I tried one once. It was making earrings. I figured I make jewelry, so why not make these earrings? It didn't turn out good.
http://www.capital-crafts.com/faqs.htm
You have to pay for the first kit which has the beads for a $50 fee. They tell you that you can "make back" the money from purchasing the kit by making the earrings. They pay $6 per completed pair. Each time you want to make earrings you pay them for the supplies (I can't recall how much) and then when you complete the earrings they send you a check.
I make jewelry and sell it so I figured NO PROBLEM. I'm also really crafty, I can sew, knit, hand-embroider and scrapbook. I figured it was up my alley!
Those earrings were a pain in the tushie! FIRST they were U-G-L-Y. Not anything that I've seen in any stores, or anything that I'd call "in style." Then you have to SEW them a certain way with thread. The beads they give you aren't all good ones, you have to sort through. If your earrings aren't up to par they don't pay you the full $6.
I thought I could watch TV or listen to music or just relax at home while doing it.
It took me over an hour to make the first one, an hour for the second one and I could never get it faster than a half-hour per earring, but most of the time it was 45 minutes. I'M A REALLY GOOD CRAFTER!!!! Making less than $6 an hour...I could easily make double that working a regular job. I sent the earrings in...and didn't get my full $6 per pair (they weren't "good enough" quality). I made them carefully and with the best of the beads they gave me. Again, I'M A REALLY GOOD CRAFTER!
I never made my $50 back. The site was listed in a book of "legit" at-home businesses (which I also paid for).
I'm pretty sure there's no way to make a lot at home, unless you're at the top of a MLM scheme or we'd ALL work at home! I now make great money selling my crafts, etsy is a good place. Bottom line is if you have a high-quality product to sell you won't have to push or swindle people.
Good luck!