A crafter from Teignmouth has seen her crochet business grow so quickly that she has braved exhibiting at Devon County Show for the first time.

Debbie Jones set up Coastal Crochet in early 2024.

After successfully selling her quirky creations at markets and in Teignmouth’s Gallery 8, she decided to challenge herself by taking a stall at the county’s primary agricultural and trade show.

‘I wanted to push myself,’ she said. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do this last year.’

Debbie has enjoyed crochet for over 40 years, but the craft became more than a hobby after her father died. ‘It was a real therapy and distraction that got me through the grief,’ she remembered.

In fact, Debbie’s crochet creations began to take over the house, so she started selling at craft fairs before expanding into a permanent collection at Gallery 8 and regular market days.

‘Gallery 8 is such an overlooked treasure in Teignmouth,’ Debbie commented. The gallery on Teign Street is home to 30 crafters and artists selling local hand-made gifts and artwork.

As well as crocheting for her business, Debbie has also been sharing her passion for craft by teaching beginners how to crochet.

Her beginners workshops at the Alice Cross Centre were so popular they sold out. ‘I had 54 students and within three weeks they were crocheting granny squares,’ Debbie said.

While chatting to Debbie at her stall in the Devon County Show Crafts and Flowers marquee, sales were brisk. A crocheted goldfish in a glass bowl caught one lady’s eye and she bought it for her daughter who had been asking for a pet fish.

Other creations include a cheeky seagull, kittens for adoption and bumblebees.

‘There’s nothing better than seeing the smile on a customer’s face after buying one of Debbie’s creations,’ noted Marc Jones, who was helping Debbie with her County Show stall.