Colourful crochet business is instant success for teenager

After learning to crochet as a hobby, the talented teenager opened her own business selling the cute and colourful creations two-and-a-half years ago and business is booming.

The Penketh High School student spends all her spare time crocheting and made more than a hundred pieces to sell at markets and custom orders last month.

Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, Abigail tells us about her first artisan market as a seller and what her plans are for the business in 2024.

If you would like to appear in one of our business features, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

Fifteen-year-old Abigail does several markets each month

What’s your full name?

Abigail Shaw

What’s the name of the business?

Abi’s Crochet Creations

What’s the address?

Saxon Park

Are you the owner/manager?

I am the owner

When did you open the business?

I began my crochet journey in April 2021 and opened my business in September of the same year.

A baby penguin

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

Yes, I was born and raised in Warrington.

Tell me a bit about your business

Crochet to me began as a hobby and very soon it had become my entire life! Around school, I would crochet for hours on end, creating custom orders and making my own patterns and designs. I would do live streaming on social media platforms, like TikTok to share my knowledge with other aspiring crocheters.

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What do you do? What services do you provide?

I create handmade crocheted toys, keyrings and home décor. I am particularly busy during the holidays - Easter, Halloween and Christmas - where I crochet upwards of six hours a day, most days.

Why did you decide to open your own business?

After owning a business with my mum, doing wax melts for a few years, I thought “what do I have to lose?”. So, I worked tirelessly, trying to make my crochet technique perfect and when the time was right, I did my first artisan market and I haven’t looked back since!

A crochet bunny

What’s your business background?

As I am only 15 years old, I don’t have a whole lot of experience in industry, particularly owning my own business, which is why I am so lucky to have such supportive parents. They always help me when it comes to making the right decisions and dealing with ‘behind the scenes’ elements of my business. I couldn’t have done it without them.

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Why this type of business?

I enjoy crocheting so much that I simply couldn’t see myself doing anything different. I have always been quite creative and crochet has provided me with a new medium to display my creativity and share that with others. It’s fantastic to see children’s faces light up when they see my stall at artisan markets and it makes all my hard work worth it.

Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?

I launched my business in September 2021 and I was mainly doing postal orders or local deliveries. When lockdowns ended, I would go to local markets to sell my crochet makes and I now do several a month.

Halloween ghosts

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

What makes my business different is that each item is made solely by myself. I spend hours each day and all weekend every weekend making crochet items, to ensure my products are the best they can possibly be for my lovely customers. If someone contacts me to discuss a custom order, they are able to speak directly and I will make sure their order is extra special.

Why do loyal customers return to your business?

Loyal customers return to my business as I am constantly making and launching new products. They receive excellent personal service with flexible delivery to suit them.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?

The first month of the year I was really busy making lots and lots of items – more than a hundred! I have already got many markets planned, so I am making as much stock as possible to cater for all of my customers. I plan to make this year the best yet. Alongside the markets, I will be doing many more live streams on social media and I plan to go out of my comfort zone with my business.

A crochet monster