Etsy Top seller interview – CrochetPatternByLily

I have been looking to crochet something small, cute, and unique. Of course, Etsy is the perfect place to look for crochet patterns that fit the description. I am so excited! I have found such an adorable Etsy shop with so many cute crochet patterns that I had to share them with you here.

Lucky for me, the founder of the CrochetPatternByLily, Liliya from Nizhnekamsk, Russia, agreed to the interview, and now we can get to know her better.

I am so happy when I get to meet a new crochet designer. I love getting to know their stories, each and everyone is different and so inspiring. But I noticed that a lot of designers started to crochet when they were pregnant. It really is special if you can make something by yourself for your baby.

Liliya is especially fond of crocheting brooches and small amigurumi toys. In CrochetPatternByLily Etsy shop, you can find 47 adorable patterns. Most of them are brooches, and some are very cute amigurumi patterns.

I must admit I wasn’t wearing brooches by now, but I became an instant fan when I saw these patterns. They just bring a smile to everyone’s faces.

I agree with Liliya when she says: “It makes you feel really great when you wear an accessory made by yourself. But it is twice as nice to see your baby’s smiling face when you crochet a new friend for her/him.”

Just look at the photos below, and your mood will lighten up immediately. And please, go check out the CrochetPatternByLily store because I couldn’t include all of them in this post and I had a really hard time choosing which ones will be excluded.

Liliya was so kind to offer a special coupon code for 25% OFF on all of her patterns: 25LILIA. Make sure you take advantage of this offer as soon as possible because it will expire on November the 7th.

Read Liliya’s interview below, and get to know this pharmacist who became a full-time crocheter better.

1. How did it all begin? Tell us your story.

I’ve been fond of creating something by my hands since childhood- knitting, embroidery, sewing, beadweaving. My mom taught me almost everything. Only I learned to crochet much later, at the age of 13 during the arts and crafts lessons at school. I fell deeply in love with crocheting because of the impossibly beautiful makes you can create: doilies, different accessories, clothes. I had made a lot of crochet items before I finished school.

Later I studied at college and worked so no time for my hobby. I am a pharmacist by trade with 8 years of work experience. I’d been working at the chemist’s shop from my student’s years till the time I went on the maternity leave.

This is how I recalled my hobby – when being on the maternity leave. I decided to make baby booties for my future baby and when searching for the tutorial on Youtube, I bumped into cute amigurumi toys. And then I remember all what happened as in a fog…

I made my first amigurumis with yarn leftovers found at home. I found that very fascinating; I went shopping and bought many different kinds of yarn, from plush yarn to lace cotton yarn. Thus through trial and error, I discovered the type of yarn and size of the toys which became my favorite.

As you can guess, I never managed to crochet the booties, but made the bunch of toys))

Later on I started to make items to order. I received orders from my friends and friends of the friends. After I opened an Instagram account and I gradually started to get orders from there as well. I used free patterns or bought them from other designers. But I always used to add my concepts to all those patterns, since I didn’t like to strictly follow the pattern.

I’m overwhelmed with the ideas, I enjoy creating new toy designs, every time it is interesting to see what you will get at the end. Thus I’ve come up to creating my own small toys and brooches. My fellow craftswomen often got interested in the patterns; since where there’s a demand, there’s a supply, I started to create the patterns.

So it’s been 3 years already since I began to do it – create toys and patterns, make the items to order. My favorite hobby has turned into work))

2. What inspires you?

When someone needs your knowledge and experience, when someone supports and trusts in you – these are the things which give a lot of motivation and inspiration. Thank you a lot for all of your kind words and inspiring feedback!

Also, things that surround us – it can be a good book, music, movies, beautiful pictures, creative experience of other people,

purchasing of new instruments and good-quality yarn…And rest, as well. It is important to be able to rest. Even from your work of love)

3. How does your every day look like?

Early wake up. I see my husband off to work and take my daughter to the kindergarten. Next I have my breakfast checking the mails, messages in the Direct and answering them at the same time, read news and make a new Instagram post. Then I get busy doing some stuff around the house. I clean up either in the morning or in the afternoon.

I make photos and videos always before noon as you need a good day light. If there is nothing to shoot I just crochet or shop the photos previously made, create the patterns. I have dinner, and surf the social networks at the same time. I go out in the afternoon to visit the post office or just to buy something, etc. If I do not need to go anywhere, I just stay home and continue to create.

In the evening I cook some supper or prepare some food in advance to be able to later cook it quickly; workout and go to pick up my daughter. I always pick her up quite early, she is one of the first (if she is not busy with a hobby group). After we spend 1 or 2 hours just walking. My daughter is just crazy about spending time outdoors, she is able to spend the whole day outdoors)) We visit some playgrounds and exercise.

We come home and our daddy is already there and we have supper together. Later I do some stuff around the house, or play, have shower and put my daughter to sleep. Sometimes after this I work some more or read a book, or just fall asleep together with my baby.

This is just a glimpse of my everyday life. Sometimes things go in a different way, but I try to catch up with everything)

4. What is your favorite yarn?

I’m fond of crocheting with 100% mercerized cotton. My favorites are Pelican by Vita (330 m/50 gr) and Coco by Vita (240 m/gr).

5. Do you have any advice for other sellers?

When there is a will, there is a way. This is the most important. Do not put up till tomorrow your dreams and ambitions. Try and reach the top. Here and now. Do not turn your face to the wall at the hard times. Trust in your success even if no one trusts in you, do not be dependent on someone else’s opinion. I love this interview so much. It is so inspiring that the love for her unborn baby ignited the passion for crocheting again. And that she was able to make such a successful business out of it. I don’t know about you, but I think this is the dream.

I am so grateful I got to know Liliya and that she took her time to answer my questions.

Here is a coupon code for 25% OFF on all of her patterns again: 25LILIA. Make sure you take advantage of this offer as soon as possible because it will expire on November the 7th.

Pin this Interview for later here:

Thank you so much for reading. Please, share with me which of the CrochetPatternByLily design you like best. I can not decide on just one, but I think that the first one I will make is the sleeping fox. But I will make them all eventually.

I hope you enjoyed reading this interview as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Have a beautiful day, and enjoy crocheting.

Katja