Ravelry Alternative: Crafting New opportunities -

 The last update was 26 April 2022

The top Ravelry options for 2022 that are which are discussed are:

•   Etsy
•   Lovecrafts

For a long time Ravelry is the most popular place for knitters and crocheters to make connections and buy patterns. It is a unique combination of an online notebook with a database of patterns along with social media as well as a the pattern marketplace. A lot of independent crochet and knit creators have established their business by using Ravelry as the foundation of their business.

Change is fast when you're on the web. Websites abruptly shut down, are bought by larger companies, and sometimes are unable to be used again.

In the year 2020, Ravelry introduced a brand new design, and members dubbed it NuRav. Soon after, some members reported NuRav caused migraines, vertigo, eyestrain as well as seizures. Many long time members feel they're no longer able access their library of patterns, or receive pattern support through the website.

NuRav is not the only unanticipated disruption to the fiber industry. In the year 2017 NBC/Universal bought the well-known website Craftsy rebranding it as Blueprint. Many independent designers sold their work on the Craftsy/Blueprint platform. In the summer of suddenly, NBC/Universal decided to shutter the website. TN Marketing bought the video library and launched Craftsy at the end of that year.

In light of unexpected developments like those, designers are pondering if it is smart to build their business around one website like Ravelry. If you are an independent designer seeking new strategies to promote your work three options to think about include:

• Sell patterns on Ravelry and a parallel e-commerce store
• Make use of Ravelry to keep up-to-date via community forums as well as showcase your creations However, when the knitter is ready to purchase are lead to another website
• Make a store on the internet and then leave Ravelry altogether

Regardless of which path you take, selling your patterns on the alternative Ravelry website can be a great way to develop a adaptable business that can withstand sudden changes.

Ideas for Designers who are Independent and Selecting Ravelry Other Options

Independent designers can do much more than write beautiful knitting patterns or crochet patterns. They are marketing departments and customer service rep as well as chief of finance. You require efficient e-commerce websites that let you spend longer creating and less time doing all other tasks.

While looking into a Ravelry alternative, the most important concerns designers must ask include:

• What does a knitter need to know about your work exists?
• Discounts and free designs attract clients. What is the easiest way to setup coupons? Does it permit BOGO, no-cost patterns?
• Companies need to have repeat customers. Branding is crucial. Are knitters thinking of you whenever they suggest your pattern, or does they think of the site of a third party?
• Does the site that you are selling on make it simpler to distribute the latest information to customers? Will you need to set up an email list to do this?
• Independent Knit or Crochet patterns are an international market. Does the website manage VAT? US Sales Tax?
• What fees are there? What will you get paid?

Online-Commerce Options

There are two main categories of e-commerce sites that cater to knitters who are independent and crochet designers to consider:

• Ravelry-like marketplace websites where thousands - sometimes millions - of designers compete for their attention from crocheters and crocheters
• A Personal website and shopping cart to sell directly to crocheters and knitters.

Marketplace E-commerce

Theoretically, marketplace websites bring customers to you. The crocheters and knitters go to the websites to purchase. As these marketplaces are large businesses that handles VAT and sales tax to your benefit. This is a significant benefit.

Marketplace websites may help you entice a first time customer. But, can you turn them into a long time customer? The most common response is, "I bought it on Etsy." If your client is ready begin their next project is it likely that they will return to your store , or perform another Etsy research? Building your brand in the shadow of a large website is a challenge.

However, if foot traffic is your top priority There are two major sites to look at: Etsy and Lovecrafts.

Etsy

Etsy is an incredibly well-known online marketplace website and makes it easy for artists, designers and other artisans to offer their work to an eager public. More than 45 million people shopped on Etsy. However, not all of the 45 million people who shop on Etsy are seeking knit patterns or crochet patterns - or perhaps are crafters themselves.

Still, access to 45 million potential customers, with sales tax taken care of as well as the ease in listing are all valuable. The value is costs. Setting up an Etsy shop is easy, but posting your designs isn't.

