Meet the Maker with Allison of Melon Girl Knits

Here on the blog today, I'm continuing with my Meet the Maker Series and I'm really excited about today's maker!

Allison of Melon Girl Knits is a down to earth, super talented, and inspirational knitter and crocheter. Being home schooled, she is allowed the time of building her handmade business and aspires to continue to grow her business.

Follow Allison on Instagram and check out her Etsy - she has gorgeous crochet, knit, and macrame items! She even has a handful of beautiful and unique crochet patterns!

In the interview I had with Allison, she talks about how she makes time for her handmade business and gives a few tips on setting up for craft shows! Read on for the full interview.

How long have you been crocheting and knitting?

I’ve been crocheting for about 5 years and knitting for 2.


What are you favorite yarns and tools (hooks/needles)?

My absolute favorite crochet hooks are Amour hooks by Clover. I used to use Boye crochet hooks which worked great, but once I got my hands on a Clover hook that was it! For knitting needles I really like the wood bamboo needles by Clover. But they have to be the circular ones because I usually loose one of the needles when using straight needles.

What made you decide to start selling your items?

The first time I had the thought about selling my items was when I was 14, but I pushed that thought aside saying I was a little to young and my crochet hats and scarves were a little to wonky (which was probably true). Over the next couple years I went back and forth on whether I should sell my items, but I think the real game changer and what really pushed me over the edge was when my Mom told me to just go for it. And she said “if it doesn’t work out you will only being loosing a little bit of money”. That’s when I decided to sell my items and to just go for it!

Can you offer any tips on setting up for a craft show?

I am by no means an expert on craft shows or know everything there is to know, but here is what I have learned that I really wished I knew when I started out.

The first thing I would say is to have different variations of height on your table. I recommend not laying all of your work flat on the table, it’s simply not appealing and people are less likely to walk up to your table/ booth.

The second thing I would say is do NOT place all of your stock on your table. It tends to make the table look cluttered and disorganized. Instead have the extras handy under your table to restock when things get low. Now you may be thinking but I have to put every style and every color I have out there. The first would be right, put every style you have out there but not every color. If people really like an item and don’t see a color they really like they will ask you if you have others.

The third would be to have some sort of help when setting up and tearing down your set up. I know this can be extremely hard if you are a one person show but it will really help you be less stressed and be happier when the show is actually going.
The last thing I would say is have some mannequins to display your items (if you sell hats or scarfs), a mirror so people can see the item they are trying on, and of course a table cloth.


How do you make time for your small business and school work?

Well for starters I’m home schooled, which helps immensely. And to give you all a little bit of background my teachers (AKA my parents) have always believed in letting kids be kids and simply letting them play instead of giving them hours of school work. So growing up I had  maybe 2 or 3 hours of school work a day, which allowed me to have the rest of the day to pursue my creative endeavors. Today I may have a little bit more school then when I was 10, but I still have an awesome amount of time to have a job, run a small business, and do school work.

Is being a maker what you would like to do full time in the future or do you have other plans?  

I would love to become a full time maker down the road and have my business be the thing that supports me, but I also really want to continue with the two jobs I have…. So I guess I’m contradicting what I just said… Either way, I really want to grow my business and really take It as far as I can.

Isn't she inspiring?! Starting something you love at a young age is pretty fantastic, if you ask me. And she's totally rocking it! Be sure to follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Also check out her Etsy to see more of her items!

To read about more makers, you can check out the main Meet the Maker Series post here to read other interviews with awesome makers!