Today we’d like to introduce you to Annaly Portillo.
Hi Annaly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I learned how to crochet in middle school. It was a morning elective class they offered. Me and four other girls signed up and our librarian was in charge of the class. I quickly fell in love with crocheting. My first project was a scarf and I believe I gifted it to my grandma. Once I learned how to crochet I would make blankets and scarves for my family I only knew how to make one stitch so that’s all I was able to make at the time. My friend’s cousin who also crocheted taught me how to make hats. Going into high school I would crochet on and off after graduating I didn’t crochet as much. When I did crochet it was always to give as gifts to friends and family. I picked crocheting back up in 2019 and taught myself with the help of YouTube how to make more than just blankets, hats, and scarves. I was laid off in 2019 and had no income. I would crochet to distract myself from the fear and stress of not having a job. I would constantly be submitting job applications with no luck and in the meantime I was also pumping out crochet projects like crazy. I realized that I couldn’t keep everything I was making or I would be buried under my own crotchet creations. Friends would tell me I should sell my stuff but at the time I was crocheting for fun. I also believed what I made wasn’t good enough to sell. I eventually decided to start MoonHooks as a way of income until I landed a job. I came up with the name because I use a crochet hook and I would always be crocheting at night once all the adulting was done. My first customers were friends and family. I wasn’t making much but I was keeping my mind and hands busy so it definitely helped me mentally. A local brewery found me on facebook and invited me to a market they were hosting. This was my first market ever and I was so excited that they found me and invited me. I was also extremely nervous cause I can be a little awkward and was scared to have to interact with people. Luckily my outgoing friend came out with me and we did my first market together. After that I slowly started doing my own research and started applying to more markets. I did eventually land a job but I was obsessed with crocheting and making things with my hands. I love art and crafting in general. That’s how I slowly started to become interested in tufting. I started in 2024 to make Moonhooks stand out from other crochet vendors. Once again I turned to YouTube and slowly started to teach myself the art of making rugs. Crocheting will always be my first love but like I said I love crafting so you might find a little more than just crochet goods and my table. I do a lot of local markets here in Dallas and I have my supportive boyfriend to help me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Self doubt. To this day I sometimes feel like the stuff I make isn’t good enough and a lot of the time I’ll under value my crafts.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an assistant cytology and tissue supervisor in a lab. What sets me apart is how hard I work and my ambition. I started as a billing customer service specialist and slowly worked myself up to the position I am now. I do enjoy my job but in a perfect world I would love to make Moonhooks full time
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I’ve been thinking about offering tufting classes so people can make their own rugs for a date night or just to hangout with friends. I would also like to host other crafting classes like crocheting.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonhooks.yarn.craft?igsh=MTFwdW1wbWF5NDcxZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/183VmdmgGP/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: [email protected]