• Listing fees are $0.20 (USD) per item.
• This fee is due regardless of whether the work is sold or not.
• Listings expire every 4 months. You will spend $0.60 an year to keep your list active.

If you offer a pattern using the Pattern tool, it has a somewhat different structure:

• A free trial period of 30 days, then you'll pay a monthly subscription fee of $15.00 USD per month
• 6.5 Percent Transaction Fee for all transactions
• Processing Fee is charged if you sign up to use Etsy payment. The fee is different for each country.
• Cost of Ad: Sellers will be enrolled immediately in Etsy offsite ads. There will be additional charges in the event that Etsy credits a sale an offsite advertisement. Sellers with less than $10,000 per year can opt-out.

I'm small enough that I'm not able to save any money hosting my own platform. Additionally, I receive traffic on Etsywhich I don't get on my own site. But if I had more sales or name recognition I'd make my own websiteto increase sales. Their fees are always growing and they're no longer handmade only.

- Laura Design, Spinner and Laura
 The Corner of Knit & Tea

Lovecrafts

Lovecrafts is a one-stop-shop for crocheters and knitters to buy yarn and patterns. There are some features that separate it from Etsy.

Communities Pages: Users have the option to post photos of their finished products. The photos can be extremely useful in inspiring other knitters to purchase patterns.

Import Listings directly from Ravelry There is a requirement to provide additional information, which could make it easier. But, Lovecrafts does approve each listing prior to it being posted to the website. It could take up to 3-5 business days for your listing to be cleared.

The Pattern Library is similar to Ravelry users, members can access patterns in their library. They also receive periodic notifications

Customer Service Lovecrafts provides all customer service to you, which includes assistance with patterns.

As an independent designer, you may have missed a beat. Pattern support eats into your precious time. But, Lovecrafts acting as a constantly-on intermediary may hinder building brand trust. Knitters and crocheters can follow your page's community on Lovecrafts however, there's little opportunity to build your email list or steer users to your site.

The fees for Lovecraft are like Ravelry, and more straight forward in comparison to Etsy.

• Creating your shop and list is completely free.
• Offer free patterns to attract new customers.
• Transaction Fee of 4% + $/PS/EUR0.35 for all sales
• The selling fee of 5% is applicable when you are selling monthly between $40 - $1500 (USD)

Simple. However, there are some drawbacks. Community pages can be helpful but there's no on-line forums. There's not much opportunity to interact with other crocheters and knitters, and it's hard to establish your mailing list, or to promote a membership program.

New Kids on the Block

After the uproar around NuRav the community is seeing an opportunity to create Ravelry alternatives. One that is currently being developed is Fiber.Club. But, there are several in the dark:

• What is the function of these sites?
• What will be the cost structure?
• What is the best way to handle sales tax?

In the event that Fiber.Club or another website launches, time will tell whether it can gain momentum and grow into an actual Ravelry alternative.

Create A Website of Your Own

The ownership of a website gives you the opportunity to fully control pricing, branding, marketing, and even pattern support. It is also possible with your website to create membership-based programs that generate income streams.

The majority of you have an online presence. Designers often use their sites for directing users to their Ravelry store to sell their products. What better way to turn the links to your site catalog instead? Offering your designs directly to customers makes your company more adaptable and capable of weathering the disruption in the event that a marketplace site closes, is bought outor is thrown out of favour.

is an e-commerce website specifically designed to sell digital downloads. It allows you to turn your website into a retail store. Two ways to use it are able to use :

• Embed listings into your current web site
• Set up a hosted e-commerce website in just a few minutes

I've found their setup very easy to understand. Its open-page where you can fill in your information is a delight. It's not necessary to worry about my pattern "romance" to be a good fit and being able to make sense...I really like how easy it is to set up using my blog (with embedded]. I would like my blog to be my main hub, and having my designs on display gives it the feeling. Now that I know how to setup things, it'll be easy to do when a new pattern comes out.

