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!

Meet the Maker with Melissa of Woods and Wool

Here on my blog today, I have a very inspirational and talented maker, Melissa, from Woods and Wool. If you are a part of the Instagram maker community, you surely know and love Melissa's cheery smile.

Melissa runs an Etsy shop where she offers ready to ship unique crocheted items and patterns. Along with running her small business, she inspires and helps other makers through her live videos on Instagram and through the Maker Strong Community.

I was so happy when Melissa agreed to do a small interview for Meet the Maker as I know she would be able to offer valuable information for fellow makers and aspiring makers alike.

In the interview Melissa talks about her small business, pricing advice, Maker Strong, and more.

How did you come up with the name 'Woods and Wool'?

My husband, Austin, actually gets credit for this. :) I had been racking my brain for weeks to come up with the perfect name for my Instagram handle/Etsy shop. Austin and I were headed up to northern Michigan and I'll never forget as we were going down a winding road, surrounded by beautiful trees, he said "What about woods and wool?" We both love the outdoors, Austin loves woodworking (even though you don't see a ton of it on the Woods and Wool feed), and it just felt right. So that was it. I made the Instagram account about 2 minutes later. :)


What inspired you to start selling your items and to set up an Etsy shop?

I started to meet fellow "millennial makers" in real life and they had online shops and sold at craft fairs. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and dreamed of doing the same... It took me a little while to figure out what my brand would look like, but those friends really inspired me to take the first steps and try it out.

With having a full-time job, how do you make time for your small business?

I've realized that if I don't prioritize my maker goals, they won't happen. Sometimes that means giving up other things, but it's just a matter of figuring out what is important to you and making it happen.

I also love planning! When I set out to create a new pattern, I create a schedule for myself and for my testers to set the expectation and stay accountable. I should say that my testers are the best and have never let me down, so the deadlines are mostly so that I don't let them down! It also helps me to announce a release date on Instagram so that I have to stick to it! I've done this for my Fall Collection release and all of my pattern releases so far.

How do you find craft fairs to sell at? Do you have any do's & don'ts for craft fairs?

I consider myself a rookie to the craft fair world still, but my biggest suggestion is to find fairs that are during the right time of year and draw in the right audience. I've found websites with information about craft fairs in my area where I can compare how many people attend a fair, whether they have to pay to get in, and even if there is food served or live music. You can really hone in on what fairs would be a good fit for you! I booked both of my craft fairs 6+ months in advance which gave me peace of mind and plenty of time to prepare!

Pricing can be tricky to figure out for crocheters wanting to sell their finished items. How do you suggest handmade items be priced?

To keep it simple, I always suggest using your material cost + hourly rate to find your wholesale price. If you're not sure what your hourly rate should be, start with at LEAST the minimum wage in your area. You should also consider any overhead costs into this number. Then, you multiply the wholesale price by 1.75 to create your retail cost, which now includes a profit margin! Yay!


I know you and a few other makers are very passionate about helping the maker community and have created a MakerStrong Facebook group. Could you tell us more about that and who can join?

Maker Strong is an educational and inspirational community all about boosting maker confidence and building profitable businesses. The group started as a mission by Chantal (@knitatude), Toni (@tlyarncrafts), and myself to help support and encourage other makers to know their worth. Anyone can follow along at @makerstrong on Instagram, or by joining the Facebook group here!


If you can give any advice or tips to someone aspiring to make and sell their handmade items, what would you tell them?

I would tell them to stop waiting for the perfect time, and just go for it! I constantly have to remind myself that "done is better than perfect" and you just have to start somewhere. Little by little, you'll find your way and keep getting better and better!

I hope you enjoyed Melissa's interview! She's such a gem and is so positive and genuine. If you haven't followed her on Instagram yet, I recommend it - you won't regret it! Along with her beautiful photos, she always has encouraging words and valuable information to share.
Once you've followed her on Instagram, be sure to check out her Etsy and visit her blog!

Website: www.woodsandwoolstudio.com
Insta: @woodsandwool
Etsy: woodsandwoolshop.etsy.com

Click here to read about other makers in the Meet the Maker series.

Meet the Maker with Taralah of YokieB

Here on the blog today, I have very first interview with a maker. You may know her from Instagram and love her as much as I do - the sweet Taralah from YokieB.  She's such a sweet soul and I love following her and seeing her inspirational work on Instagram.

Taralah designs beautiful crochet patterns & crochet items to sell, jewelry, and accessories.  She runs an Etsy shop where she sells her unique items and has a gorgeous instagram feed that you need to follow.

You can find Taralah's instagram here and her creations on her Etsy shop here. Check them out - you won't be disappointed!

I was thrilled when she agreed to do a small interview with me where she talks about her small business and also gives encouraging words to others aspiring to become makers!

Read on for Taralah's interview.

How did you come up with the name of your shop? 

I originally wanted to name the shop “Coco Bean” after our two kitties.  Of course, that wasn’t the best option for having your shop pop up first in online search results. ;) My husband suggested we use their nicknames instead, (we love a good nickname) and boom, yokieB was born!  I thought that using just one uppercase letter was visually appealing, so that’s the reason for that! :)

What inspired you to open a shop on Etsy and sell your handmade items?

I worked in visual merchandising for over 10 years.  Although it was a great creative outlet, there was a whole lot of corporate not-so-fun aspects as well.  Every time I would go on Etsy and view other artist’s amazing work, the desire to create my own handmade items to sell grew stronger and stronger.  In 2012 my husband and I took a huge leap of faith, I quit my full-time job, and I started my Etsy shop!

Is selling your handmade items your main gig or is it a side hustle? 

Being a wife and mommy is my main gig, and I love being able to have a creative business on the side.

How do you make time to manage your small business?

It can definitely be hard to manage my time with a toddler.  I used to be one of those people that just liked to plow through and not stop till things were done, but I’ve learned to do tasks a little bit at a time now.  It can still be hard to follow that routine, but I find that it works best for me in this season.  I do most of my making during nap time and after my daughter has gone to bed.

What is your favorite thing about being a maker?

I love designing new things the most!  It’s so much fun to see something that’s in your head come to life through yarn and hook!

What is your greatest challenge in running a handmade business?

I think pricing can be a big challenge.  You want to make sure you are taking every little thing into consideration when coming up with the right price, and that you are paying yourself fairly, but you also don’t want to turn people away with prices that are too high…It’s a delicate balance.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about selling their handmade items? Do you have any tips or do's & don'ts? 

I would say that’s awesome! :) Also, don’t rush it.  Take the time to do research and think about what you want your business to look like.

I was so eager to get something listed in the shop when I first started, and I didn’t take enough time to think about the overall look and feel of the shop.  I have made a lot of changes since opening the shop 5 years ago.  Some things will change with time, and you will continuously want to tweak details to make them better as you learn new strategies, but it is such a great feeling when you are confident in the product you are selling and the way that it’s presented.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get advice from other makers.  One of the many things I love about this maker community is the incredible support and kindness they show!

And lastly, I would say not to get discouraged if it takes a little bit of time for your first sale (if you are opening an online shop).  It took me about 3 months to get my first sale on Etsy that was not from a family member or friend ;).  Those sales, of course count too and are awesome, but it's really neat and rewarding to have a sale from someone you don't even know! ;)