Simply Hooked: A Crochet Podcast

Have you ever looked at a gorgeous, speckled skein and wondered how it’s actually made? I’m going down a rabbit hole to explore the chemistry and creativity behind indie-dyed yarn. In this episode, I break down the basics of yarn dyeing for beginners, including:

• Fiber Types: Why wool and animal fibers take dye differently than cotton or acrylic.

• Dyeing Techniques: The difference between immersion dyeing, hand-painting, and creating those trendy variegated and tonal looks.

• The Science: How acid dyes, heat, and pH levels bond color to fiber.

• Safety Tips: How to experiment with DIY yarn dyeing without ruining your kitchen.

Whether you're a knitter, crocheter, or just a lover of fiber arts, join me as I discover how a little vinegar and heat can turn a plain skein into a work of art.

Are you ready to try dyeing your own yarn, or are you just here for the beautiful colors?

For a deeper dive into growing your handmade business, check out my new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hooked on Growth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which goes into much more detail on scaling!

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

In this episode, I’m sharing a mindset shift that honestly stopped me in my tracks: “God feeds the birds, but He doesn’t drop the worms in their nests.” It challenged me to think about where I’ve been waiting instead of moving, and I have a feeling I’m not the only one.

If you’ve been feeling stuck in your crochet business or creative journey, this episode is for you. I’m talking about the difference between trusting God’s provision and staying passive, and what it really looks like to partner faith with action.

I’ll encourage you to step out of the “nest,” take messy action, and start building the business and life you’ve been dreaming about, because the opportunities are out there, and you already have what you need to go get them.

For a deeper dive into growing your handmade business, check out my new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hooked on Growth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which goes into much more detail on scaling!

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

Friends, spring is just around the corner! I’m finally seeing those first green blades of grass peeking through the yard, and I cannot wait for those perfect 75-degree days. For us crocheters, this is a huge season. You likely haven't done a market since the Christmas rush, and you’ve spent the last three months experimenting with new stitches, but now, it’s time to get down to business.

I know that prepping for spring markets can feel a little overwhelming. You’re looking at your yarn stash and your calendar, wondering: What should I actually be making right now?

In today’s episode, I’ve curated a list of 12 quick, easy, and strategic crochet makes designed to stop people in their tracks and turn "just looking" into a sale. From impulse-buy keychains to my favorite long-eared bunny plushies, we’re breaking down the patterns that fill your tables without burning you out.

Patterns Mentioned in This Episode:

Flower Power Keychains by Lavender Loop Crochet

Plushie Peeps by Jessica Cooper (Crochet It Creations)

Mini Easter Baskets by Jo to the World Creations

Bouquet of Flowers by Cuteville Toys

Flower Coasters by One Dog Woof

Bunny Coasters by Krista (Easy Crochet)

Daisy Granny Squares by Laura (Tillie Tulip)

Naztazia 5 Ways to Connect Granny Squares

Easter Eggs and Carrots by Kristi Tullus

Flower Frog Plushie by Allison (Wonder Crochet)

Long-Eared Bunny Plushie with Carrot by Marcy Gardner

The Day-to-Day Bucket Hat by Jess (Make & Do Crew)

Sunflower Mug Cozy by Marcy Gardner

SIMPLY HOOKED LINKS & RESOURCES

For a deeper dive into growing your handmade business, check out my new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hooked on Growth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which goes into much more detail on scaling!

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

In this episode, we’re diving into the critical mindset shift every handmade business owner needs to make to see consistent growth. If you’ve spent months "hoping" for sales or waiting for the algorithm to finally favor your Etsy shop, it’s time to take back control.

We discuss why deciding to grow is the essential first step toward scaling your brand and moving beyond the "hope and pray" method.

LINKS & RESOURCES

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

🧶⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab Some Crochet Merch⁠

I started this crochet podcast with nothing more than an idea and the courage to press record. One year and 69 episodes later, I’m reflecting on how what began as a simple experiment to connect with the crochet community became something much bigger.

Along the way, the podcast turned into a place where I could share the real journey of building a handmade business while raising a family, the messy, beautiful, behind-the-scenes moments that rarely get talked about.

In this episode, I’m sharing the biggest lessons I learned from a year of podcasting, including how public accountability can help you finally start, how niching down helps your content grow, why podcast titles and SEO matter, and how podcasting unexpectedly became a time capsule of this season of my life.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast, growing a handmade business, or sharing your voice with the creative community, this episode is your reminder to stop waiting for perfect and simply press record.

For a deeper dive into growing your handmade business, check out my new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hooked on Growth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which goes into much more detail on scaling!

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Community on Skool!⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

Does the "backend" of your website feel like a foreign language? You aren't alone. For years, I avoided the technical side of my crochet business because I thought I needed a computer science degree (or a massive budget) to understand it.

I was wrong. In today’s episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the most powerful, free tool in your business arsenal: SEO (Search Engine Optimization). While social media algorithms change overnight, SEO is a long-term asset that works while you sleep, pairing eager customers with your patterns and kits 24/7.

In this episode, we break down:

• The 5 Pillars of On-Page SEO: Learn why Meta Titles, Descriptions, Headers, Filenames, and Alt Text are the "digital signposts" that lead Google to your shop.

• The Secret of Indexing: Why your beautiful crochet work might be "invisible" to the world and how to fix it.

• Google Search Console (GSC) 101: How to use this free tool to read Google’s mind.

• Finding "Hidden Gems": My favorite strategy for finding keywords you’re almost ranking for and nudging them onto Page One.

