The Zelda Warrior

After two requests on my facebook to crochet Link, I finally decided to do it. I was reluctant at first because I don't usually make human forms, but I also didn't want to pass up at least trying. At first I was just going to make him only, but after finishing, I realized he didn't make sense without his sword and shield! I personally only ever played A Link to the Past on Super Nintendo but that is all well enough to make me fall in love with the Legend of Zelda. In fact, when the emulator version on my laptop wasn't doing it for me in college, I had to bring up the SNES the next time I went home, which was one of my best decisions. Regardless, the second person who dished me the request sent me a photo of a Link doll from the Phantom Hourglass version. I quickly noticed that the Wind Waker version was similar because they both use the "Toon Link" character, so this gave me a variety of images to work from.


In the end, I came out with a simplified, yet elaborate, Link, that I am very proud of.

I actually had this post created on November 11th at 11am, but got distracted because while I was writing it, I checked my shop and the hits were coming in nonstop. Usually when I post an item I get around 50 views after a couple days, but every time I refreshed this listing, there were 10-25 more views. Here's a documentation via tweets:
whoa... did someone repost my link or is he really that popular? i got 175 views in an hour..
11:45 AM Nov 11th via web

ok, now 225 views? either someone is fucking with me or this link should be sold soon...
11:58 AM Nov 11th via web

at this point, i think i might be scammed cause every time i refresh there's 10 more views, it's already at 500 and not even any hearts...
12:33 PM Nov 11th via web
For the fact that there were no "hearts" I ruled out that these people were from etsy, so I figured they had to be from some geeky community. Instinctively, I checked reddit searching "zelda" because I thought "link" wouldn't work. When I didn't come across my etsy listing there, I went onto an etsy chat room and asked other members if something could be wrong. The only person who listened wrote me, "congratulations, YOU HAVE A WINNER!" I didn't believe her, so I instead gave up and decided to take a nap before I had to leave for work. When I awoke, my friends on my facebook commented:
"I put a link on reddit for you. I'm not sure if that's why you're getting more traffic. It's gotten 30 upvotes so far."
November 11 at 1:23pm

"Hey Lisa! I signed on to tell you I saw a link to this on reddit! haha! Hope you get a lot of sales! :)"
November 11 at 2:03pm
I managed to check the listing right before it sold, and the total views were:


Pretty unbelievable. I generated five sales of my other shop items (all of which I had only partially completed) after Link sold out that day and six requests to make more Links. I made 23 sales this month and that's only because I don't have enough time to finish everyone's requests yet. I write now because after that and my holiday rush, I have finally caught a breather. I'm glad I was able to create something that became high in demand, but making the same thing over and over again is torturous.

Comments

  1. maybe make it a limited listing that only happens a few times a year. Build a demand?

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  2. @dawn thanks!!
    @liz that's a good idea! every I list a reserve, someone finds it and asks me to make one for them too! it's never ending.

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  3. You can never go wrong with adorable geeky things :) When did you switch over to crochet officially? I don't see felt anymore

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  4. : ) I still do felt but in smaller projects. It was the first couple months only that I really did felt cause I didn't know how to crochet/was just starting.

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