Etsy Seller Interview with Cait of TheFunnyStitch

How TheFunnyStitch 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?

Hi! I'm Cait Doyle, owner and co-founder of The Funny Stitch, where we create handmade decor with humor and heart. The majority of our products are finished embroidery hoop wall hangings featuring humorous sayings & designs. The Funny Stitch began back in 2014 as a fun bonding activity for me and my mom, co-founder Nancy Doyle. One might say I'm the "Funny" (background in theater and comedic writing) with my mom as the "Stitch" (extensive design/decor/sewing expertise), though I think she would argue we are both the 'Funny'!

Our product inspiration stems from a firm belief that laughter is the best medicine (besides Zoloft). In an increasingly stressful world, a moment of levity can change a whole perspective or make things even a tiny bit more palatable. Our rule of thumb when designing is that the proposed funny embroidery pitch must evoke a genuine laugh or smile from those around us.

As The Funny Stitch has evolved, so has our commitment to upcycling, repurposing, and sustainability. Textile waste is a huge environmental culprit; each year, the U.S. alone throws away over 10 million tons! Instead of buying newly manufactured materials, we source from second-hand businesses, estate sales, and our friends and family. Just the other day, we rescued the lining from old curtains, which will be repurposed into protective backing fabric for future embroidery hoop art.

Favorite items

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

"No longer living in sin", a personalized wedding embroidery hoop, is my favorite to make. It's fun working with a bride and groom to create something unique to commemorate their marriage. "Maybe swearing will help", epitomizes our subversive style: a modern sentiment stitched on the sweetest vintage Laura Ashley fabric. Our dumpster fire ornament will always be a favorite, as it was one of the first pieces to really take off and shape our vision for the future.

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 probably took about a week for my first 'cha-ching' to occur. That being said, I started on Etsy years ago, when it was much easier for handmade shops to be found organically. Nowadays, social media marketing is critical to finding new customers. The next thing on my to-do list is to try collaborating with some like-minded influencers (I'm open to any suggestions!).

Managing TheFunnyStitch

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'm able to run The Funny Stitch by myself, along with the help of some family members, during the holidays when business picks up. There are a few tech tools that help me keep things running smoothly. Aweber is great. You can integrate it from within Etsy, and they send automated emails to customers asking them if they would like to join your mailing list. As far as I know, this is the only Etsy-approved way to add email addresses to your own personal list. Now if I could only remember to set up my email marketing campaign. I also love PirateShip for printing shipping labels; it's easy to use, full of pirate puns, and I save extra money when paired with my credit card that gives cash back for shipping purchases.

The future of TheFunnyStitch 

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

My goal is to generate a full-time income solely from the shop. For The Funny Stitch, this means making multiple sales daily all year round, not just during the gift-giving holidays. I also want to open a standalone website to diversify my sales channels and not have all my eggs in one basket on Etsy.

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice would be to just jump in; don't be overly precious with every step along the way. The best part about Etsy is that it's relatively cheap and easy to introduce new products, receive market feedback, and then tweak and evolve your products. Throw some spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks.