We are so excited for the next installment in our Small Business Interviews Series! Throughout the market season, we want to highlight the wonderful small businesses of the New England Open Market community. For this interview, we talked with Avery of Citizens Crochet, whose business you can shop this Saturday, May 17th, & throughout the season at the Boston Open Market!
Please introduce yourself! What is your name & your business name?
Howdy! My name is Avery Tronson, and I run Citizens Crochet. We make ethical crochet for adorable people. I'm originally from Los Angeles, but I've been living in Boston since 2017.
Where are you based out of?
I'm currently in Dedham, MA but I will be moving to Allston soon and I'm SO excited. I miss the city dearly.
How long have you been running Citizens Crochet? How did your business get its start?
I've been running Citizens Crochet since 2022 and I'm going to celebrate three years in June! I got a nasty concussion at my old job that removed me from day-to-day life. I had an incredibly hard time seeing, was nauseous constantly, and often felt like my head was going to explode. Crochet was a way for me to cope and still enjoy creating in a way that was accommodating for my disabilities. I fell in love and just never put down my hook.
How would you describe the mission of Citizens Crochet?
I'm on a mission to improve the world through the joy of creation. I designed my company to not only be a joy for the community I sell to, but my future employees. I think that the world needs more businesses that care about their community, employees, and the people they serve. I've done a lot of foundational work since the start of the year to make sure that Citizens Crochet can grow into a massively successful business supporting so many amazing people.
So adorable plushies that will make your heart melt? Yes. Ethical wages and community support for employees? Also yes.
Please tell us about your creative process - where do you find inspiration? How do you go from inspiration to a finished piece?
In the last few months, I've pivoted to only selling plushies designed in-house, which means a lot more work and a lot more creativity. Most of my inspiration comes from nature and I love crocheting animals and food!
My opening line of fruit whales was created to embody a farmers market fruit stand. Growing up my mom always took us to the farmers market to pick out our produce for the week. I would usually snag a pint of blueberries in my little red wagon and eat them as we strolled around. I wanted to bring that same childlike joy and wonder to kids of all ages.
In terms of going from inspiration to a finished piece, I've learned to fall in love with failure. The fastest way to get from an idea in my head to a finished creation is just trying and failing over and over again. Most of my pieces are remade 5-7 times before the pattern is finalized and I come out with something I'm really proud of.
What does your workspace look like?
With the move coming up, I'm actually renting a space at the Boston Figure Arts Center! I'm so excited to be sharing a space with other creatives and to be a part of such a banging community. As for the setup...that's a work in progress that will be shown on my Instagram in the upcoming weeks!
Do you have a favorite piece that you’ve created?
My favorite piece that I have created is my 5.5-foot octopus Otis. He took over 75 hours and is just such a stunning creation. I've always loved drama, movement, and creating more complex pieces, so it was really fulfilling and important to create on that scale. If you want to see him, he is on display at the Brighton Emporium until November 2025 or until someone buys him :)
What advice would you offer to someone interested in learning crochet?
Most of crochet (and I would argue life) is just putting one foot in front of the other. It can be frustrating and repetitive, but once you get down your foundational stitches, there is no limit to what you can create. If you can put your head down and finish your first project, I promise you will be so impressed with yourself.
What’s your proudest moment that you’ve had so far in running your business?
I feel most proud of myself when someone comes up to my booth holding the product they bought months or years ago and tells me how much they love it. I know I create good products, and to have someone be so excited to have one of your creations is an incredible experience.
What is your favorite part of running your business?
My favorite part of running my business has to be how therapeutic crochet is. Creativity is an amazing coping mechanism and nowadays we need all the help we can get. No matter how I'm feeling, I can always lean on the accomplishment and joy of creation to help brighten my day. I get to spend most of my days creating new shapes, handling soft yarn, and being creative. That is an insane privilege, and I'm so grateful that people resonate with the art I create.
How long have you been participating in in-person art markets?
I've been participating at in person art markets for almost three years now. My first art market was in June of 2022, I remember the insane sense of joy I had when I got that acceptance email. It's still so cool and a little surreal to be invited and asked to be in these spaces.
What is your favorite aspect of vending at in-person art markets?
My favorite part of vending at in-person markets is seeing the joy on people's faces when they see my product. Most of my work is done alone in my office, and of course, I think everything is incredible, but seeing people's faces light up is something completely different. Sometimes, people will even apologize for getting excited or squealing with joy, but truly, those reactions give me so much light and joy.
Outside of running Citizens Crochet, what do you enjoy doing?
If I'm not crocheting, I'm probably playing video games with my friends! In the last year I have been loving Baldur's Gate III, Lethal Company, REPO, and Fortnite.
I also enjoy hanging out with my two cats and wonderful partner. We are all great sunbathers.
Where can you be found online?
You can find me online at citizenscrochet.com and @citizenscrochet on Instagram, Youtube, and Tiktok!
