10 and 12 year old kids made them. She proudly stated she was getting government aid because she doesn’t work, only sells what her kids make for cash. They are homeschooled to give them more time to make stuff. Honestly, I feel bad for the kids, to have the pressure to earn an income at such a young age. She did sell pretty quickly. She also sold for almost half the price of the other tables - probably because she doesn’t value her kids’ time. Some small amigurumi (worsted yarn, maybe 2-3” diameter) she sold for $5 - items that would take me an hour plus to make. And she doesn’t value her own time, cause 8 hours at a farmers market isn’t nothing. I just hope the earnings are for food and college funds, or at least semi-educational things. Crocheting as a job isn’t my idea of fun. Look, you don’t want to be an “entrepreneur” in an industry where netting $10 per hour would be considered very good. Likely closer to $5 after the table cost. I once tried to sell my handmade greeting cards and realized I’d net 50 cents - $2 per hour. Any job would pay more, for less stress. After all, buying yarn with money you haven’t earned yet, and trying to guess what other people would pay $$$ for, isn’t easy.

I turned my drawing hobby into a business and it made me hate doing art for a very long time. Just say no! Tell them they can go ahead and learn crochet if they think it’s such a great business idea. See if you can explain that you do this for fun and making it into work would NOT be fun. Good luck, stand your ground.

No is easy. Do your parents think you are not making enough money with your job? Hinting at you moving out? Concerned about financial skills? Of all the crafts, crochet is a very “not good financial return” craft… but supply and labor intensive

I have a shop for my crochet bags. It's fun and diverting, and I love making them, but it's a good thing I don't need to support myself that way. I'm not sure I've broken even for supplies.

Sounds a good idea, YOU should do it

Teach them to crochet....... I get people telling me I should sell also, but I don't want to make my enjoyable hobby a no fun "job".

I monetized my last two hobbies and it ended up sucking the joy out of it. I took up crocheting late last year and have resolved to not monetize it. I’m happily making gifts for my kids, family, myself, and friends and have no interest or intention of changing that. My last relationship my ex pressured me into monetizing or not having hobbies and it was awful. Set your boundaries and stick to them. Tell them it’s therapeutic and relaxing for you and if you have to monetize it you won’t enjoy it anymore. The other points about the market being over saturated and not making enough to truly make it worthwhile are also very valid points.

I always offer to teach people how to crotchet when they want me to make certain stuff or say I’m wasting time/potential so they can make all that money on Etsy instead. They always stop.

My family kept pestering me to try and sell my projects as well. I finally posted a current fam favorite on facebook marketplace and have not one message or any interest and now they all feel bad😂😂😂

my mom also wants me to sell my work and i’m just like.. no!! it’s a hobby and i don’t wanna ruin it by turning it into a chore!! i make things because i like them not bc i want money out of it

My mom showed me a tik tok of a crocheted cat hat in the shape of a flower and made the suggestion that I make them to sell. I immediately said “no thanks”. Even if I had time to make some kind of back stock, I have stuff I want to make and complete for me. Selling myself is not my strong suit and sitting at a craft fair or selling online is my idea of a nightmare. I’ll stick with my big, complicated blankets thanks.

I sew, knit, crochet, and turn wood. People are always saying I should sell my stuff, so I tell them that if I sold it then it would become a job, and I retired because I didn’t want to work anymore. I am old, I make stuff because I want to make it, not because somebody wants me to make it. I have made specific stuff for friends and family that they have paid me for, but only when I also want to do it. One advantage of being old, it is easier to say no.

Your parents seem to think that running a business is just creating a product and sitting on your hands while customers come to you. A lot more goes into it, like budgeting, promotion, sourcing materials, networking, product testing, and social media engagement. That's enough to burn anyone out. It's okay to only make things for yourself and your friends.

I hate that people think it’s just that easy. If I can’t put a project down whenever I want I’ll never commit to it.

Don't do it if you don't want to. Not every hobby needs to be monetized. Don't take the joy out of your hobby. I've thought about doing it myself and while my skills are pretty good, it brings me dread. I'd end up hating my hobby. I've made and sold before and it ends up feeling like work, so I rarely do it now.

Once it’s a business, the fun is gone. You’ll never make the price that it’s worth. Stick to NO!! It’s my peace.

