The Little Bee Handmade Co. | Fairview, AB
Specializing in intricately designed stuffed animals and handmade dolls, Sarah Wright’s journey into the world of crochet began 14 years ago after seeing a charming crochet cupcake online.
“Nobody in my family knew how to crochet, so I turned to YouTube in 2010, bought an amigurumi book and taught myself to crochet,” said Wright. “It didn’t turn out how I hoped it would, so I didn’t pursue the craft right away.”
Although the craft did not “hook” her immediately, her interest in crochet resurfaced in 2015 when she was pregnant with her son and wanted to handcraft a stuffed animal for him.
This time, something clicked. It became a passion that blossomed into a business, The Little Bee Handmade Co.
Wright began by sharing her handmade creations with the Red Earth community, where she lived at the time, before eventually expanding her items to a wider audience.
“During the pandemic, it took off as a business. I was at home and had more time to crochet, so I took it more seriously and created a website,” said Wright. “It took off, and I quickly accumulated a lot of local and online customers.”
Wright finds inspiration from images online and carefully selects yarn to craft with—choosing durable yarn that will not pill for stuffed animals and natural fibres for other pieces.
She enjoys crafting a variety of woodland creatures such as bunnies, foxes and moose as well as cartoon characters like SpongeBob and Yoshi.
“I appreciate being able to make things that bring people joy,” said Wright.
The time it takes her to complete each piece varies depending on her schedule and motivation. It ranges from hours to days.
“I work as a teacher and school administrator full time, so I save my crochet projects for my evenings and weekends,” said Wright. “It’s my creative outlet when I’m not at work.”
Custom orders keep Wright the busiest. She enjoys working with others to bring their ideas to life.
“I can often recreate anything sent to me, unless it’s an AI image, but that’s not usually a problem,” said Wright. “A lot of people ask to personalize items I already make, which is always fun to do.”
When ordering a custom item, customers can expect to discuss a timeline and a budget in advance with Wright, who believes clear communication is essential when making a personalized piece.
“The cost usually depends on the size of the item and how much detail it entails. I always try to give a rough estimate beforehand based on the materials and time needed to create it,” said Wright.
Wright crochets daily as much as possible.
“Larger projects go on hold until the weekends, but if I get a surge of orders, or if I have a market to prepare for, I try to manage my time wisely and crochet a little bit every day,” said Wright.
Securing high-quality yarn is serious business, so Wright is grateful to have found a great supplier who keeps a stock of the materials she needs.
“I’ve found a great local supplier in Sexsmith called Hippy Strings, so it’s a lot easier to keep yarn on hand now,” said Wright.
Offering a variety of sizes and options is important to Wright, especially during the holidays, so customers can choose from smaller items such as her keychains, which are around $10, and mid-ranged creations such as her unicorns, which are $35 to $40.
“Heirloom pieces or larger pieces such as Peter Rabbit are $60,” said Wright. “These often make the best Christmas gifts because they are usually passed down through families.”
As her business progresses, Wright has a few goals she hopes to reach in due time. Eventually, she would like to turn it into something bigger, but for now, she is happy with where she is.
“I have a great work-life balance right now, and this is still something I enjoy doing everyday,” said Wright. “I don’t want to force myself to do it all the time and lose this enjoyable, artistic outlet.”
She hopes to add more characters to her line up soon.
“I won a prize pack that included Harry Potter patterns, so I am very excited to try those out,” said Wright.
When it comes to pursuing a creative passion, Wright wants others to know they will not always master a new skill instantly; it pays off to keep trying, especially if it is something you enjoy.
“If I can teach myself to crochet, I think anyone can pursue their passion and find success in it,” said Wright. “It takes time and dedication, but it’s worth it. You just have to go for it!”
Order from The Little Bee Handmade Co. on Instagram and Facebook. Sarah Wright attends local markets and will be at the upcoming Grimshaw Christmas Market on November 16.
Words by Dani Wearden | Photography by Tyrell Parenteau and Submitted
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