Introduce yourself and your business.
My name is Andreia and I'm a 25 year old Architecture Graduate. I'm currently living in Portugal, where my family is from, but I was actually born in Switzerland. I am the maker behind "Lemon Yarn Creations", a small business of handmade crochet amigurumi plushies, and crochet patterns for you to make your own little friends.
How did you launch your business & what made you want to start a small business?
"Lemon Yarn Creations" started in May 2016 when I decided to share my creations with the world through Instagram. I'd been crocheting for a year already (2015) selling my work to classmates, and thought social media would be a great way to meet more crocheters like me. In August 2017, after getting multiple requests from my followers, I took the next step for my business and decided to start selling internationally by opening an Etsy Shop. I've always been a very crafty person, and sharing my work with the world is an amazing opportunity.
What are some struggles you had starting your business and how did you over come them?
The main struggle I had was definitely having enough confidence to go through with my small business idea. Was my work good enough to be published online? Who was going to buy from my shop? Would anyone like what I make? All the self-doubt can become very consuming mentally, but what helped me go through that was the support of my close friends and family, and even more the support from the amazing crochet community I found online.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
For the first couple of years I drew a lot of my inspiration from Pop Culture, creating fanart pieces. Nowadays, I get my inspiration from nature, like animals and plants, but also from other crafters and the unique pieces they create and share.
What motivates you as a maker?
It's easy to loose motivation when you're the only person running a small business, and it happens to me very often. When it does happen I try to take a couple of days to myself, to detox from the "perfect" side of social media and remember why I am doing this. I make things to share with the world and sell them if possible, but most importantly I make them mostly because they make me feel happy, and that's what I try to keep in mind.
What is a goal you set for yourself as a maker/artist and how did you achieve it?
One of the goals I set for my small business last year, was to create more original content. I knew I wanted to create my own animal fiends, so I just started researching on all my favorite animals and sketching all the ideas that came to my mind. I've already published a few crochet patterns, and I'm still working on creating more original content and improve my crochet skills.
What is your favorite part of being a maker?
One of my favorite things about being a maker is being able to experience all the process that comes with a new idea. From the moment it starts growing in my mind, to all the sketches and notes, and to when it finally gains shape with the help of my two little hands. I put a lot of time and love into all my work, and it's an amazing feeling when people can see its worth.
Do you have any tips for new makers/ small business owners?
If I have any advice for new makers/small business owners, is to not give up. It takes a lot of work and personal investment in running a small business, but if it's what you love and what you want to pursue then you should do everything you can to make it happen. I recently saw a post on social media that said "Don't call it a dream, call it a plan" and it definitely changed my perspective on the way I was doing things. I really want my business to grow, so all the decisions I make from now on are in order to make my business plan a reality.
What are some hobbies or interests you have outside of your small business?
Besides crocheting I really enjoy drawing. I studied art in high school and used to draw every day. During college it was more difficult to find inspiration, so now I use my love for drawing alongside my love for crochet, illustrating all my plushies before crocheting them.
Share a fun fact about yourself.
Here's a fun fact about me, I'm a bit of a collector/hoarder. Ever since I was young I've been collecting the most various items, like clothing tags, cute bags from different shops, Mc'Donalds toys, etc. Now my collections are a bit more curated, including mugs (like a lot of them), enamel pins and Funko Pop figures, or pretty much any cute toy.
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