Stop guessing what your customers want and start using data to grow your handmade brand. It's time to stop being afraid of the tech and start building an engine for free, consistent traffic.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

🧶⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab Some Crochet Merch⁠

Are you ready to scale your crochet business and step into your CEO era? In this episode of Simply Hooked, I’m sharing the exact Shopify apps and automation tools that power my multi-six-figure handmade business.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by manual tasks, stuck on Etsy, or dreaming of turning your crochet patterns and kits into real passive income, this episode is your complete Shopify tech stack masterclass.

I walk you through the 12 must-have Shopify apps for crochet designers, digital product sellers, and handmade business owners who want to automate their store, increase conversions, and grow revenue without working more hours.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How I automate digital crochet pattern delivery so I can make sales while I sleep

• My strategy for “magazine-style” crochet blog posts that rank on Google and convert readers into buyers

• Why customer photos and crochet project reviews are the most powerful sales tool for handmade brands

• How I built trust and credibility when transitioning from Etsy to Shopify

• The Shopify tools I use to increase average order value with bundles, upsells, and pre-orders

• My exact tech stack for scaling a handmade business into a real ecommerce brand

My Simply Hooked Must-Have Shopify App Stack (Crochet Business Edition)

• Filemonk – Secure digital download delivery for crochet patterns and PDFs

• Avada SEO Suite – Automated SEO, image optimization, and Google ranking support

• Avada Boost Sales – Trust badges, urgency notifications, and social proof popups

• Bloggle – Drag-and-drop blog builder for SEO-friendly crochet tutorials and content marketing

• EA Sticky Cart – Keeps the “Add to Cart” button visible to reduce friction and boost conversions

• Kaching Upsell – “Buy More, Save More” bundles to increase average order value

• PageFly – High-converting landing pages for launches, courses, and funnels

• Loox Reviews – Visual reviews with customer photos of finished crochet projects

• Stoq – Pre-order management for physical crochet kits and limited releases

• Lably – Visual badges for best-sellers, new patterns, and trending products

• Shopify Search & Discovery – Smart filters to help customers navigate large pattern vaults

• Etsy Reviews – Import Etsy reviews to instantly build credibility on Shopify

LINKS & RESOURCES

🔆Get Hank the Hippo's Kit + Storybook

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

🧶⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab Crochet Merch⁠

"What a privilege to be tired from work you once begged the universe for."

When I first heard those words, I burst into tears. If you are a crochet business owner, a mom of little ones, or a creative entrepreneur juggling a full-time career on top of your dreams, I know you feel this in your bones.

In this episode, I’m getting vulnerable about the "Founder’s Prayer" (referenced by Miles Adcox) and how it perfectly describes the "beautiful chaos" of my life right now. We often talk about business growth and scaling a handmade brand, but we don’t always talk about the tension of living inside an answered prayer, even when that prayer includes laundry piles, toddler arguments over spoon colors, and a never-ending to-do list.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why exhaustion is often proof of a life built on purpose.

• Reframing overwhelm as a sign of the growth you once dreamed about.

• The reality of "outgrowing" the versions of ourselves that used to settle for less.

• Finding a quiet sense of gratitude in the middle of solo parenting and business deadlines.

Whether you’re currently packing orders, designing your next amigurumi pattern, or just trying to survive the bedtime rush, I hope this episode reminds you that it’s okay to be tired. The weight you’re carrying is the weight of a life you once prayed for.

For a deeper dive into growing your handmade business, check out my new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hooked on Growth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which goes into much more detail on scaling!

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

🧶⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab Some Crochet Merch⁠

Ever looked at a ball of yarn and wondered how it actually happened? It seems like such a simple thing, but the journey from a sheep’s back (or a scientist’s lab!) to your crochet hook is kind of mind-blowing.

In this episode of Simply Hooked, I’m taking you behind the scenes of the fiber world. We’re digging into the "glow-up" process of natural fibers—from the shearing and scouring of raw wool to the rhythmic magic of carding and spinning. I even share a bit about my own (very humbling) experience with an Ashford spinning wheel a decade ago!

What we’re covering today:

• Animal vs. Plant vs. Synthetic: The major differences between wool, cotton, and acrylic.

• The Cleaning Process: Why you can’t just rinse wool in the sink (unless you want a giant clump of felt).

• The Science of Synthetic: How petroleum-based materials become the soft amigurumi yarn we love.

• Plies & Twists: Why some yarns are sturdier than others and how they’re finished for the craft store shelf.

Every stitch we make is the final chapter of a story that started long before the yarn hit our stash. Let’s explore that story together!

The Lifetime All-Access Pattern Vault: Get every pattern I’ve ever made (and every future release!) for one single price. 

Hank the Hippo Signature Crochet Kit: Grab the preorder for the kit and the "Do You Know Hank the Hippo?" children’s book! 

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

🧶⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab Some Crochet Merch⁠

What if your thoughts were the "pattern" for your entire life? In this episode of Threads of Wisdom, we explore Earl Nightingale’s transformative concept from The Strangest Secret: "We become what we think about." Discover how to weed out "mental knots" and plant the seeds for a life you love.

For a deeper dive into growing your handmade business, check out my new book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hooked on Growth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which goes into much more detail on scaling!

🔆⁠⁠⁠Join Our Skool Community⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn to Crochet Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop My Crochet Patterns⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔆⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab The Crochet Snuggle Buddies Pattern Book⁠⁠

🧶⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab Some Crochet Merch⁠