How FriendsOfSocktopus 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 Clarity Miller of Friends of Socktopus. It’s just me over here, sewing one stuffie at a time! I started selling on Etsy in 2006, in the early days of the site. Back then I was making a lot of sock monkeys, but now I’ve moved into more colorful, whimsical creatures. I have a sewing studio in my 110-year-old house on an island in Washington State, where I live with my family and too many animals. When I started selling on Etsy, it was because I couldn’t hold down a regular 9–5 job because of my kidney disease. It was a way for me to work when I felt good and rest when I didn’t. This year I got a brand new kidney!

Favorite items

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

My favorite items at the moment are these new ornaments I’ve been making, snails and frogs.

Handmade Felt Frog with Mushroom Hat Christmas Ornament

My all-time best sellers, which are super fun to make, are llamas. They’re amazingly soft, and I love making their saddles.

Stuffed Llama, Llama Stuffie, Plush Llama, Llama Toy, New Baby Gift

My other favorite is my Avo-Cato catnip toy. They have a tablespoon of organic catnip in each one, and cats go bonkers for them. They don’t sell well online, but I sell tons when I do in-person markets. I wish they sold better on Etsy because I like mailing packages to cats.

Avo-Catos The Avocado Catnip Toy - Set of 2

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?

I don’t remember how long it took, but it was fairly quick. Back in those days, there weren’t as many sellers using the platform, and it was easier to attract sales. Instagram and other social media platforms are now bringing in more customers.

Managing FriendsOfSocktopus

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?

It’s just me. I love making things, but I’m not great with the business side of my craft business. I don’t really use apps to run my store. My accounting system is very low-tech. I do shipping and fulfillment on my dining room table. Sometimes I have assistance from a cat who shouldn’t be on the dining room table.

The future of FriendsOfSocktopus

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

I would like to widen my customer base as I expand my shop to include new designs.

Advice for new sellers

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

Number one is definitely: don’t steal from other artists. Come up with an original idea. I have a number of artist friends who have been ripped off by other makers or companies (I have too), and it really stinks.

Number two is: don’t sell yourself short. Pricing is one of the hardest parts of being a maker, and you need to make sure you are paying yourself a fair wage. Don’t be tempted to sell your product for an overly cheap price just to get sales. That was a hard lesson for me to learn. Figure out how much time, materials, etc. go into each product and how much money you would like to be making per hour.

Number three: good photos make all the difference!

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.