Crafty Connections

          My whole life I have been creating.  From drawing to painting, scrap-booking to jewelry, and knitting to crocheting, I have always been keeping my hands busy with crafts.  In 3rd grade, I was lucky enough to have my grandma show me the ropes of crocheting and in 5th grade a family friend introduced me to the realm of knitting.  Over time I took classes, read books, and watched videos online in order to further my yarn-crafting knowledge.  I was obsessed with expressing myself through this needlework and wanted nothing more than to be the best knitter/crocheter I could me.

           In January of 2014, I decided to bring my love of knitting and crocheting to the internet.  I had already had a personal Instagram account for the typical pictures of me and my friends but finally found the courage to create another specifically for my crafts.  I couldn't think of a better way to connect with others who were also in love with yarn and everything you can do with it.  This platform allowed me to expand my horizons and explore farther into my craft than I even thought possible.  

            Aside from friends and family supporting me, my account quickly grew.  I went from 0 to 1000 followers in less than a year. 1000!  I couldn't believe how great the Instagram community was.  It was so easy to find makers that 1) inspired me, 2) encouraged me, and 3) heightened my passion for needlework.  Being able to see what others were making and being able to engage with them pushed me to improve on my knitting and crocheting abilities.

            

            Today, I have almost 2,000 followers that instill in themselves the same work ethic and passion as me.  By using social media, I have been able to meet those like me and make friends all over the world.  Some accounts even inspired me to pursue one of my dreams and start lightly selling a few of my creations.  Instagram has allowed me to expand my horizons, market my passions, and instill in myself a motivation and drive that I hadn't know before.