This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kevin Lustik, a 62-year-old needlepoint artist who also works at a law firm in New York. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
I knew it was time to monetize my needlepoint hobby when my closets and drawers were bursting with artwork.
I began my business in January 2025 after years of working at a law firm and doing needlepoint for fun. My love for needlepoint developed in college after buying my first kits. I remember thinking, “This is for me.” Eventually, I began designing my own.
Now, I find myself crafting every day after work. I don’t make enough from selling my art to quit my day job. It’s a true passion project, but I’m hoping it’ll be more profitable one day.
I’ve sold about 40 pieces in the past year. They mostly range in price from $100 to $600. I have to be practical; I’m not making $100,000 a piece. My work is being shown at galleries in New Mexico and New York, and I sell it online.
I’ve invested a fair amount of money in my business. I’m a professional, even if it’s not my day job.
My customers are getting younger
These days, it’s somewhere between a full-time job and a hobby, and it has its challenges.
When most people buy art, they’re paying for paintings or sculptures. Fiber art, essentially what I’m doing, is a subset of this industry, so it’s hard to find buyers. Today, my pieces typically sell within the first few weeks of exhibition.
One of the most surprising parts of my side hustle is Gen Z’s recent interest in my work. They make up about 25% of my customers, and my sales have grown by 75% since this time last year.
People are shifting away from the digital world
I’ve heard that there’s a trend of “grandma hobbies” that Gen Z are picking up to get away from their phones and screens. I think that’s a good idea. You fill your whole day with computer screens at work and cellphones at lunch and in the evening. I think people are tired of it, so they’re drifting away from it a little bit.
My advice to young people is to leave time to dream and clear your head. With hobbies like needlepoint or cooking, you get a product at the end. You’ve got something tangible. The more you do it, the more you love it. If you like it in your 20s or 30s, you’ll enjoy it more in your 40s and 50s.
I make art about important topics, like climate change, and I think those may resonate with young people. However, I haven’t changed my artwork to fit their preferences.
I don’t try to control my creativity — I let it go where it wants to go.
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