Knitting is a fun and relaxing hobby. But did you know that it can be a great way to earn some extra money too? It is not hard to get started. All it takes is patience and a willingness to learn.
Here is a guide to show you how you can get started.
What Do You Need To Get Started With Knitting?
Basic knitting only takes two things: a pair of knitting needles and yarn. You use the pair of knitting needles to weave the yarn into loops that connect with each other in order to create a fabric that ultimately becomes your end product. Of course, this is just at the most elementary level.
In order to create all kinds of projects by knitting, you will need different types of knitting needles and different kinds of yarns.
Knitting needles can be made from metal, wood, or plastic. They come in various sizes. The smaller the size, the tinier and tighter the loops they create.
Needles in a larger gauge make bigger loops and result in a fabric that has a looser weave. Traditional needles come in a pair of two straight needles.
However, circular needles are becoming more popular because they can be used for small projects as well as large sweaters and blankets without seams.
Yarn comes in a variety of fiber types, weights, twists, and unlimited colors. Yarns can be made from synthetic fibers or natural fibers. Synthetic yarns include acrylic, rayon, polyester, and nylon. Natural yarns are spun from fibers sourced from plants, animal hair, or silk.
Plant fibers include cotton, hemp, bamboo, and linen. Animal hair includes wool, cashmere, angora, alpaca, mohair, camel, yak, and llama. Natural fiber yarns are generally more expensive than man-made fiber yarns.
The choice of needles is determined by the project that is being made and the type of yarn used. Using the wrong needle size will not produce the ideal results in the project. Knitting patterns usually recommend the gauge of the needle.
As you become a more advanced knitter, you can make that determination based on your experience.
You also need to know how to manipulate the needles in order to create those interconnecting loops. These are called stitches. There are actually only two basic types of stitches: the knit stitch and the purl stitch. The knit stitch creates a loop in the back of the fabric as you create it.
The purl stitch creates the loop in the front. All of the other stitch patterns that you see in knitted projects are variations and combinations of these two basic stitches. If you learn these two stitches well, you can learn the other stitch variations to produce beautiful projects.
What Is The Easiest Way To Make Money In Knitting?
The easiest way is to sell the products that you make. The simplest project to make is a scarf because you are just creating row after row of stitches until you get the desired length. Other simple projects include blankets, hats, and socks.
You can find knitting patterns that you can follow to create these in craft stores or on the web. The variety of yarn available can give you endless possibilities just for these few projects.
As you get better with the basics, you can learn to knit more advanced projects like a sweater or a shawl. This is also when you can learn different stitches to create the lovely patterns that you often see on sweaters.
Examples of fancier stitches include ribbing, cables and twists, the herringbone, and many more.
In your business, you can take custom orders and make projects on demand. Or you can pre-knit accessories and sell them on a marketplace like Etsy.
The advantage of knitting on demand is that you do not waste time or effort making something that might not sell. The disadvantage is that your customer has to wait for you to make it.
Besides selling your knitting projects, there are other ways in which you can make money from knitting. And some of these ways are the following:
- You can create your own patterns and sell them online.
- You can start a knitting blog and place ads on your blog page that can make a passive income for you.
- You can be an affiliate marketer and sell knitting accessories on your blog page.
- You can create knitting instructional videos for beginners or for making specific projects. You can monetize the videos.
How Much Money Can You Make From Knitting?
The amount of money that you can make from knitting depends on how much time you spend on it. If you are selling hand-knitted products, you can set the price at a premium because of the amount of labor you put in. If you use premium yarn, that can also bump up the price.
It is not uncommon to have a premium hand-knitted sweater in a natural fiber selling for several hundred dollars, depending on the design. Accessories can be priced at less than $100, again depending on the yarn quality.
If you are selling patterns, you can set a price for a digital download. Keep in mind that it will take you many, many hours to produce a high-quality pattern that includes an image of the finished product and step-by-step instructions.
Also, you will be competing with free patterns online and pattern books that knitters can get from craft stores. People usually are not willing to pay more than a few dollars for a pattern. So, it is hard to make money selling patterns.
As for the blog, it depends on how effective you use keywords and how much traffic your blog is able to attract. Even if the reader clicks on the affiliate link, it does not mean that the reader will buy the product and generate a commission for you. This will not be a quick way to make money.
So, in terms of income, the best way is to sell what you make. But there are other ways to make money from your hobbies to explore as well.
Can You Make Knitting A Career?
You can certainly turn knitting into a career. You can make hand-knit products full-time. High-quality sweaters that use premium yarn can command a few hundred dollars.
Accessories are also good sellers, especially during the colder months. Popular items include baby clothes, baby blankets, hats, and other accessories.
You can also teach knitting classes in your community. Some people prefer learning how to knit from a live teacher instead of watching a YouTube video. You can hold knitting workshops and become an authority on knitting, yarns, how to care for knit products, etc.
Down the road, you can even consider opening up your own yarn shop and selling knitting supplies. This is a niche market but can be profitable because serious knitters like to get premium yarns for their projects, and they like to touch and feel it first.
After all, if they are going to spend hours or days making something, the end product should be worth their time and effort.
How Can You Make Money From Knitting As A Beginner?
As a beginner, you can still make money. You should start with the basic stitches and practice until your stitches have even tension. For your projects, use premium yarn because the project will command a higher price.
One of the easiest projects to make is a scarf. You can use very soft, natural fiber yarn in attractive colors and make a scarf to the length you want. When you are done, follow instructions to add fringes on both ends. You can sell your scarves on Etsy or locally at craft fairs.
Another easy project to make is a hat. Knit hats are popular during ski season. You can make them with brightly colored, natural fiber yarns. After you are done with the main cap section, make a large pom-pom and attach it to the top of the hat.
If you like, you can also add embellishments to the rim of the hat like a small character patch or customize it with initials.
Small accessories are also easy to make. Things like teapot cozies and pot holders are practical items. For these, use standard yarns because they are more durable and can be laundered easily.
Once you have mastered the basics, learn other advanced stitch combinations like cables, bobbles, herringbone, diamond honeycomb, basketweave, lace, intarsia, and many others.
You will be able to create beautiful sweaters and cardigans with these stitch variations, and you will be able to charge more for them.
Final Words
Learning how to make money from knitting is not difficult. With any skill, it takes practice to become proficient at it. Once you have mastered the knit and purl stitches, you can learn the different combinations to create the lovely knit patterns that you see on high-end sweaters.
You can follow any of the thousands of knitting patterns available. As your skills advance, you can create your own patterns and sell them. The possibilities and earning potential are limitless.
As you turn your hobby into a business, do not let the business side of it affect your love of the hobby. You are in this business because you love what you do.