Meet some of the youngest vendors at Old Town Flea Market

Vanessa Vasconcelos Image
Friday, November 3, 2023
Meet some of the youngest vendors at Old Town Flea Market
Two of the youngest entrepreneurs at this year's Old Town Flea Market in Clovis happen to live in the same house.

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Knitts N Knotts owner Makena Drilling is gearing up for her second year selling crocheted companions at the Old Town Flea Market.

The self-taught fiber artist was inspired by unique finds while shopping with her mom.

"I would see other people with crocheted stuff, and it was so sweet and so intricate," she said.

The Freshman at Clovis North started by making gifts for family and friends. Now, you can find her shop on Etsy.

So passionate about her work, she's started making DIY kits to share her craft with others.

"You'll get everything you need to crochet a bee, so you'll have the yarn, the stuffing, the eyes, needles, stitch markers, all that," she said.

You can follow along on a YouTube tutorial or attend one of her workshops.

"I started out with bees, so those are always fun, but I also like doing people's custom dogs because I feel like those are very special to the people," Drilling said.

Makena's 12-year-old brother, Dane, bought a stamping kit to channel his creativity and help his sister on her first custom dog order.

"The person who ordered wanted a nametag, so I stamped it and that's how I got started," he said.

Seeing how special a personalized gift made the recipient feel, he opted to not only collaborate with his sister -- he started his own business.

"It just feels good to make someone happy with something that you made handmade," Dane said.

Stamp Your Style by Dane includes stamped jewelry, custom birthstones and initial pieces.

Rather than compete, they sell together.

You can find the siblings selling with the woman who inspired it all--

"As a parent, you want the best for your kids," says Judy Drilling. "You really want to motivate them, inspire them to be amazing adults and they're making me proud."

Judy channeled her love of succulents and turned it into Creatively Chic Succulent Boutique.

Her arrangements decorate their display.

"We have a lot of fun at these events," she said. "It's really brought us closer together. We've really bonded over our businesses."

In addition to quality time crafting together, Judy's kids are getting an early lesson in financial literacy.

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