Amy Glade, Owner of Cuddlebugs Yarnworks
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My name is Amy and I am the owner of Cuddlebugs Yarnworks, where we specialize in handmade crochet plushies, blankets, and all things cute! My daughter, Monroe, also crochets. You will often find us selling our handmade creations together at vendor markets in the west-central Minnesota area.
Monroe is an incredible artist who also has her own separate small business selling art prints, stickers, and handmade jewelry. You can check out (and buy) her incredible works at Monroe’s Market!
I’m really excited to bring our small business to the digital world and I’d like to take a minute to introduce myself.
Who I am
First and foremost, I am a mother and a wife. My husband, Jim, and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary in the summer of 2025! Together we have two teenage children: Monroe and her younger brother, Sully.
We’ve got two dogs, Snickers and Petunia, who are both incredibly neurotic in their own ways. But they’re both super lovable and give us all someone to dote on. We also have a cat named Quiggles whose hobbies include eating, meowing loudly, and thinking the dogs are always out to get him.
I’m also a teacher! I taught kindergarten for 7 years and first grade for 3 years. Next year, I’ll be moving into a different role as a literacy interventionist. One of the perks of being a teacher is that I have summers off, which frees me up to sell at local vendor markets.
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I’ve only been crocheting for a few years, but I am officially an addict! If you’d like to know more about my journey into the world of crochet, read my very first blog post!
When I’m not crocheting, I’m thinking about the next time I’ll be able to. Planning what to make next. Scouring Etsy and Pinterest for adorable patterns. Thinking about markets and how to maximize display space. It’s always there in the back of my mind – it’s become more than just a hobby, it’s an absolute obsession.
Which is why I wanted to take this little business to the next level and share it with the world!
If you’d like to know more about my journey into the world of crochet, read my very first blog post!
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What I love about crochet
I love crocheting. I ‘ve always needed to be doing something with my hands when I’m relaxing on the couch or waiting at the doctor’s office or sitting at a sporting event. Crochet gives me that. Plus it’s (usually) relaxing and quiets my mind after a long day teaching.
I always loved the repetition and mindlessness of crocheting blankets. But then I discovered the thrill of making plushies! They’re so quick to make and it’s so satisfying to have a finished product after just a few hours. It’s nice not always being tied to the same project for months and months. I still have a fondness for making baby blankets, but plushies are now my #1 love.
I have so much fun selling at markets. I love hearing the oohs and aahs and giggles from market-goers. The way a little kid’s face lights up when they realize they have enough money when they buy a stuffie from us. And there’s nothing quite like being able to spend the day with my daughter in our booth.
There are so many things to love about crochet, and I don’t want to suck the joy out of it by being obsessed with how much money I make. Obviously, I have to take it into consideration. But I’m not going to treat crocheting like a full-time job where I expect to make $15 or $20 an hour. My prices reflect that fact that this is a hobby, and I want to keep it that way. I know it sounds cheesy, but the hobby itself provides more than money could. The act of crocheting calms my mind and brings me joy. The act of selling at markets and making people smile is incredibly rewarding for me.
I want kids to be able to spend their allowance on something at our booth, or a parent to be able to say “yes” to their kid without hesitation. I want someone to find that perfect gift for a friend or family member and not get sticker shock when they flip over the price tag. I want them to be able to walk away with it. So that’s why I choose not to charge the full value of the hours I put into any given handmade item. That’s not what I’m in it for!
That being said, I *do* need to make sure I’m creating a profitable business. So I have a few goals in mind…
My Goals for Cuddlebugs Yarnworks
I’m going to keep creating and selling handmade crochet items for the pure joy of it. But in order to grow my business, I need to create other streams of revenue. Launching this website is the first step in that process. Here’s what I hope to do:
- Grow our customer base by selling plushies in the online shop
- Write blog posts that inspire and teach readers how to crochet
- These posts will include ads, which will be a source of revenue and keep the website running
- Design my own crochet patterns, some of which will be posted for free on the blog and some of which I will sell in the shop
- Possibly create courses for beginning crocheters with step-by-step instructions and videos
- And much more!