Etsy Seller Interview with Teresa of TeresaGilCrossStitch

How TeresaGilCrossStitch 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?

My shop is TeresaGilCrossStitch. I have been cross stitching since I was seven, meaning my mastery of this craft has been honed over the years, reaching a point where I started to change bits and colours I didn´t like from the original patterns.

In 2013, I came across Norman Hartnell´s Coronation Sketch for Queen Elizabeth. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty, intricate embroidery, and symbology of it that I wanted a cross-stitch version of it to display at home. I scoured the whole Internet for days looking for such a pattern in cross stitch before realising that it hadn´t been created. So, I found myself with two choices: dropping that dream or creating it myself.

I bought three cross-stitch computer programmes, one after the other. The first two were useless for such an elaborate gown. The third one was really expensive, but after receiving some help to have it installed and learn the tools, I began to design it. I can´t remember how long it took to create it, probably 2-3 months. I had chosen a VERY complex design to be my first. After many hours of polishing the design, the pattern was completed. As I cross-stitched it, I honed it more and more. The result was so loved by so many cross-stitchers that they wanted to buy it. From there, my Etsy shop was established, with just one pattern.

The sales came in very slowly. However, I felt so proud that I could use that sketch as inspiration for such a majestic and regal cross stitch pattern that I wasn’t worried about the sales. They were not my first motivation to create it; I wanted to have that piece hanging in pride of place at home, which I have.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

Being a cross stitcher myself, I design only patterns that I like and feel relaxed and happy with. My all-time favourite and best-seller is the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Dress. Then Stitching Beauty and Princess Grace's Ball Gown follow suit (links added). However, all my designs have a love story behind them. I liked designing and stitching each one of them; they all captured my imagination and transported me to an ideal world where I felt happy and at ease: Victorian ladies embroidering, Victorian couples enjoying their time together, Edwardian ladies, elegant women with their amazing English Country Houses in the background, mediaeval fantasy maidens, and of course, Royal homages to mainly Queen Elizabeth (six designs altogether), but also to Princess Diana and Princess Catherine.

They all sell slowly but surely. Many people who like stitching royalty already know me and contact me with interesting suggestions.

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?

Selling a pattern is a very slow process. As I have already pointed out, I enjoy designing my own patterns and then stitching them. After that, if somebody else wants to stitch any, they can find them on Etsy. But selling and making a business of it was never my first purpose; that´s why I was so patient and enthusiastic about my designs. I really think you have to love what you do and enjoy the process; otherwise, you run the risk of becoming impatient and bored. I advertise my designs and new releases through my Instagram: @teresagildesign and Facebook: Teresa Gil. Etsy also advertises my patterns, for which I am very grateful.

Managing TeresaGilCrossStitch

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?

Although I seek computer help from time to time, I run my shop alone. I basically use the management tools of my shop to upload a new pattern, read the feedback, and answer any message I might receive almost immediately. I sell my patterns through instant download, so I don’t have to ship.

The future of TeresaGilCrossStitch 

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

I am happy with the way my Etsy is working now. I would be very  grateful if Etsy could find a way to print the buyer email into the downloaded patterns to help cope with the copyright infringement of my  charts. That would really help prevent piracy and enhance sales.  

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Love what you sell, be patient, advertise your product on social media, be honest with your buyer, and give them a good service. Avoid at all cost  negative feedback, even if you have to lose some money.