Hi, I'm Shelby!
I'm the person behind Crafty Bestie, a small handmade crochet business based in Indiana. I'm also a stay-at-home mom of three, wife, lifelong crafter, and proud owner of what my husband would probably describe as far too much yarn.
Luckily, he's incredibly supportive of my yarn addiction and of Crafty Bestie, even when the yarn starts taking over the house.
How It All Started
Crafty Bestie actually began back in 2021, when COVID was still very much a part of everyday life. My best friend and I decided to start making and selling mouse ears together. What started as a fun creative project turned into our own little side business, and we had so much fun designing, making, and selling them.
Eventually, life got busy and our mouse-ear business slowed down, but the creative bug never really left me.
Then, in January 2023, I ordered a little Woobles crochet kit and decided to teach myself how to crochet.
I spent many, many months learning, practicing, messing up, trying again, and slowly figuring out how to make amigurumi. I definitely had my share of projects that looked nothing like what I had pictured in my head, but little by little, I got better.
And somewhere along the way, I realized just how much I loved crocheting.
I started making more and more things simply because I wanted to see if I could make them. Eventually, I looked at everything I had created and thought. I can't keep all of this.
So I decided to start selling my crochet creations, and Crafty Bestie found a new life.
Where I Am Now
Today, everything in my shop is handmade by me, one stitch at a time. I love creating cute, fun, and sometimes completely random things out of yarn and getting to share them with other people.
I also take Crafty Bestie on the road! I participate in around 2–4 vendor markets each year, which has become one of my favorite parts of having a handmade business. It's really great getting to meet people who stop by my table, talk about what I've made, and watch my creations find their new homes.
Crafty Bestie is still a small, one-person business, and I love that it started from something so simple. Two best friends making mouse ears, followed by a couple of years later by one crochet kit and a whole lot of determination.
Every item in my shop is just me, my crochet hook, my yarn stash, and a very supportive husband who has accepted that there is probably always going to be more yarn coming through the front door.
Thank you for stopping by, supporting handmade, local small business and getting to know the person behind Crafty Bestie.
I'm so happy you're here!
Shelby