Where are you from and tell us a little about yourself?
I am from Virginia. Right now I am a college student studying art & getting ready to do my senior show in the spring. I am focusing on ceramics & love all things handmade. I really enjoy photography, fashion, & blogging. I hardly ever wear matching socks & my favorite style icon is Molly Ringwald a la Pretty in Pink
Why did you start your Etsy shop?
I started With Love because I thought that my hand crocheted hats were comparable to the ones sold in stores. I liked the idea of making handmade accessories available & stimulating local economies. I started because I wanted to fuel my craft. I don’t need a million hats laying around but I like to make them to try out new stitches & designs.
How did you come up with your Etsy shop name?
I don’t remember exactly how I came up with With Love, Crochet. It was the first name out of the gate when I was listing off names. I wanted it to be like a signature of a letter where you sign “with love” & then how the item is mad. But the name also suggests to crochet with love, to make things out of love. That is what I want people to see in my shop. I want people to see that I offer stylish items made with love.
What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
My favorite item is the Yellow Retro Pom hat. It reminds me of ice skating with a retro-70’s vibe. As soon as I discovered the faux knit stitch I fell in love & knew it would look great as a brim on a hat. The pom just adds a bit of fun!
Do any of your pieces have a memorable story behind them?
All of my crocheted items remind me of the first hat I ever crocheted along with my grandmother many years ago. It was yellow just like the Yellow Retro Pom hat. I think that’s why I like it so much!
What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
My goal is to support the handmade movement & to further the craft of crochet. I use crochet to make fashion forward but also timeless pieces. These pieces are accentuated by watercolors & jewelry offering the gal who loves all vintage & modern a lifestyle shop & not just a hat shop.
How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
I have been crocheting since I can remember. I love the intimate nature of creating each stitch with love. Crocheting allows me to create different forms & designs. I also was in a beading club in high school & love to do little watercolor illustrations. All of it is just fun for me. Eventually I want to add sewn pillows & aprons to my shop. Like I mentioned before, I want my shop to be a lifestyle shop & not just a one item store.
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
My best friend is a leather crafter & I would love to be able to make the things she makes. She can free hand designs, carve &emboss the leather. She’s made notebooks, belt buckles & even a piece for her mandolin. She just comes up with things I would never have thought leather could be or do.
Why should people buy handmade?
People should buy handmade because handmade items are worth so much more than mass produced ones. Artists take time & care to create unique items. While most artists offer multiple colors & custom listings for certain items, you know that the item is coming direct from the sellers hands. It’s important for me to stay connected to the product for that reason. When I buy handmade I really think I am paying for the time, idea, & care it took to create that one item. It also stimulates local economies & the artists ability to keep up with his or her craft. It’s win-win. No one is getting hurt or cheated.
Any advice on selling things handmade?
It took me forever to get to where I am now & I still only consider myself doing this as a hobby. I am by no means monetarily successful, I am successful in the fact that I am proud I am inspiring myself & others. So my advice is to do what you love & do it often. Don’t take no for an answer. When selling online pictures, promoting & marketing are the key. I don’t know how often I’ve searched for help on these topics. Online & at craft shows, be personable & greet your customers. If in person, ask them if they are enjoying themselves, if they were looking for anything in particular, etc. Online make sure when you contact (or respond to) buyers to be nice, personable, & friendly. I’ve found that blogging & social networks help too.
Apart from creating beautiful pieces, what else do you do?
Currently I am studying art so when I am not creating things for the shop I am creating things for my degree. You can find me watching Ghost Whisperer on days I am off & Law & Order whenever it is on. I watch Ghost Hunters on Wednesdays, too. When I am not creating things myself I love to show people how to make things. I also love working in retail. I love being the face of a company & building a customer base.
Do you have plans for expansion?
I eventually want to be a real business. I am still just doing this as a hobby in order to pay for things for school. This summer I want to become a real business, then eventually make this my full time job, then hopefully I’d like to own a brick & mortar shop. I am taking it slow right now & just saving the money I make to buy glaze for my senior project this coming semester.
Any other sites you can be found on?
I have two blogs www.crossxmyxhooks.blogspot.com where I offer some crafty tutorials & all around art inspiration. Then on my other fashion, style, & décor blog www.fivesixteenthsblog.blogspot.com I blog about home & style diy’s & inspiration. I love blogging on Cross My Hooks & Five Sixteenths. I love sharing ideas with the world. This summer I hope to be found on some online shops & am very excited about the possibility of doing that.
Anything else you would like us to know?
To never give up! That’s sort of cheesy, but a few years ago my aunt asked me if I could do anything in the world what would I do. I told her I’d love to run a little handmade boutique. I guess I never thought I could do that or that people just don’t do it so I went into school to be a math teacher. That was the safe way to go. I hated it & am so glad I switched to studying art. Now I’ve realized that it’s not a little kid dream to want to own a shop. So if you’re ever asked that question, if you could do anything in the world what would it be, answer truthfully. Then do it!!