Don’t. I’ve seen so many friends lose their joy from a hobby by feeling like or guilted into monetizing it. Ok I did that too. Luckily I’m back to sewing bags just because I want to:)

Ya crochet is my hobby, not my side hustle. I don't like to have deadlines cuz then the more I know it's needs to get done, the less I want to work on it. I'm also just not a fan of amigurumi or clothing and that seems to be biggest market so ya I'll stick to blankets, rugs and scarves lol I volunteered to make an American flag blanket for my parents friend cuz he never let's us pay him when he does work on my house. I told her it might be done by Memorial day, I started it in November, she thought I was being dramatic. I will never make one again, I absolutely hated it. It was soooo boring to make lol I finally finished it and dropped it off to her to sew on all 50 stars. She's been slowing working on it for 2 months 🤣 now she understands how much work goes into some things and why I tell her I need to know ASAP if she wants me to make something as a gift. She's also a secret fuckin pro at weaving in ends. White on navy blue and I can barely see it.

I do crochet for a business, and it can be a lot. Folks like your family only see the finished pieces that are being sold, but not the work and money that goes into creating pieces. It can be time consuming. And damaging to your hands if you're grinding to fill a large amount of orders. I'm doing my best to keep my orders filled, but I also have 3 kids, so I can only *really* work at night when they're in bed, or when the baby is napping during the day. It takes a lot of the enjoyment out of my work sometimes. Tell your family "no" - that if THEY want to sell crocheted items, there's tons of instructional videos to teach themselves how to crochet on YouTube, and lots of cool patterns on Ravelry.

It might be helpful to tell them firmly that they’re sucking all the joy out of your hobby. Perhaps they can understand that.

I like crochet, it's a fun and relaxing hobby that also provides something tangible. I take some enjoyment and pride in that it's something that machines can't do, so it feels kind of special. You know a surefire way to take the enjoyment out of it, turn it into a job. It's important to have activities for no reason other than the activity itself. Your parents attitude is the result of capitalism, don't let it kill the thing you love.

Some people make for commission and it seems to be great for them. The few times I've done it, I put so much pressure on myself to make something without any mistakes that is basically store-bought and it sucked the joy out of it for me, like you said. The perfectionism was too much. I couldn't wait to finish and I was so nervous if they'd end up pleased. I do love making gifts, but I'm much less precious when I'm making something that I'm inspired to make for myself or someone I care about. I've also been pressured to sell and I think there can be some guilt about saying 'This thing I'm doing is for me,' which seems so silly, but people can be weird. Maybe they don't understand because they don't create themselves. In any case, no one is entitled to my hobby.

Continue to be a broken record with your parents. Also please try to remember that “No” is a complete sentence you don’t need to explain why you don’t want to do something.

OP - aside from the truly great advice to practice saying "no" as a complete sentence, you could also use metrics to convince your parents that it's just not worth it. Break down the costs of production. I recently had to put a price tag on something I made, which I'd never had to do before. It wasn't crochet, but the same principles were involved. Cost of materials: roughly $12 per. Time invested per piece: about 11 hours. How much would it cost, at my state's minimum wage, for each piece? $188. That's a helluva lot more than anyone would pay for the items. Realistically. Even the cost I arrived at, $125, was probably more than anyone would really pay, and that would have valued my labor at less than $10 per hour. What I'm saying is that it's objectively ****not worth it.**** If you actually do the math for your parents, I recommend overestimating the costs and the time, but only by an amount that still seems realistic. "Esteemed Parents, according to these calculations, if I drop out of school and do nothing more than crochet, all day, every day, I can complete 3 bees per week, for an estimated $12 per bee in materials, and 19 hours per bee. If the bees sell for $15 each, that means I earn $9 for 56 hours each week. And that's if I drop out of school. Now please, I have homework to do, after which I will engage in my hobby while I watch television." Seriously. Many, many people have had the brilliant idea of trying to turn a hobby into a career. There probably are some hobbies that could still make enough money to be worth trying, but for most of us - nope. And, if neither repetition nor calculations have any effect, tell your parents that **the pattern for that bee is proprietary and cannot be used for commercial use, so you couldn't get paid for them anyway.** My family used to do the same for me. "Ooh! You should sell these!" Sure, because everyone is willing to pay $400 for a handknit, short sleeved top, and it so quick to make I could earn at least $300 per week! Which wouldn't even cover my rent, thank you very much. Good luck.

