Knitting and crocheting are stereotyped as ‘an old lady habit’, but this is not the case for 26-year-old Ines Reine Ishime.

Every bit of embroidery is pleasant; from making slip knots to weaving, Ishime says the whole process is very thrilling for her, particularly when working on a new project.

"I am always excited to see the end result, especially if it is something I am making for the first time,” she says.

It was during last year’s lockdown that she developed her skills, after coming across a crochet hook she had had for years but never bothered to put to use. This turned out to be the source of her motivation.

Her source of inspiration is from things around her and people

Little did she know that a hobby she had embraced to pass time would turn into something she enjoyed doing, and more importantly, into a business that would help her earn an income.

With a few basic skills from her sister, Ishime made use of YouTube tutorials to hone her new found talent.

She bought balls of yarn and started knitting. She also started posting her work on social media, that’s when things started falling into place.

Ishime is the brains behind SINE Crochet Perfection

She recalls a time she made a beanie and one baby sock, took a picture and posted it on her WhatsApp status with a caption ‘Quarantine life,’ this post earned her over 22 orders.

When she made a headband and posted again, she received 13 more orders. By this time, it was clear to her that an opportunity in her knitting skills was long overdue.

"Posting my items on social media is when the unexpected happened, miracles ensued! I received orders that took me more than two months to finish. I couldn’t believe it, I was overwhelmed to the point that I started regretting why I put it out there,” she says.

By June, that same year, she launched her first products. These were mostly headbands, beanies/hats, earrings, sweaters, tops, leg warmers/socks, and scarves, among others.

Her source of inspiration 

Ishime explains that since crochet is a wide thing, there are millions of patterns to follow depending on what you want to make. And for her to be better at what she does, she makes it a point to learn every day.

She says her source of inspiration is from things around her and people. "Anytime I see something beautiful, let’s say an outfit, accessories or decor, I start to think of whether I can recreate the same thing, but using my hands, a hook and a ball of yarn. And I also get inspiration from different crocheters around the world.”

She hopes to use her work for women empowerment

She is overcome by the support she has so far gained from her clients, something she says gives her optimism to work even harder.

"Goodness! People are loving my products very much; beyond my expectations. When I started, I was afraid that I wouldn’t have any customers, I was afraid that my products would not be worth their money but I was surprised by how much they (products) were appreciated and how far this is getting!”

Nonetheless, challenges have been a thorn in the flesh for her new business, especially in terms of limited time to deliver for her customers. 

In addition to that, she says she hasn’t been able to employ teen mothers like she had planned from the beginning.

"I have always wanted to support women empowerment, especially vulnerable teen mothers, some of those girls suffer with no help. When I started this business, they are the first people I thought about employing but the challenge is, it’s not easy to find those specific people with the skills that I want. It requires me to give them training and as I mentioned, I don’t have enough time. So I am still struggling with that but I believe I am half way to the solution.”

Her other struggle is with clients who are not contented with the pricing of her products.

"Some people say that my products are expensive, but honestly they are not. What they fail to understand is that a handmade product wouldn’t be compared to a machine-made product. There is time spent on it, the dedication, moments of frustration, failures and so many things. But I really do appreciate those who understand. It would be a pleasure if everybody understood that.” 

Lessons and future plans 

Her biggest lesson since venturing into this business is learning how to focus. She recalls when she had just started, she could see what other crocheters had made and would rush to make the same thing without even finishing what she had started, then later finding herself with several unfinished projects. 

This is when she decided to focus and keep it simple after believing that she was in no competition with anyone. 

This is why she believes and recommends for anyone who wants to start a business, to just start, "If you have a way, just start. Of course you will always be afraid of competitors, afraid of the market and so many things; but if you don’t start, you will never know how it will turn out. I remember when I was thinking of starting this up, I started seeing people who do crochet everywhere and my only concern was that if I did it, people will think that I am copying them. When I talked to a friend of mine, she said something that stuck in my mind until today. She said ‘Ines, of course you will have competitors but remember, no one will ever do what you do the way you do it. So start.” 

It’s almost a year since she started and her dreams include having her brand "SINE Crochet Perfection” be known and recognised for its fully handmade products. 

"Most people that do crochet also have knitting machines, so they do both. But my wish is that I will never use machines. I want that to be my specialty.”