Getting Started On

The process of getting started is just as easy as entering an email address and making an account with a password.

After you've set your account, you can create your very first page. It is possible to choose which customers be able to pay via Paypal or Stripe. After your initial listing has been created, you will be able to personalize your store so that it is in keeping to your company's branding. Pick the color of your button, fonts or even CSS.

Similar to Etsy and Lovecrafts. They handle VAT for you. In the case of US Sales Tax will report the sales tax and include it with the purchase price. However, you are responsible for paying the tax to appropriate state authorities. (Sales Taxes differ according to the state. Please consult with an expert in taxation.)

Other Ways to Sell Yourself as well as Your Work

Each e-commerce website has the option of giving your followers coupon codes and sales. But, has an added shopping cart function that could encourage customers to buy more than one pattern such as cross-selling or upselling.

• If a person who crochets is adding a pattern to the cart of their customer, you could automatically offer a discount for a second pattern.
• Do you have patterns for hats that have the same glove pattern? Set up the cart to automatically recommend the pattern.

We Are Fiber Family

Sharing a passion for knitting and crochet creates more than a business or client relationship between the makers and creators. It's like having a social network. A tool many designers use to maintain a long-lasting connection with their crafters is to create the use of newsletters and email lists.

With , you can opt to have your customer's email instantly added to your mailing list following the purchase of your pattern. In the event that you use to host your store you can follow your customers. Button can be found at the top of the webpage.

I asked Kristin Jancuk about how quickly she was able to create her email list:

"I was thrilled to find the possibility of linking my newsletter with checkout this is something that I've have always wanted to do on Ravelry...I believe that getting my new designs immediately in front of the eyes of those already interested in my patterns is the most important thing however, I also provide the best discounts to subscribers, so they have an incentive to stay and stay.

But, there is much more you can accomplish through the creation of your own email list. Crocheters and knitters love to show off our finished objects with others. We are the best marketing team. Inspire your fans to recommend your patterns to friends with an incentive program.

Etsy, Lovecrafts, even Ravelry give you one way to earn revenue by selling patterns. Many designers are turning to Patreon for different revenue sources. It's a huge task to handle an account on Patreon or an Etsy Store, a Ravelry page, etc. Imagine removing one with the help of establishing your Membership program with . Yes, you can have an e-commerce and membership site all in one with .

Fees

Three membership levels are available that each include the same features. The only difference is the fee for transactions.

• Forever Free A 5% transaction cost
• Additional: $29.00/ month 2 percent transaction fee
• Pro: $99.00/month 0% transaction cost

If I build it, Will People Come?

Selling your product on your website isn't without a disadvantage: there is no built-in customer traffic like Etsy, Ravelry, or Lovecrafts. It is your responsibility to bring customers who knit and crochet to your site. I asked Sile Thiels whether it was difficult to sell her knitting patterns to knitters, and she replied:

It's not all that great, but I don't think that I'm any less than before when I was only selling my work on Ravelry. I've always relied upon promoting myself through my Twitter or Instagram account, as well as my Facebook page. The patterns I've created still show up in Ravelry searches, they just take you to Ravelry to the sale.

-- Sile Thiels Independent Knit Designer
 Knit Dance Repeat

If you are thinking it's time to start building your online store , it's either via your website or else you'll need to advertise your work. As Sile Thiels does it's possible to utilize Ravelry to promote your project. You can also decide to make use of Ravelry at some point in the future. by combining online stores, and you'll be able to establish a reputation both within and outside of the Ravelry community. The best part is that the success of your business will not be dependent on another website's success or failure.

Comparison Table

Here is a quick comparability chart. Fees are not inclusive of additional processing fees that are charged by Paypal as well as Stripe. Fees are in US Dollars.

 Always consult an Tax Professional

Conclusion

Recent problems in the world of Ravelry is leading designers to consider new alternatives for e-commerce solutions. The creation of a website, whether in place of or in combination with websites like Ravelry, Etsy, and Lovecrafts allows you to build a business which can withstand unexpected change.