How KnittyMad got started
Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?
I have always knitted; my grandma taught me when I was young, and she looked after us in the school holidays (back before all technology, lol). When I became pregnant with my first, I decided I wanted to knit him a blanket. It was a very basic stitch, and I needed a refresher from my grandma and also from my mom, who can knit. I basically since then haven’t put my needles down. It was hard to come up with something to sell as items like toys had to be CE tested, which I did, but then my products were time-consuming to make. I searched and tried lots of things like baby booties, hats, and smaller bears, but then I stumbled across chocolate orange covers!
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
Chocolate orange covers have to be my favourite. I sell more and more each year. They are fun to knit, and I have even designed some of my own (elves, Santa, and gingerbread men). They are a great teacher gift, a secret Santa gift, and I even had someone order wedding favours from me for her Christmas wedding. I have my mom help me make them, as well as my mother-in-law. We are busy bees.
I have some more fancy covers too, which are made with fluffy wool and some with beads. My mom makes Ferrero Rocher covers. I then went on to do chocolate bar covers too. All of which have been popular too. I keep trying to add to the range each year.
Getting sales on Etsy
How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?
It did take me quite a while. I think I had my shop for over a year but didn’t really try that hard with it, if I am honest. I couldn’t find the right product to sell, and I also went on to have baby number 2. I used Facebook quite a bit and would share links there to Etsy. I also set up Instagram and would share on there too. My shop is more focused on Christmas. I do have some Easter lines that sell quite well, but my main focus is Christmas. The excitement you get when you hear that ker-ching is great, though.
Managing KnittyMad
How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?
I am lucky to have my mom and mother-in-law help me with knitting. My mom retired a couple of years ago and now has more time, and she really enjoys knitting the covers. Her favourite ones are Santa, the elf, and the snowman. We both knit a bit differently, so some can look slightly different, but that's the thing with homemade items; they are unique.
I mainly use Instagram and Facebook but don’t tend to post much in the spring as I don't think people really want to see Christmas items then.
I use Royal Mail for my shipping and have an account with them, and last year my partner bought me a label printer to make things a bit easier and more professional.
The future of KnittyMad
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
My goal each year is to beat what I sold the previous year, and so far I have. I would love to be able to do it full time, but I think that would be a while yet.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
Just keep going and don’t give up. Find something that works for you. Get your pictures and tags right.
