Happy Etsy - Versary!

This week marks my 4th year using the handmade marketplace, www.etsy.com.  Back in 2006, Etsy was a still a fairly new site, but I guessed that if it took off, it would be a great place to sell, yarns and fiber and hats.  At first it was slow.  I watched my views night and day, posting hats, hand-dyed and handspun yarns, hand dyed sock yarns, and roving.  With in a few weeks I was getting sales, though not always what I expected.

Roving took off  and looking back at my colorways, I can see why.  My colorways were subtle and lovely - I was trying a lot of variations and was on a creative streak.  I remember someone buying my whole shop (about 10 hanks of roving!) at once and how excited I was. This photo is Rose Gold.  Although the photo is a bit blurry, I like this colorway and may just bring it back.   At this time I was still in grad school, my soft-money job was always in danger of disappearing, so it looked like Smoky Mountain Fibers was going to be my real job.

Etsy has gotten bigger and better.  My dyework is more predictable if a bit less experimental.   In addition to dyed fiber, I am selling undyed fiber, patterns, dyed mohair locks (when I can get them), knitting and felting needles and have used Etsy as a way to destash when the fiber and yarn get a bit out of hand.  I have not been successful selling hats (maybe you should try on a hat!) and I no longer sell much hand dyed sock yarn.  There is a lot of sock yarn out there and I find it hard to photograph.

Etsy has become a more crowded market place for handmade goods and supplies for artisans. I don't have to maintain my own website - Etsy bring more customers to me than I could have imagined.  But I have built up an excellent customer base and they come back  I am very grateful for the feedback that I get from my customers.

Now, how do we celebrate milestones in Etsy?  With a sale of course!  In this case, 20% off everything in my shop.  Go to www.smokymountainfibers.etsy.com.  Leave a note in the 'note to seller' area with the code, Happy Anniversary.  I'll refund 20% of the sale price (excluding shipping and handling) via PayPal.  Offer expires on July 31, 2010.

By the way, my job has not ceased to exist but has expanded.  I am happy that I went back to school  to pursue my professional goals.  I'm also very happy that I continue to pursue my creative side as well.  Thanks, Etsy!