Meet Your Maker- Knotty Gurl Crochet

Hello and Welcome to the first post in my Meet Your Maker Series. 

I am hoping for this to be a weekly post which will feature a different maker each week. It will consist of several questions that will be sent out to makers of all kinds. The idea is to get to know your favorite makers and hopefully spread the word about makers you might not have heard of. I want to feature all kinds of makers, not just crocheters and knitters, to bring the maker community together so we can support and spread the word about handmade items. #supporthandmade

Below is what I have come up with so far. I may alter the questions going forward depending on input from readers and makers.

Introduce yourself and your business:

I’m Bethany from Knotty Gurl Crochet and I run an Esty shop that offers unique and one of a kind handmade crochet and knitwear items. I am also a pattern designer and a faux fur pom pom supplier.

How did you launch your business & what made you want to start a small business?:

After I fell in love with crochet, I started making things all the time and ended up with way more hats and scarves then I could ever use so I decided to try my hand at selling my items. My friend and co-worker at the time Claire, owner of Perfectly Knotted, had started an Esty shop and it seemed like a great platform to get started on and so I opened my shop in 2017.

What are some struggles you had starting your business and how did you over come them?:

The main struggle I had especially in the beginning was actually putting time and effort in haha. When I first started KGC I didn’t necessarily go into it thinking of my self as starting a small business. It was simply a way to get rid of the massive amount of crochet items I had accumulated. I posted a few items (with horrible quality photos) and then didn’t touch my Esty or Instagram again for months. I eventually had my first sale and after that first cha-ching that Esty makes when you sell something and the rush of someone purchasing my work I was hooked.  After that I really started to put effort into both my Instagram and my Etsy page consistently.

Where do you draw inspiration from?:

I mostly draw inspiration from other makers, Instagram, pinterest ect.

What motivates you as a maker?:

I love the feeling I get when I complete a project. Especially if it is my own design. For me the biggest motivator is seeing my completed work.

What is a goal you set for yourself as a maker/artist and how did you achieve it?:

Taking better photos!! I knew from the start that my photos were not the best quality out there and I know compared to many people I still have a long way to go. I do not use a fancy camera or anything, just my android phone, white Bristol board and a tripod. I have been really trying to develop more of a consistent color theme on my Instagram and have become more invested in trying to learn about mobile photography and how to take better pictures. I will do a more in-depth post later about my actual photo taking and editing process.

What is your favorite part of being a maker?:

Being able to say I made this! I am a very hands on kind of person so being able to create something myself is so rewarding. 

Do you have any tips for new makers/ small business owners?:

Don’t be afraid to take time to figure out who you are as a brand. As they say Rome wasn’t built in a day. It can take time to figure out what esthetic you want to have, who your audience is and what your goals as a maker are. Also, as hard as it is, try not to compare yourself to others in your maker community. You do you, it sounds cliché but people really do respond to authenticity.

What are some hobbies or interests you have outside of your small business?:

Reading, I’m a huge YA fantasy lover. Also, very into crime/suspense novels. I also love to bake (hate to cook though). I think it is because I enjoy sweets way more then actual food lol.

Share a fun fact about yourself:

I LOVE skulls. Like I’m obsessed with them. I think they are adorable and collect pretty much anything that has a skull on it. 

-KGC