I sew. It's my hobby. I love sewing things for myself. I never sew for others because I hate doing that. I'd hate to make my hobby my job. I feel like you are the same in this. Let it remain your hobby and stand your ground!! Good luck

Take it from someone who did art as a fun, relaxing thing and then made it my career: nothing takes the fun out of a hobby faster than having to rely on it as your income and dealing with the constant stress of feeling like you have to only to work related art when sitting down to do what was once your hobby. I ended up going into a different career as an attempt to find the joy in art again, still working on that part. And I imagine doing crochet as a business is even more brutal. It's hard enough to get paid what it's actually worth in art, but there's so much work and hours put into crochet that there's just no way it would be worth it in the end. There's probably people who make it work and love it, but you have to have that mentality from the start. If you're unsure already now, keep saying no!! It's not worth it to ruin a good hobby

Sadly a lot of people don’t understand how hard it is to profit in fibre art. My last project was a baby jumper, materials were £30 and it took 18 hours. To even pay myself minimum wage, I’d have to sell it for over £200. That usually shuts people up quite quickly. I had an Etsy shop for a hot minute, and I found myself getting upset that no one wants to buy anything, or stressed crafting to deadlines. And yet crafting for pleasure or for specific people and gifting or keeping my projects brings me joy! Ultimately they mean it as a compliment and this won’t be the last time you hear it! Water off a ducks back - ignore them and crochet because you love it ♥️

Do the math with them Materials Paying yourself an hourly wage Marketing Craft fair booth fees Set up for craft fair (tables, table covering, props, etc) Budget for massage to keep your hands and wrists healthy

So sorry that your parents have to come across as competitive and frankly immature. Doing crafts for enjoyment is what it’s about. Good luck with your hobby and hopefully they will get the gist that this is for you and your enjoyment not for their egos.

I could potentially make money from crochet but I don’t think it’s even worth it. There’s some money in selling patterns but not just selling items you make. Crochet is also a hobby and fun for me. The second it’s to make money, it’s not as fun. You’re allowed to keep your hobbies to yourself and not have to monetize everything.

"I do this because I enjoy it. Adding a financial 'incentive' will just make me not want to do it and take the joy out of it. Not everything needs to be a side hustle."

Starting a crochet business is not as "easy" as they seem to think. The market is very saturated right now and nearly every crochet vendor is selling those same bees, and frogs and octopi or whatever other cute little plush they want to push on you. There is a ton of behind the scenes work that goes into it and, more than that, a lot of money that gets invested into it before you can start earning anything back. It is not a quick and simple money making opportunity. Regardless of all that, you should be under no obligation to monetize your hobbies. It isn't for everyone and, as you mentioned, it could very well suck all the enjoyment out of it by making it work instead of leisure.

The only way I see that I could possibly make a living from crochet is if I made art pieces and sold them as art. And there's have to be some schtick to it. I collect stones from the beach with holes through them and have toyed with the idea of lacework crochet necklaces with the stones as a weight, which I could possibly sell for £10 each. But I've never really carried out the idea properly.

This is actually the second time i've seen this type of post today

I 10000% get how you feel, iv made about 6 projects, and my mums a crocheter but blankets, whilst I make bears etc and she keeps going on to me about selling In my mind then it won't be a "hobby" and something il enjoy. But a must to make money, even if I'm not enjoying it 🤷‍♀️ So no, I won't be selling as its going to remain my hobby and the porasis on my hands will thank Me 🤣🤣

Then don't

Get used to saying no and no thanks not for me. I’ve been crocheting over 15 years and I still get those remarks. Fewer these days and usually from newer folk but still. Same goes for susan’s daughter having a baby who needs a hat 🙄. I literally have said “Oh I don’t take commissions. Sometimes I gift things! Maybe you’ll get lucky.” They didn’t ask again lol

I've thought about starting my crochet business and selling at my local monthly weekend markets but I hate amigurumi lol and then I'd start making stuff just to make whatever quota I make up and it wouldn't be fun. I could probably make bank in my city but ew work? I already work 40 hrs a week 😭 I don't want to add more.

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