What kind of craft should I choose in 2023?

Seeking advice on choosing a craft niche for a serious occupation

Once, someone asked me, “Can you help me choose what handicrafts would be most suitable for me? Knitting, sewing, and making cards intrigue me. Yet I’m unsure which niche to devote myself to achieve greater commitment. I don’t want to make the wrong choice here, and I need assurance that this work will be well-received and profitable…”

If something is troubling your mind and you ask yourself these questions daily, you are going to the right place!

Understanding the importance of specialization and professionalism in handicrafts

When I decided to start playing my creative game, I became attacked by an overflow of motivation, optimism, and faith in myself. At that time, I posted a few of my woolly creations on the website.

I worked every day devotedly studying every arts and crafts corner of the web, talking with other artisans, and learning more about different art forms. Inspiration struck me from all directions; nevertheless, an inner struggle occurred as I tried to decide what I wanted to put up for sale: toys? bijouterie? If toys were chosen, what option would be better – animals? Fairy tales characters? Custom portraits out of wool?

So, what should I choose in the end? – you will say. After all, I know and love to do a lot of handicrafts 😉 Now we are getting to the primary but most elementary and essential thing…

Why should we be clear about our creativity’s direction and recognize our craft niche?

Yes, because we will get more professionalism when we become narrow specialists in a particular activity. And further, you can check four parameters for a successful choice of creative direction. It is good to write down questions and answers before starting any mental arithmetic, taking a sheet of paper in advance. You will form a decision mentally.

Here we go!

– What kind of craft should I choose?

Four important things to consider when choosing your direction in handmade

Consider personal preferences, including love of the craft and long-term commitment

Love. The most important thing is to love what you do (sewing, knitting, drawing, sculpting, etc.). You must love From and To the whole process at any stage of creation. And preferably, this love should be long-term. A wise man once said that our true purpose is revealed when we imagine ourselves and realize that we can do it all our lives. Now you need to ask yourself a question…take a pause and think. Try to imagine yourself at different times in your life. Would you want to sew dolls in your old age or do pottery all your life? No, then what would you like to do?

We don’t know what will happen in the future, but if we think about ourselves as lifetime creators today, this may be the proper path.

Considering convenience and comfort when working with different materials and tools

Convenience. The practical side of the question. What and how is convenient for you to work with? Comfort in any work sphere is essential. If we are comfortable in our work, physical fatigue will not come quickly. We will deftly handle tools and materials, from which we will get only pleasure and no irritation. And, in turn, the result of the work done will have a settled appearance, as befits a professional.

For example, if you are uncomfortable standing all day at an easel and like to paint sitting at a table, your painting will not be painted on oil canvases but drawn in ink on a horizontal surface. And hence the type of art will be different. Or another example is if you don’t feel comfortable holding knitting needles but like to weave and go over yarn with your hands, then macramé will already be your direction.

Reflections on the desired pace of work and time commitment

Time. Imagine you’re working on one thing for a couple of days, weeks, months, maybe years… Here’s the question you need to answer: do you like this slow process of creating your masterpiece? Or would you do everything quickly so you can update your assortment in the store several times per week and please your subscribers and regular customers who follow your newsfeed with new products?

Here you have to figure out what you like most – quick or long workflow.

And if you make something for a long time, then it has a right to be expensive.

Analysis of trends and market demand to make informed decisions

Relevance or Trend. Keeping track of trends is very useful to the creator. It inspires us. We can see what is relevant and in demand among customers today and what has an excellent opportunity for the future. If you choose your direction in handmade, you should analyze how popular it is now, whether it is competitive or your niche is free. If you see an opportunity of demand for these products that you want to make, that is a good sign.

– What kind of craft should I choose?

To summarize. The most successful trend in handmade is the one that responds to your inner world according to all of the above parameters. If there is an inner resonance, then you will create masterpieces. And masterpieces are always a great success.

If you feel free and happy today, you are on the right way and following “your own path,” which resonates in your soul – this is probably the most important thing in life.

The possibility of a change of direction or retraining in the future

Although it is possible that someday you may want to radically change the vector of your activity and retrain to something else, for example, one famous company started its business by selling tea. It ended with the production of cars and has showrooms around the world. But that’s another story…

P.S. If the question “What kind of handicraft should I choose” is still relevant to you and you have not done handicraft before, why not try felting?

Take a free course, make your toy, and you’ll understand whether this craft suits you.