Crafting is awesome, which makes Pinterest a very dangerous place. Two hours later with two dozen pins saved (okay, 136 pins saved) and a shopping list of hot glue, burlap, and tiny adorable succulents, who can trip down the craft and DIY Pinterest rabbit holes without getting confused? I don’t! (Don’t even talk to me about makeup and hairstyles.)
Come on, I know at least a few of you know what I’m talking about!
Well, this predilection for making things doesn’t have to be just a hobby that costs you money – it can turn into a career that makes you money too! I know: definitely a dream job for some of you! Let’s find out how you can turn your smart skills and work ethic into a career from home – avoiding job scams or low-paying opportunities.
Find an independent contractor job
While crafting/DIY company jobs (think seamstresses or testers and tutorial makers) aren’t incredibly common, there are still quite a few legitimate companies that will hire you to sew remotely or even try DIY crafts (or beauty and hair tutorials) and Create flashy walkthrough videos.
Wunderkin Co Specializing in intricate and carefully crafted handcrafted, heirloom hair bows for children – and they are always open to seamstresses applying to work with them. These bows are made from Liberty of London prints and cotton fabrics, and come with a lifetime guarantee – so the company values the services of skilled seamstresses. Wunderkin Co pays about $15 to $18 an hour, and requires their seamstresses to work at least 15 to 20 hours per week (producing about 100 to 150 bows on a weekly basis). To qualify, you must complete six test bows to assess them; You can find instructions on their website. You must have your own sewing equipment, and Wunderkin Co will supply the fabric and trim you need each week.
When looking for opportunities like this online, it’s important to listen to your gut and research companies before giving them your information and your time. Any time an in-home “assembly” job sounds too good to be true, it usually is – and any company that wants you to pay them up front is not a good opportunity. Even if they don’t say they will refund your deposit later.
Land a local job
Have you ever thought of looking for a local craft or handmade location? I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but hear me out: There are often seamstress jobs available in various locales across the US (for example) that are perfectly happy to let you work from home once you’ve established your skills and reliability. . If you’re an excellent seamstress, you can find yourself professionally employed and working from home in less than a month! If you find the right opportunity and of course get the right equipment and home environment.
Let’s take a look at some of the opportunities I’ve had recently:
Dayleeosi in Kaneohe, HI Looking for a seamstress to sew baby gear who can work quickly and create quality pieces. Position advertised until January (with extension) working three days a week – option to work from home after a few weeks if you have your own sewing machine.
Fantasy Dream Image in Miami, FL Looking for someone who can speak Spanish and sew fantasy clothing for children. You should also know how to make patterns and have your own sewing machine. This position requires a very detail-oriented and creative individual.
Hadley Pollett in Stamford, CT Women’s belts and dresses require a stitch to work; They advertise that sewing is easy but they need someone who can work in a timely and professional manner. You can work from home, and they pay by the piece.
Keep an eye on job boards from FlexJobs Indeed Find these local work from home opportunities.
Start your own business
If you’re a creative craftsman, honestly, there’s no reason not to start your own business! From adorable stitched or crocheted dolls to hand-beaded or wire-wrapped jewelry to chunky knit scarves to satirical cross-stitch, there are many people willing to buy crafts that other people make. And when you go into business for yourself, you choose when you work and what you do. Choose how much you will sell your product for and how much your time is worth.
You don’t need a brick-and-mortar storefront to sell your wares – although it never hurts to make a commission deal to display your items in a local store or make an occasional appearance at an art fair. Thanks to the Internet and depending on how tech-savvy you are, there are tons of great ways to sell your handmade (or custom-designed, for you graphic artists!) items online. You can sell crafts through handmade sites such as Etsy, Artfireor Handmade on Amazon For various listings and/or membership fees. You can even sell your crafts Ebay! For you graphic design people, you can create products Jazz, red bubbleor Society6. For full control over your shopfront and integration with your website, you can use Shopify or Wix.
A quick aside: If you’re a crafter in business for yourself, you can also create a passive income stream – by selling patterns or kits! Take those self-designed knitting projects and create a pattern, then sell it as a PDF. (Stuffed animal patterns are super popular for this!) Or put together a beaded bracelet kit: Spend a little time putting together these kits once a month, pre-packaged so all you have to do is slap a mailing label when someone sells them. You can blog about your creative process to capture an audience and drive sales.
As a standalone handmade business, you can order your materials online, craft at home and sell your creations online – effectively making money without leaving your home for a step! That calls for a pajama dance party!
What is your favorite home-based craft or assembly job – or have you established a successful handmade business? Drop me a line about what people told you when you first started!
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