I had been crocheting even long before Rey passed away.
Maybe it was a passion I inherited from my mother. I remember her crocheting our household curtains, tablecloths, and throw pillow cases and others using tiny hooks and super-thin yarns. Those pieces were beautiful, but I never dared try making them myself. Tiny hooks and super-thin yarns? One piece would take time to finish. 😂
After Rey’s passing, I stopped crocheting for a while because Ningning and I had to take over managing the construction business. But sometime in 2016, my hands picked up the hook again.
I made earrings, beanies, baby shoes, tops, washcloths, dishcloths, purses, small bags, and mitten pot holders—whatever random project came to mind and whatever I thought I could successfully pull up a loop with. Back then, I was just crocheting. It was simply something that I enjoyed doing.
Looking at those old photos now, almost ten years later, I realize that crochet was quietly holding my hand during a particular season of my life. It gave my hands something to do, gave my mind somewhere safe to rest, and, without my even knowing it, began to collect beautiful memories for me.
Apparently, though, Ningning, Tenten, and Yeye had a completely different vision for my hobby.
They decided I should start selling what I crocheted. I agreed, though half-heartedly. I didn't have the confidence that my finished products were actually good enough to be used by other people—other than my own children, of course.
But my children seemed to have more confidence in my stitches than I did. Ningning and Yeye immediately started taking photos of themselves wearing my handmade creations and promoting them loudly on Facebook and Instagram. And before I knew it, there were inquiries. And then... there were actual orders. 🤯
What I thought was simply a comforting libangan (hobby) had apparently become a little business—with Ningning, Tenten, and Yeye acting as my marketing team and social media managers.
There was just one tiny problem. While they were busy marketing my creations to the world, I apparently forgot one very important part of running a crochet business: making the actual orders.
And... seemingly, I wouldn’t. Because I simply couldn’t!
In no time, another separate Instagram account was created to promote my crochet products, in addition to my own personal account. Was I the one who created it? Or was it my children? Honestly, I don't even remember anymore!
- —I crocheted.
- —They promoted my crochet.
- —Real people wanted to order.
- —And... I completely failed to make the orders. Waley. 😓
Maybe I wasn't really ready to be a crochet entrepreneur at that time. Because years later, something inside me changed. I found myself deeply enjoying the process of making bags. I was making them not because someone had paid for them or ordered them, but simply because I wanted to.
And when I was putting this very story together years later, my children lovingly reminded me: “Ma, those bags are really worth selling.”
Maybe they had been right all along. Maybe I simply needed time to grow into believing it myself.
Because looking back now, I realize that those early attempts at selling my crochet were never really about building a business. They were about a season of my life—a season when I was finding my way again.
It was a season when my hands were busy, my mind had somewhere to rest, and my children were standing beside me—sometimes believing in the work of my hands far more than I believed in it myself.
I crocheted. They took the photos. They posted them. They created the accounts. People wanted to buy.
And me? I didn't make the orders. I made beautiful, lasting memories instead.
Thankfully, Tenten, Ningning and Yeye kept the receipts. 🧶💙
—Momlen
