Mikey, known at Michael Sellick
Michael is one of the leading global teachers online for teaching and sharing crochet ideas. Crochet has been part of his life since he was 14 years of age. In fact, creative arts have been a strong part of his up bringing as a result of geographic location and entertainment provided by his mother. Also being part of Awana, Cubs and Crusaders for a number of years contributed to the love of crafting.
His parents were hands-on parents with being active participants in church youth groups, in fact, being the head leaders of the youth programs. He would have one of the most full sashes of earned badges as a result of his mother encouraging the procedures to earn the badges.
Michael grew up in several places in Midwestern to Southern Ontario, Canada. His parents owned a summer touristy permanent amusement park called Kiddie Land in Sauble Beach. A full rock’n town in the summer and an isolated town in the winter. With only 2 television stations, time was occupied with family nights and crafting on a frequent basis.
Michael’s mother was fully engaged in parenting and nurturing parental figure for the compassionate side to see special needs, disabilities and others with issues beyond their control as equals. His father was also fully engaged as a parental figure from a strategic planning point of view. The need to financially plan, budget and problem solve. While it may be rare, Michael didn’t have any conflicts with parents while growing up through the teenage years. If problems occurred, both parents had an open door policy to openly discuss issues. Both parents taught the sense of responsibility from a very early age. In having the kids work at the amusement park to help out. With hard work, came reward through appreciation of customers and a weekly allowance.
Michael would come to learn to knit at a very early age but gravitated towards spool knitting and weaving. While other kids were wanting something more typical boy toys related, he would ask for crafting supplies. The crafting toys, typically oriented to girls, the packaging was girly and so were the tools. It would be embarrassing and is one of the important visions he has for crafting is to make the tools and products geared for everyone, gender neutral, to allow children to explore without added peer pressure or bullying at a result of coloured tools and packaging that can be humiliating.
Through childhood, Michael has come to understand the value of community and overall acceptance of being multi-cultural. The need to recognize that each culture has something to offer humanity. If you don’t understand a culture, study it, learn about it, and realize you are also different from their perspective too. Each of you has their place on this globe. Time is limited, use it wisely.
Michael’s Goal
Michael has one objective. It’s to teach the art of crochet to those interested in learning. To do this, he must work with others to keep resources free to all those who wish to learn. In a society where people expect things for free, he’s had to adapt to budget, strategize and figure out how to keep himself financially sound while offering everything for free. As long as the opportunity is available for those who wish to learn to crochet, he’s here to teach.
Michael’s platform and website being free is sacred to him. With finding other partnerships that believe in the same goals, The Crochet Crowd remains free for all to enjoy and will continue on into the future.
Creation of The Crochet Crowd
The creation of teaching on YouTube was a fluke. A boring afternoon would end up turning into a multi million view resource community page. People who are just finding Michael, believe he has come out of no where and he is experiencing instant success. Yes… the idea was a fluke but there is nothing instant about what he’s been able to accomplish. The amount of work to build is border-line insanity during his journey. The hours and self discipline involved has been enormous and continuous to be everyday job to inspire thousands of people. Most people would have quit with the obstacles and time it takes to grow and nurture a community.
The Crochet Crowd® relies on him to steer crocheters in the right direction and/or give sound advice. His advice is based on experience through using products and services. He’s managed to find really good companies to do successful cross promotions online. Like many people, he has experienced companies where he has learned some difficult lessons. He’s come to understand the needs of The Crochet Crowd.
He’s been on the quest of building this platform steadily since March 2008 and dedicate most of his current life, every day, to helping others achieve their creative success stories. In fact, it’s what brings him the most joy is sharing ideas and praising others for their accomplishments.
Mikey’s Crochet Skills
He was taught to crochet by his mother at the age of fourteen. Intrigued by the speed of the craft and the simplistic designs of what his mother was able to achieve through double crochet, he became ‘hooked’ on the craft. She only knew how to double crochet, so he went and bought a crochet book because he was bored of the double crochet. From this moment of buying a crochet book, he taught himself the skills you see online today. Without his own children to pass along his skills, he has turned to the Internet to show others how to crochet
Role of The Crochet Crowd
He can spend easily up to 14 hours a day social networking, video creation, article writing, and build cross content at my home studio. He’s captivated by the linkages and see obvious potential in companies where consumers can receive free opportunities to learn.
He has been partnered with Daniel Zondervan since January 2009. Daniel is the co-creator of The Crochet Crowd. Daniel’s strengths are behind the camera in marketing, scheduling, newsletter creation and dealing with show logistics. He is also the marketing strategist for The Crochet Crowd ‘Live’. He is responsible for designing displays and interactions between guests and myself. He has keen eye for trends without following the industry. His involvement is an asset and makes the crowd the success that it has become.
Michaels Role with The Crochet Crowd
- Encourage creativity with viewers and followers on Facebook.
- Work with clients directly.
- Give consumers choices and ideas when it comes to project creations on camera and in written patterns.
- Social network scheduling and compaign strategies.
- Participate with all social media outlets where The Crochet Crowd is associated to.
- Occasionally called on for consultation in relationship to the craft industry.
Personal Information
Michael and Daniel currently live in Greenwich, Nova Scotia. They relocated in January 2018 from both of them always residing in Ontario Canada. A major life change to tell a new story. They are living a touristy area of the Annapolis Valley. They have one cat, Riverstone.
Professional Portfolio
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Editor
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How To Video Host & Video Creator & Editor
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Speaker
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Social Media Director / Consultant
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Demonstrator, Instructional Teacher
- Event Coordinator
Published Articles & Video Presentations
- Featured / Guest Blogger for Yarnspirations Blog, Red Heart Blog, Fave Crafts Blog, Creativ Festival, Michaels Blog and Stitch & Unwind.
- Written product reviews and filmed product video reviews for a number of crafting companies.
- Content writer for The Crochet Crowd Blog, Newsletters and The Crochet Crowd eBooks.
- Granted filming rights of several major crafting based companies. Michael’s videos appear on Yarnspirations, Red Heart, All Free Crochet, Michaels, JOANN, AC Moore & Herrcheners.
The Power of Social Media Links & Video Usage
- Michael has successfully partnered with companies associated to crafting products and service.
- Michael tries to balance these videos with being affordable, creative and not too complicated for people to follow on camera.
- Trends depend on season and presentation of products as a whole for the entire crafting industry. With crafting having seasonal trends, The Crochet Crowd Network experiences the same high and lows that stores and online websites go through each year.
- Followers of Michael expect him to be honest about a product or services. He will not film a product or service that he classifies as unsuitable for his audience.
Michael’s live & video demonstrations “wow” audiences to simplify a task or make it appear “doable”. His mission is to educate the consumer which leads to self gratification and spreading the word of Crochet globally.
Nice bio! I have followed you for years and now I feel like I know you as a friend. I first ‘met’ you when I too was trying to expand my stitch knowledge and I looked for your videos because they were the easiest to understand. Then I found Crochet Crowd and have followed it ever since. Thanks for all you do and I hope we get to meet one day either on a cruise or one one of my many journeys to parts unknown!!
With grateful respect to both of you…
Randy Bothman
Roseburg, Oregon