Modderfontein’s resident turns hobby into business success
“Crocheting is also scientifically proven to reduce stress and anxiety and as someone who struggles with my mental health, it became a wonderful and productive coping mechanism for these struggles,” she shared.
A 20-year-old Modderfontein resident is turning her hobby into a stream of income.
Samantha Lister, a student at Wits University, taught herself how to crochet during lockdown.
“My mom, who like me, has many hobbies, had a crochet hook and some wool lying around and so I started playing around with it.
“I learnt everything I know today from YouTube.
“I don’t even want to get into how many hours I spent watching countless videos to further my knowledge,” she said.
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She found a liking for crochet because when she was a child she used to ‘crochet’ with loom bands and a hook with a method called loomigurumi.
“I remember my favourite project was a doll that I had made outfits for. Crocheting seemed like the appropriate next step.
“Crocheting is also scientifically proven to reduce stress and anxiety and as someone who struggles with my mental health, it became a wonderful and productive coping mechanism for these struggles,” she shared.
Her entrepreneurial mindset is not something new. When she was young she used to sell loomband bracelets at school.
She started her business once lockdown restrictions allowed people to collect the pieces.
“I mostly had clients of friends or friends of friends. Eventually I found I had no more friends wanting to buy and so my business died for a couple of years. At the start of this year, I decided to relaunch my business.”
Last year she had to slow down to give more time to her studies.
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She is studying for a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree.
“Due to many personal reasons, I ended up failing a module last year and that left me with a full year of one subject and a lot more time.
“I began crocheting a lot more to fill the time and found quite a rhythm in balancing work and business,” said Samantha.
Crocheting has become more than a hobby, it is part of her daily routine and self-care regime.
She does one market a month and has expressed she would like to do more.
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“I am grateful to be a part of the picnic and thrift market family and I attend their markets monthly, however, I am struggling to make it into other markets as they claim to already have crocheters.
“I feel that in many of the cases, my work is completely different to what they do but hey, what can I do about it?”
To relaunch her business she used social media to get more reach. She also promotes her products in community market groups.
“I also find a lot of kickback with regards to my pricing as people don’t understand the intricacies of my craft.
“This is still a challenge I face today but I have learnt to come to terms with it as I need to remember my worth and continue to charge what each unique piece is valued for.”
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Most of her inspiration comes from Pinterest but she can also makes pieces from the store.
“I enjoy making ‘Pinterest-worthy pieces’ (that is my ‘slogan’). This means I like to make more than just the ordinary. I enjoy making pieces I can see all types of people wearing; from any gender to any style to any size.”
Going above scarves and beanies, making intricate crop tops or hats with character is her speciality.
She explained that creating a community is crucial when running a business and social media is the perfect way to do this.
She promotes her pieces on Instagram and creates TikTok videos following her process or end pieces.
“My greatest advice to those wanting to start a business is to just go for it!
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“I found I started doing a lot better (mentally and business-wise) when I stopped focusing on the money and started focusing on the reason I started the business in the first place.
“I started it because I was passionate about my craft and wanted to share my excitement with others,” shared Samantha.
“There are endless videos on YouTube that can teach you everything you need to know. Just be patient with yourself and trust the learning process.
“Start small with even just a square and as you get more comfortable start making what excites you,” she added.
