How I Started a Crochet Blog

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I recently had the opportunity to be featured on a friend’s podcast and got to talk about my crochet blog and how I got started (in addition to a few funny stories of our time working in retail together) and it got me thinking. There are so many crocheters out there; some of us design patterns, some test them, and others crochet for their own enjoyment. I’m sure there are so many people out there intimidated about starting a blog or just curious about the whole process so I wanted to share my journey so far (a year and a half in). I hope that as my blog and I grow, I’ll be able to add to these lessons and share even more.

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The World According to Walker Podcast

If you haven’t taken a listen to this podcast yet, I’d definitely recommend it. It covers a little bit of everything and can be lighthearted and easy to listen to, albeit untraditional at times. Javahn, who hosts the podcast is probably one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. I always tell him there is no other way to describe him than that he is Javahn. There’s nothing else to it. He’s gone on travels and has stories to tell that most people probably will never have collectively in their lives. He’s open to anything and because of that, he really does have an interesting perspective on life.

When Javahn asked me to be a guest on his podcast my first thought was “Oh no”. That isn’t to say we aren’t friends but Javahn can be unpredictable at times and I did not want to be put in the hot seat, especially on recording for the world to hear. But he assured me he would never do that to me and he was genuinely interested in my business and what I had learned since starting the whole process.

I spent a few weeks trying to figure out what the heck I would talk about and putting together my best practices and advice for anyone who might want to start their own blog. I’m obviously still learning and always will be but I have picked up some key advice I keep with me all the time and I believe it’s worth sharing.

What made you want to start a crochet blog?

I started crocheting when I was 8 because I wanted to keep up with my babysitter who loved to crochet blankets. My first project was actually a little tiny bowl that I made by accident because I didn’t yet know how to chain and turn or count my stitches as I worked. From there I kept learning until I got to about middle school and put it down for a long time. I picked up some projects in high school but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that I really got back into it.

I think for a lot of people, myself included, hobbies were really important while we were isolated. It started off with me making a blanket for my father who I couldn’t see at all during covid and I realized I really loved crochet. I began making a few other things for myself and my family and started creating my own patterns. It didn’t take long for my desire for a bigger project to kick in. I really liked being able to write my own patterns and I had seen other people’s patterns in crochet magazines but didn’t really realize the whole scope of the online fiber arts community. Once I discovered it, I was pretty hooked.

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How did you get your blog started?

Funnily enough, the first major influence I discovered was Ashleigh from Sewrella Yarn. Back when she was still designing and blogging she had a “Sewrella Method” course which went over the blogging basics and getting started. She also had a few free blog posts on those topics which I read all of. From there, I found a bunch of other influences such as Toni from TL Yarn Crafts and many more. I saw how amazing the crochet community could be and it didn’t take more than a few months for me to prepare and make my decision to launch the blog.

I used Ashleigh’s recommended hosting site, BlueHost which I still use currently to get my blog going. Picking a name was probably the hardest thing for me. I ended up choosing YarnThrift because it was unique and I knew I could get all my social media handles and website under that name. I also realized that just like people who are spendthrifts, I am the same way with yarn – always buying more than I need. I am a yarnthrift.

After the site was set up, it was a huge learning experience for me. I hadn’t ever blogged before or learned about SEO and Pinterest strategies so I spent a lot of time reading articles and watching tutorials to figure out how to run my blog. It is a lot more than just writing content and patterns, there is a lot of back-end work.

Best 3 Things I Learned When Getting Started

My top three recommendations are to research your social media strategy, have content pillars planned out and to do some blog set up and research in advance of launching.

Research your social media strategy

What I mean by this is to choose which social media platforms will reach your ideal customer best. There is definitely no need to over-extend yourself to make use of every single platform that is available. For example, I make use of Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. For my target audience, these platforms make the most sense. The goal of these platforms is to help draw traffic to your site so the more you’re able to get your ideal customer to view your posts the more likely you are to have them visit your site.

You also want to keep your brand in mind. I love using Canva to help me create posts and pins that align with my aesthetic. Keeping consistent with the look and feel of your content helps you create a better brand that is unique to you so customers recognize your posts.

