Inspired by Grandma, Meet Second Generation Crafter Abbie Trussler

On 13th January 2021, 20-year-old Abbie Trussler first opened up her Etsy shop Abbie’s Attic Designs: an independent business that creates letterbox gifts featuring little crocheted figures and matching postcards. 

Abbie, who is based in Reading, England, says she was first inspired by her grandmother Annie and her former business Annie’s Attic, with which she sell her items at local art fairs: “I often helped her at the stall!”. Abbie first learnt these crafty skills in her childhood after spending time with her grandma: “Growing up my grandma taught me a lot of different crafting hobbies, such as sewing and knitting, and we often did this together during half term” she says, “In recent years her health has meant she is less able to do this and so has not done any craft fairs, so the inspiration came from her name and adding mine to it!”.

Abbie took the skills and knowledge learnt from her grandma and elevated them using tutorials she found on YouTube. Once she got more confident in her craft, she moved on to using free patterns that she found on Pinterest.

Abbie works full time as a project’s coordinator at a local mental health charity, No. 5 Young People, who she said had personally helped her when she was 14. This charity even inspired her to make one of her latest products – Worry Whales: a worry doll made for people who have been feeling anxious or lonely, the perfect product for the current climate. These crochet companions come in two colours: blue and purple, which £1 from every sale goes to No5 Young People and come with adoption cards “to make them personal” she said. “I think they’re my favourite because of the meaning behind them” she adds “I came up with their design by myself so they hold a special place in my heart”. She also sells sweet bumblebees and smiley tea bags and in the future hopes to expand her product line to make scrunchies as well. With this expansion, she hopes that she will “gain a bigger following and have a wider range of products available that isn’t just limited to crochet!”. She also hopes that, when it is safe to, she will “be able to hold a stall at an event somewhere as I would love to interact with my customers in person!”. 

Crochet has made a comeback, as seen in both fashion trends on the runways and as a hobby within online communities like cottagecore. For those considering getting their hands on a hook, Abbie has some top tips:

1. Don’t give up!
   “I struggled for so maybe evenings to get past a basic chain and then suddenly I was able to do it!”

1. Have good lighting when crocheting 

“It makes being able to see and find your stitch so much easier”

1. Use a stitch marker

“Especially when crocheting in the round, as it makes your project more even!”

If you’ve been inspired to take that one step even further and create your own business, Abbie has some more sage advice for you: “Just go for it! Set yourself some goals of when you would like to launch and create a realistic plan. Then look into things properly, especially the legal side of things as if you earn over a certain amount you will need to pay tax and be registered! I would I also say make friends in the small business community on social media as they will help you out and are so supportive!”.

Check out Abbie’s products at Abbie’s Attic Designs on Etsy, Instagram, TikTok!