Even though the recession is supposed to be over, the economic recovery is moving at a snail’s pace for many. As a result, more and more women and men are turning their hobbies and crafts into part- and full-time businesses to supplement or even replace income lost as a result of the recession. Crochet is no exception.
One crochet technique that shows incredible business potential is creating crocheted portraits. My crochet photo patterns give you the ability to turn personal photos into beautiful, crocheted works of art like the one illustrated in the photo above.
Crocheting Portraits Has Great Business Potential
What gives this crochet technique such incredible business potential? You can earn an excellent income by creating crocheted portraits and art pieces on commission. For your customers, you can create:
- Framed portraits
- Wall hangings
- Pillows
- Handbags
- Lapghans and throws.
The smaller (12” x 12”) pieces have sold for as much as $250. A large (35” x 35”) crochet photo pattern piece can command prices of $500 and up. There is no cost to learn this technique, just some practice if you have never done one before. I have a selection of free patterns that you can download to get started.
The cost to create a crocheted portrait is the price of the pattern (from $5 to $8 for patterns ready for instant download and $25 for patterns created from personal photos) and yarn. Subtract that from $250 for a 12″ x 12″ piece and you turn a pretty profit. And the money you spend on the pattern and yarn can be claimed as business expenses on your taxes.
You can sell your pieces both online and offline, at craft fairs, art galleries, and wherever arts and crafts are sold in your area.
How Much Should I Charge
This technique is very labor intensive, and you want to be paid well for your time and effort, as well as for the cost of materials. I’ve come up with two formulas you can use to determine how much to charge for your crocheted portraits:
- Cost of materials (e.g., the pattern, yarn, stretcher bars, pillow form, whatever you use to create the portrait) + Labor (hourly rate x # of hours it took to create the piece, no less than $10 per hour) = Price to Charge.
- # of pages of pattern instructions x anywhere from $20 to $35.
With the first formula, you need to determine how long it takes you to complete a small portrait (60 to 99 rows), a medium portrait (100 to 149 rows), and a large portrait (150+ rows). Then, when you get an order, plug the appropriate number of hours into the formula. You want to be using a decent minimum wage as your hourly rate.
The second formula has the cost of materials and hourly rate already built in. If you spend a considerable amount of money on materials, use a higher dollar rate per page of instruction, but try not to go below $20. You can also adjust the dollar amount per page of pattern instruction depending on who your customer is.
Setting Up Your Crochet Portrait Business
Of course, with any home-based business, you’ll need to get organized to succeed. This involves, among other things:
- Getting a business license if your state requires one
- Setting up a system to track income and expenses
- Setting up space in your home to work on your patterns and store your yarn
- Marketing your crochet business.
The Small Business Administration has excellent programs and resources available to help you start a home-based business.
I can’t think of a more fulfilling way to help supplement your family’s income than with a crochet portrait business. We often think that it’s not possible to make money doing what we love, but if you love to crochet, then this business is definitely a way to turn that dream into reality.
Click HERE to learn how you can get started creating beautiful crochet portraits to take advantage of this exciting business opportunity.
18 comments On How to Start a Crochet Portrait Business
Wow I didn’t know you could sell the finished pieces for that much…that’s really good money. But then again, I’m sure it takes a long time to crochet them up as well. This is definitely something I want to learn when I have more time.
Hey Rhelena! Yes, you can sell CBN pieces for as much as you’d like. The post basically gives some idea of how much people are selling their pieces for. It’s all in how much you value your time and expertise. Looking forward to having you as a student, and thanks for taking the tine to comment.
Very interested on learning this technique! Can you contact me by e-mail with more info regarding the classes. Not so much on starting a business at the moment, but for learning the technique. Thank you!
Hi Rose! I just sent you an email. Looking forward to chatting with you about Crochet By Numbers.
I never received an email from you Patrice..But then again, I noticed that part of the “com” was missing, so resending this. Looking forward to chatting with you!
Glad we were able to hook up Rose. Looking forward to working with you.
Thank you Kim, for the above. I have been looking for something new to try. While reading your blog, I remember making my daughter an afghan with Raggedy Ann and Andy crochet in using the Afghan Stitch. The changing of colors and tying of knots sounds about the same. I am going to try this, Thank you for all your information.
I’m glad you found my blog post helpful, Mary. Much success to you in your endeavors! Aloha, Patrice
Iám from the Netherlands and i like to know more about it. And where i can order just to try my own little crochet pattern photo.
Friendly greetings,
Diana Mac-Donald
Hi Diana, I would be happy to help you get started. I have several free patterns on my blog that you can access here
https://www.yarnoverpullthrough.com/free-crochet-photo-patterns
Start with the Heart or Ladybug pattern and then proceed to the Butterfly pattern before you try to tackle the Martin Luther King Jr. pattern. These patterns used worsted weight (4) acrylic yarn and anywhere from an F/3.25 mm to an H/5.00 mm crochet hook depending on how small you want your stitches to be. You should probably start with a 4 mm or 5 mm hook.
When you are ready to proceed to the brown scale patterns that have 8 colors, let me know and I will help you find the appropriate yarn. And if you want a pattern based on a personal photo, please let me know. These patterns are $25 USD, but I also have several patterns already made that you can download for $8 USD. You can find them here …
https://www.yarnoverpullthrough.com/crochet-photo-patterns-for-sale
You can contact me at yarnoverpullthrough@gmail.com if you have any more questions.
Aloha,
Patrice
I am very interested in learning this technique. Could you email me more info please? Thank you.
Hi Jerilyn, I will email you.
Pingback: Nora Ashley Earns Good Money From Her Crochet Photo Art Business | Yarn Over, Pull Through ()
Good morning Patrice!
I am so interested in learning this process. I have patience and the love of creative talent in fiber!!! Please tell me more!
Hello Michelle. I’d be happy to tell you more. I will email you.
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I am interested in learning this technique. Could email me with more information. Thanks.
Hi Teresea! I emailed you.
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