What crafts can you actually make a living from?

[MarionCole]

I am seriously considering retraining and starting a new career. Having thought about what I enjoy and what I'm good at, I have realised that it's 'making stuff'.

So what could I do that would make a living, say £1,000 per month? Will happily train. My thoughts so far:

Silversmithy - good jewellery sells
Dressmaking - possibly, probably not much money in it unless you can get into the wedding dress market
Upholstery - not sure there's much money in it
Erm... Now I'm struggling.

Anyone have any thoughts / experience?

poor old mosaictree!

why does MosaicTree keep getting deleted?

Because her posts contain her website address in them and DuplicitousBitch somebody keeps reporting them.

ah! thank you

I'd definitely recommend jewellery-making, I'm a jewellery designer and I also make jewellery, I take commissions and aim for unique items and we do ok with OH just working part time to supplement our income. It's also really relaxing, I sometimes sit in the garden with a coffee making beaded necklaces or wire-wrapping pendants and come in feeling all zen.

If any fellow MNers make jewellery, do show me an example of your work. I work for Artela (www.artela-shop.co.uk) and do quite well, when they're not sweet talking me into writing blogs or redesigning the website ... that's the one down side of being a jewellery designer I'd say, if you can design there'll always be times you get landed with jobs you really don't want. Like the website update I'm currently doing at a snails pace

Hi Elenstone

I make jewellery but from fabric not metal, www.etsy.com/shop/mollymoodesign

I don't know Artela at all, will check it out.

You have some nice designs there, have you ever considered crocheting with wire? Wirework jewellery gets a lot of interest from people after something unique and it's so fun and relaxing to do ... I know Artela are in the market for some crocheted wire jewellery, they asked me to have a go at it last week but I haven't done any of it in years and my schedule's too packed at the moment to fit in the practice I'd need. I prefer wire-wrapping myself.
They've asked me to work a "one off designs" page into the site for unique pieces that can't be replicated, I think a few crocheted wire jewellery would fit in there perfectly and I'd be more than happy to pass on examples of what you've done, if you fancy giving it a shot

By the way, the website address is www.artela-shop.co.uk if you'd like to take a look around and get a feel for the kind of style they go for.