Crocheting for Fun & Profit

Although I am lucky enough to have met Darla Sims in person, this book is still a well loved and well worn "bible" for my Crochet Publishing business! Everything you need to know to get started in any part of the industry is here in this book.From learning to crochet to contacting publisher, from starting your business to creating the end product, this easy to follow guide will help you make a success of your endevors.

I teach crochet and am always on the lookout for ways to earn money doing what I love. Darla Sims' Crocheting for Fun & Profit gives clear, concise, and concrete information on how to turn your crochet into cash. The book is divided into two parts; Fun, and Profit. I admit that I read Part Two first. I found Sims' profiles of teachers, craftswomen, designers, editors, and writers informative and inspiring. The chapters on marketing and the basics of running a crafts-business should help the would-be entrepeneur avoid some common pitfalls of starting a small business. She covers how to collect on bad checks, accepting credit cards, taxes and more. Crochet is definitely not the way to riches, but by following Sims realistic advice you can supplement your income doing something you love. And who knows, if you're extremely enterprising you may actually be able to earn a living at it.Beginners will find clear explanations of the basics in Part One. While Sims' doesn't devote any visuals to left-handers, she instructs lefties to trace the illustrations and then turn them over, creating a mirror image. A nifty, if time consuming suggestion. More experienced crocheters will find the section on designing your own projects invaluable as few books cover this subject. She also provides a handy chart on how to read those mysterious garment-care symbols that we see on laundering instructions. And there's a formula for converting ounces to grams and back again.This book has a place in any serious crocheter's library.