Meet the Maker of Our Organic Cotton Soap Saver Bags

I am someone who firmly believes in working together and supporting others. When I wanted to introduce soap saver bags to my business, I could have gone the traditional route and chosen wholesale from a manufacturer. Instead, choosing a local artist fit my mission and brand more.

Here are the bags in question, made with 100% GOTS-certified cotton...

Introducing...

Alyssa from @creationsby_alyssa

I met Alyssa at the Elmira farmers market and immediately fell in love with her brand. She bought one of my soaps and messaged me on Instagram, showing me the cute pink soap-saver bag she made for herself. The idea sparked from there, and the rest is history! I'll share more about that creation process in another blog post.

Since my products and mission mean so much to me, it would be a fantastic idea for you to meet the maker of our beautiful organic soap-saver bags! I put some questions together I thought you might be interested in getting the answers to and asked Alyssa if she would be down for a little interview... she said yes! So, here's what she had to say...

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The Interview

Where are you based out of?

I am based out of Elmira, Ontario, Canada!

How old are you now? What age did you start crocheting?

I am currently 18 years old and began crocheting in December 2019 when I was 13 years old.

What got you into crochet?

Technically it was my mom who for Christmas, bought me a Harry Potter-themed crochet kit, a how-to-crochet book, and some other crocheting supplies like yarn and a hook. It wasn’t until March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic that I really got into crocheting as I was looking for something to keep me busy. I am entirely self-taught and learned most of what I know from various tutorials on YouTube.

What made you start your own business?

I started my own business, Creations by Alyssa, in November 2020 after seeing other crocheters who had their own businesses. Seeing that it was possible to successfully sell items created by the craft I love most, crocheting, was incredibly inspiring. I started off posting on Facebook and selling a few items to friends and family but still mostly doing it as a hobby. In the summer of 2021, I created my Instagram account and really began crocheting and posting more, even getting bigger purchases and custom orders. I look back very fondly on that year because I created so much that I am still very proud of today. Later in February 2022, I launched my Etsy store with little success so I decided to try my local farmers market in August of that year. Since then, I have continued to slowly expand my business by selling my items both on my Etsy and at various markets around the area!

What's the most challenging part of running your business? The easiest?

I would say the most challenging part of running my business is sticking with it and not giving up when something goes wrong or not exactly as how I hoped it would. In all honesty, several times throughout the years of owning my business, I have debated giving up because I just wasn’t seeing the results I had worked so hard to try and get. It can be hard to compare myself and my business to what I see other people achieving but I am coming to learn that progress takes time and it is important to focus on my goals and appreciate how far I have come. 

The easiest part of running my business is probably the crocheting! I genuinely love crocheting so much and it is so amazing to see the joy it brings to other people. I feel so grateful to be able to share my creations and have them appreciated by so many!!

What's your favourite thing about crochet? Your favourite thing to make?

My favourite thing about crocheting is simply the endless possibilities of what I can create. I have so much fun coming up with different ideas for things I can make, yarn I can use, colours I can use, and overall finding joy in exploring the craft. I most often make all sorts of different plushies but recently I have been enjoying making flowers, whether they be as a bouquet or in a little crocheted pot, I love them because they are so intricate and will never wilt like real flowers.

Do you have other hobbies and interests?

Besides crocheting, I enjoy embroidery, scrapbooking, reading, painting, and playing video games!

If you weren't crocheting, where could we find you working?

Believe it or not, but now that I have graduated high school and taking a gap year, most of my day is spent crocheting and working on my business as I work towards saving money to attend college for graphic design next year! I’m actually currently in the process of applying for schools and preparing my portfolio, which I am very excited about. 

What are some things that mean/matter the most to you in life?

I couldn’t run my business without the support of my family, especially my mom. She is always there when I need her, spends countless hours helping me prepare for markets, and is always right by my side to help me. I am also incredibly inspired by the crochet community itself, the community is filled with so many kind and creative people who are so supportive of each other.

What advice would you give to other crochet artists looking to start a business or collab with businesses on products?

My biggest advice for any artist who has thought about starting their own business would be to chase your dreams and just go for it! It is honestly a lot of work but it is also incredibly rewarding. It brings me so much happiness that people are able to find joy in the things I create. To anyone looking to collaborate with other businesses, I think the best thing you can do is to attend craft shows or markets so you are able to meet other business owners face to face and create connections. I also think markets are great for creating connections with potential customers so that they have an opportunity to connect with the person behind the business!

Where do you see yourself with your business down the road?

I don’t really have a definite plan for my business but I really hope to continue sharing my creations with people for as long as I can! In addition to selling physical items like plushies, I also hope to continue writing patterns as I have lots of ideas that I hope to make a reality. 

Any comments, closing thoughts you'd like to share?

Thank you so much Autumn for this interview and be sure to buy her amazing soaps, they smell so good!!

Where can people find you online to check out your stuff?

If you would like to stay in the loop with what I’m up to you can follow me on Instagram @creationsby_alyssa or Facebook @creationsbyalyssa6. You can find both my physical items and crochet patterns on my Etsy, CreationsbyAlyssaCA

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To say Alyssa has been the absolute best person to work with is an understatement. She is very easy to talk to, always open to new ideas, and just absolutely so friendly! Her and I have more in the works, and I know you'll come to love her as much as I do! Go check out her work, and stay tuned for more that we have in store. Have a beautiful day!

Sending love, Autumn