How I Became a Hooker (Legally)
It all started in 2021, right after I had my third child. I was home, chasing twins and caring for a newborn, which meant sewing was out of the question. So, I closed my first business, Tiny Creature Shop, where I’d been making beds and accessories for guinea pigs, reptiles, cats, and small dogs since I was 16. At 23, with three kids and a need for something new (and portable), I picked up a hook. Like so many pandemic fools, I fell headfirst into crochet… and luckily, I turned out to be a talented fool lol. One of my first markets was at Shedd Park in my hometown of Lowell, MA. My setup was tragic (pictured above), but my yarn stash was growing as fast as my kids. Before I knew it, my “fourth child” was born: Material Girl Crochet (no, not Madonna, I named it after that viral meme song. The OGs know). The name felt right since I use all kinds of materials... yarn, fabric, felt, buttons, embroidery thread… basically anything you’d find in a Michaels craft store.
The Market Grind:
I started signing up for every market I could, hustling like a crackhead trying to make money because nothing beats the thrill of making sales. I probably got that entrepreneurial itch from my dad. But as time went on, I realized something... I was starting to dislike crocheting for markets. Even if I made money, everything felt way too repetitive. Frogs, mushroom boys, ducks, bees, cows… ugh. I got so burnt out. Cows were my “thing” for a while, I even went viral on TikTok with a band-inspired cow, but one run of made-to-order cows was enough. That’s when it hit me. I don’t want to make the same things as everyone else.
The Rebrand:
I’ve always been an “alternative” girl at heart, I love listening to hardcore, metalcore, math rock, swancore, pop punk… all of it. So why shouldn’t my art reflect that? That’s when Material Girl Crochet became “Alternative Crochet Plushies & Accessories.” I didn’t want to be lumped in with the basic amigurumi/crochet plushie crowd, lifeless plushies with only black beaded eyes and no character, no life. I'd rather spend $40 at Build-A-Bear. Respect the side hustle, but it stings when markets reject me because they already have “a crochet maker” and it’s Susan with her acrylic yarn octopi and gappy stitches lol. Now, I make plushies the way I’d want to buy them: full of personality, love, and a little chaos. Each one feels like I’m giving a baby up for adoption. You’re basically paying to pry them from my tired, yarn-covered hands.
Where I'm At Now:
Yes, I’ll still make leggy frogs sometimes because they’re adorable, but I’ve carved out a lane that feels true to me. I even designed my own clown crochet pattern, Goose, who lives with me now because I refused to sell her. Material Girl Crochet has already given me accomplishments I never imagined, and I can’t wait to see where it goes, hopefully including actually stocking my online shop lol. Anyways, thanks for sticking around for this long “how I became a hooker” story. At the end of the day, this is my business, my art, my heart.
Thanks for reading <3
xoxo, Melissa
The Market Grind:
I started signing up for every market I could, hustling like a crackhead trying to make money because nothing beats the thrill of making sales. I probably got that entrepreneurial itch from my dad. But as time went on, I realized something... I was starting to dislike crocheting for markets. Even if I made money, everything felt way too repetitive. Frogs, mushroom boys, ducks, bees, cows… ugh. I got so burnt out. Cows were my “thing” for a while, I even went viral on TikTok with a band-inspired cow, but one run of made-to-order cows was enough. That’s when it hit me. I don’t want to make the same things as everyone else.
The Rebrand:
I’ve always been an “alternative” girl at heart, I love listening to hardcore, metalcore, math rock, swancore, pop punk… all of it. So why shouldn’t my art reflect that? That’s when Material Girl Crochet became “Alternative Crochet Plushies & Accessories.” I didn’t want to be lumped in with the basic amigurumi/crochet plushie crowd, lifeless plushies with only black beaded eyes and no character, no life. I'd rather spend $40 at Build-A-Bear. Respect the side hustle, but it stings when markets reject me because they already have “a crochet maker” and it’s Susan with her acrylic yarn octopi and gappy stitches lol. Now, I make plushies the way I’d want to buy them: full of personality, love, and a little chaos. Each one feels like I’m giving a baby up for adoption. You’re basically paying to pry them from my tired, yarn-covered hands.
Where I'm At Now:
Yes, I’ll still make leggy frogs sometimes because they’re adorable, but I’ve carved out a lane that feels true to me. I even designed my own clown crochet pattern, Goose, who lives with me now because I refused to sell her. Material Girl Crochet has already given me accomplishments I never imagined, and I can’t wait to see where it goes, hopefully including actually stocking my online shop lol. Anyways, thanks for sticking around for this long “how I became a hooker” story. At the end of the day, this is my business, my art, my heart.
Thanks for reading <3
xoxo, Melissa