I also believe in being yourself as part of your social media strategy. Sure, we all want the perfect aesthetic but sometimes life gets messy and that’s part of being a creative person. I do edit my posts and have planned out and nicely aesthetic pictures but I also like to show the behind-the-scenes of what I do and the mess that comes with it sometimes. My boyfriend often jokes that he’s very proud of me even though the dishes in our house pile up too often. It’s part of our daily life and is just a consequence of having a side hustle but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Plan out content pillars

This is a strategy I learned from a lot of social media gurus and influencers. Sometimes it can be so hard trying to come up with new post ideas, blog ideas, etc. Setting up content pillars allows you to categorize the types of posts you make and helps narrow down your ideas (or find them!)

Content pillars are 3 to 5 topics you cover that bring value to your audience. For a crochet blog that may be free crochet patterns, crochet stitch tutorials, crochet methods, yarn reviews, etc. You have a focus as a blog and you can pick your pillars so you always have value to bring to your audience. You may have categories that focus on education (tutorials, pattern instructions, and the like) and others that are purely aesthetic like a light-hearted tik tok about your craft.

Having these pillars set up helps you make sure you’re staying focused on your brand and your vision for your blog. Plus, it can help create new content ideas when you’re struggling to come up with new posts.

Do your blog research and set up ahead of time

I sincerely wish I had done more of this before I started this blog. When my blog was up and running I had done little to no research on SEO and keyword phrases and didn’t know a thing about plugins. I couldn’t get a Pinterest pin up on my blog for months after starting it. There were many late nights I stayed up looking for youtube tutorials and other blog posts to help me figure out WordPress.

Learning some of the basics ahead of time will save you so much time in the long run. You’ll be able to learn some of the basics you’ll need to get started and hopefully figure out some plugins you may want. By the time you write your first post, you’ll have a much better idea of what to include and how to include it.

Additionally, taking some time to set up your website before launching is a great idea. Although I took a bit of time it wasn’t nearly enough. I believe having 3-5 posts drafted is a great way to get started so you can focus on your next ideas. Plus, having your blog look the way you want is extremely important, and taking the time to set up the theme of your blog to match your brand and aesthetic is big. Your blog showcases who you are and who your business is. It’s just like walking into a store and knowing the vibe by the colors and decor – it’s the same with your website.

How do you earn money from a crochet blog?

In my first year, I didn’t see a large sum of income, which is typical of most businesses within their first three years. How I do see income is through affiliate sales and ad revenue. Currently, I am an affiliate marketer for a few yarn and crochet hook companies as well as Amazon. Additionally, I have Google ads on my site for ad revenue.

The ad revenue came in slowly at first but as my audience grows, so does my ad revenue. For Google ads, your blog must be up and running for at least 6 months and have enough content for Google to consider it legitimate. Once that time has passed they can evaluate your blog and approve you. The waiting is the hardest part because during those 6 months if you don’t see an affiliate sale you aren’t seeing any income at all.

A year and a half in, I’m seeing a lot more traffic on my site than I used to. By posting more valuable content and crochet patterns while also optimizing more for SEO, my traffic brings me more affiliate sales. Although I’m still not making a living wage, per se, I can see myself getting there one day. I’m happy with where I’m at, especially knowing that for now, this is a side passion project for me and not something I’m relying on to support me full time.

I highly recommend placing ads and affiliate links on your site as soon as possible. They can help you cover blog start-up expenses and keep you going as you create more content. Amazons program is probably the best to start out with and as you grow, applying to move niche-specific sites will help attract more sales from your target audience.

Why crochet blog?

A crochet blog is definitely not for everyone but it is so rewarding for those who do it. My reason for blogging is to have something I love and be in control of it. I absolutely love being my own boss when it comes to this website. When so many other things are out of control, I know I have this. Not only that, but I love crocheting and creating content for you all. It’s so fun and rewarding to be part of a creative community and create things people enjoy.

Although I would love to work full time at this job, I’m not in it for a salary. I’m here because I love creating crochet patterns and helping other crocheters. If this sounds like you, I recommend giving it a go.

Crochet blogs are a lot of work but so worth it, in my completely biased opinion. Creative communities are like no other and there are so many amazing resources to learn from and people to connect with.

I hope this has been informative for anyone interested in the world of crochet blogging! If you’re interested, I highly encourage giving Javahn’s podcast a listen. He’s unconventional at times but I believe that’s what makes his views and voice great. Plus, with this episode, you’ll get to hear the horrors of my retail store days and some funny life stories as well.