2008 Woodie Awards
Sophomore crafts profits from hobby
By Will Underhill
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Features
Originally published: 1/31/08 at 2:51 PM CSTLast update: 1/31/08 at 2:50 PM CST
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Moreno picked up crocheting from his sister, Monica, when he was 16. She started to crochet a blanket for her baby, and taught Moreno the craft in the process.
"We had two trash bags full of yarn, and it was all gone when we finished," Moreno said.
"You never see a guy crochet, but it's really fun," Moreno said.
Since then, Moreno learned to make beanies, scarves and handbags.
Once in high school, he crocheted a hat using a paper clip. When he learned to make them quickly, he realized he could make money off of them and sold them to students across campus.
"I'm an entrepreneur and always trying to make money off of something. In high school, I would sell tacos," Moreno said. "I wanted to put my art out there, and that's what it is, and I got it done."
The first hat he sold was to computer science sophomore David Salzman two semesters ago. The beanie was blue and orange with the Chicago Bears logo. Salzman said despite being a year old, the hat is still in good shape.
Moreno set up his first table on this campus last semester at Octoberfest and sold his beanies for $10, making a total of $280 his first day. He took 150 orders from students who wanted special designs or colors and turned a $1,500 profit last semester.
This semester, he plans to expand his business by setting up a booth on campus once a month. The next is Feb. 13.
He is in the process of planning a catalog and designing sun dresses for summer. He is working on developing a marketing logo, "Tness," short for "Topherness," a play on his first name.
Moreno can crochet a beanie in about 25 minutes, making two to three an hour and three to four beanies out of one skein of yarn.
"I love the hats. They're good and go with anything. They're a good fashion trend," said theater sophomore Kendra Garza.
Lauren Payne, English and psychology sophomore, learned how to knit and crochet when she was 9 and plans to share a table with Moreno.
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