Sophomore Charlie Toeller has over 2,000 followers on their Instagram, called Charles Crochets, according to Instagram. Their passion for crocheting has slowly turned into a small business, mostly for friends and family, Charlie Toeller said.
After receiving a crochet kit from their mother as a Christmas gift, Charlie quickly developed a passion for crocheting at the age of thirteen, Charlie Toeller said.
“Usually I make crochet as a gift for people, so I like the act of passing on something that I care about to someone,” Charlie Toeller said.
To help support Charlie’s crochet journey, Desiree Toeller, Charlie’s mother, bought all the supplies they would need and encouraged them to pursue what they enjoyed, Desiree Toeller said.
“I think just supporting them, being their cheerleader, backing them up, and helping them get what they need, is essential,” Desiree Toeller said.
Sophomore Caitlyn Roozeboom met Charlie Toeller in elementary school at an afterschool program, she said.
“They are always friendly to interact with and always quick to respond,” Roozeboom said.
Though they do not sell much, they are appreciative towards those that order and respect the time and effort they have put into it, Charlie Toeller said.
“Crocheting has given me a lot of freedom to make things I like and to express my interests through this object I have made,” Charlie Toeller said.
The most rewarding part has been seeing them continue to do this and still keep their passion for it alive, Desiree Toeller said. They want to learn knitting and branch out more into fiber arts, she added.
“It is fun to see them doing something they love and earn a little bit of money from it on the side,” Desiree Toeller said.
Sometimes, people don’t understand how labor-intensive, supply dependent, and time consuming crocheting is, Desiree Toeller said.
“The most important thing I have learned is to back off and not make it pressure-filled, plus not try to make it too much so they don’t feel like doing it anymore,” Desiree Toeller said.
Roozeboom thinks that the products’ uniqueness shows how much someone cares to make the thing, she said.
“They are not just making it because you ask them to, but they are making it because it is interesting for them and they want to have projects too,” Roozeboom said.