If you’re looking to reduce the amount of time spent scrolling through social media or watching TV, consider taking up a traditional craft as a hobby. Crafts have mental health benefits and provide a tangible sense of accomplishment. They also make great gifts. Once you’ve reached a professional skill level, it’s easy to set up a store selling crafts online for extra pocket money. Here are five beginner-friendly craft options to look into.
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1. Quilts
Heavy, handmade quilts are a cost-effective alternative to cranking the heat during winter nights. As heirloom quilts from previous generations wear thin, many people are looking to independent online crafters for quality replacements.
Don’t assume you have to use a corporate website like Etsy to sell quilts. You can avoid the headaches and fees of these sites by setting up your own online store. To save time and money, use professional tools that make creating websites for quilters easy. A professional sales website on your own domain is a great way to make your quilt business stand out from the competition.
2. Crochet Dolls
Crochet — a yarn technique named after the French word for ‘hook’ — is responsible for dozens of high-ticket products over the centuries, from lace to blankets. One of the earliest uses of crochet is extremely popular on the online craft market today: dolls. Three-dimensional crochet is an impressive skill that can fashion beautiful and durable plush toys for children as well as knick-knacks for adults to display.
Before you set out to sell crochet dolls online, be sure you’re not recreating a licensed character for profit. You may be sued by the copyright holder. You can still make dolls of licensed characters as gifts, but if you’re selling crochet dolls, do some reading on when licenses are required. In America, copyright usually expires 70 years after the death of the original author or creator.
3. Jewelry
Jewelry crafting is a crowded market, so it pays to do research and find your niche before selling online. It even doesn’t have to be crafted – if you are in the possession of quality gold jewelry you should definitely consider selling to the certified jewelry buyer where you will get the best price in the market.Identify a hole in the market for your jewelry pieces. Are they sentimental? Antique-styled? Choose an aesthetic without competition from larger, well-known brands, and place ads where your target customers are likely to see them. Craft fairs are a great way to connect with local buyers and generate content for a small jewelry business’s social media page.
4. Cross Stitch
Cross stitch has exploded in popularity on the internet. This grid-based alternative to embroidery is one of the easier handcrafts to learn. Cheeky sayings and pop culture references are both high-selling cross stitch designs online.
Don’t limit yourself to wall decorations, though. Cross stitch is versatile enough to go on pillows, napkins, oven mitts, towels and even wedding invitations. Think outside the box both in the message of your cross stitch and the materials.
5. Candles
Not a fan of developing manual dexterity or remembering patterns? Crafting scented candles may be the perfect hobby for you. Making the perfect candle is a more free-form endeavor guided by your instincts, and you can still turn a profit with this craft online.
The blend of scents in your candle is important, but remember that presentation is all the customer is going to see in an online listing. Choose an attractive jar for your candle and adorn it with a ribbon or charm. Be creative with your names. “Snickerdoodle” is a more evocative and memorable name for a sweet cinnamon candle than simply “Cinnamon.”
When you’re ready to sell, capitalize on changing seasons and gift opportunities. Candles are the perfect business to team up with other self-care and home goods sellers.
Crafts aren’t an effective way to get rich quickly, but they can add richness and substance to your day before the monetary rewards arrive. Make sure to put aside months to simply learn a craft before attempting to sell it online. It’s both easier and more rewarding to market a craft you’ve mastered.
