by Mario Churchill 

 

Crafting is an art that is often underappreciated in the job force. The few crafting opportunities available in a 9-to-5 setting tend to be in factories offering extremely low wages. Yet, this is not the only legitimate way of using crafting talents for making money. The other option for making money through crafting is by taking a work-at-home crafting job. Making money through this venue is much more profitable both financially and emotionally for crafters. The only problem is sifting through the scams from genuine opportunities. There will be some trial and error in this process as unfortunately sometimes real crafting companies will do things in a way that on the surface may appear to be a scam. This article will explain in detail what is involved when you do go about making money with a bona fide crafting company. With the knowledge you're about to gain, hopefully you'll be in a better position when finding at-home crafting jobs.

First, you need to understand that the rule that you're not supposed to pay for a job doesn't apply when you're making money through crafting at home. One of the reasons why is because most at-home crafting jobs are considered business opportunities, which means you are 'hired' as an independent contractor. And as an independent contractor, it is not unusual that you will have to pay for the materials needed to do your job. In the case of at-home crafting opportunities, you will usually have to pay for training materials and/or a starter kit. Most legitimate crafting companies will reimburse your fee if you can properly assemble what is contained in your starter kit.

Secondly, when you go about making money through an at-home crafting job, expect that you will have to go through a rigorous inspection process. What happens is the crafting company will send you a model that is a 'perfect' sample of whatever craft you are working on. This model serves as a guide for what your craft needs to look like when it's complete. However, you are not allowed to keep the model, as you must return it with your craft. The inspector will compare the model with your craft. If it does not look similar, your craft will be returned to you along with a list of things you did incorrectly. You must correct your craft in order to receive payment for your starter kit and move on to a larger set of crafts. Most craft companies will allow you to keep trying to redo your craft several times until you get it right. Some, (such as New England Crafters), may even give you unlimited tries without charging you for an extra kit. Once you do get your craft approved, the inspection process may be a bit more lenient since you have already proven yourself, but it doesn't go away.

Finally, you should know that making money through crafting is not easy even with companies that are legitimate. Most crafting projects will require sewing, precision with a glue gun, working with clay, beading and much more. And while these things may sound easy, actually doing them especially on items that tend to be intricate can be extremely difficult. However, if you are already a crafter with intermediate or advanced skills, you should have no problem making money with an at-home crafting job.