How TomToy 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?

TomToy is a kids-oriented shop with developmental toys like quiet books, felt learning sets, crochet food, I spy sets, and other decorative stuff. My will to create handmade toys awoke with my son’s birth in 2011. As a babywearing mom, I had an interest in teething accessories, and once I discovered such things as crochet teething necklaces, I was so impressed by it that I spent weeks browsing crochet teething toys. At some critical point, I decided to make one. No matter, I didn’t even know how to crochet.

I learned to crochet with online video tutorials. Once I managed the basic stitches, I started working on my main project straight ahead. Without any pattern, just an inspiring picture of a pooh-the-bear theme necklace. Now, when I look back at myself, I know it was mission impossible. To say I struggled is nothing to say. It was a long way of error and try. But I had endless patience to unravel and start over again and again. Eventually, I finished my first creation!

I was extremely happy with the result and proud of my success. It was colourful, textural, and so useful to save my fingers from being bit by my baby in a sling. I continued creating other toys for my son. For his first birthday, I made him a quiet book. I couldn’t keep it to myself and wanted to share my passion for crochet and toys with other people. That's how I opened my Etsy shop.

Favorite items

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

I love making different things, so I have many different products listed (and even more not listed). Beside development toys, quiet books, and felt playsets, I also like to make home decor stuff, crochet toys and embellishments, and write patterns for them.

I have a special place in my heart for the first skill I managed—crochet. I love the magic of yarn getting into shape under my hands. I see how I get better and better at the products that I make the most, but variety is important for me to keep interested in the creation process.

Felt "Paper" Doll Starter set, Doll Dressing Play set, Customized doll Skin and Hair color, 12cm doll, Set of 1 doll and 6 outfits
Dollhouse with felt "paper" doll, Handmade by TomToy, Quiet book for girls, Fabric Felt doll house, 20x20cm, Custom 2-12 pages
Color me Flowers Crochet applique collection, Colorful Rainbow Crochet Flowers, Handmade Hand crochet, 3.5-8cm, Set of 5 flowers
Big Crochet Pumpkin, Autumn Fall Thanksgiving Halloween decoration, Table centerpiece Harvest Rustic Ornament, 15-18cm, 1 pcs 

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?

The first sale took about a month. It was a large set of crocheted food with some custom editions. It was very exciting to have such a special order as a first sale. I give a lot of thought to creating new things and improving existing ones. It requires a lot of research, thinking, and sketching. Often, customers themselves give me new ideas through custom requests. Some of my popular quiet books, like Dollhouse and The Bible, were created as custom orders first.

Managing TomToy

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 manage my shop by myself. 
My main tool for keeping records of all the orders in progress and shipping data is a simple Excel file. 
I also have a tool for bookkeeping, a local Israeli accounting site called Green Invoice. 
I use Photoshop for editing photos.
Evernote, Word, and Illustrator for writing crochet patterns.
Shipping and fulfilment are done using the Israel Post service.

The future of TomToy 

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

My dream is to create a workshop outside of my home to separate work and home.
More space will lead to smarter storage and leave more time for creation.
In this workshop, I will also would make a physical place to show and sell my products.
And organise crochet classes to teach crochet.
Also, I would like to share more of my social media stories behind the science. I love to see how handmade products are created, and I know others like that too.

Advice for new sellers

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

Follow what makes your eyes sparkle.
Don’t let any excuse stop you—no time, no skill, no money...
Creating something with your own hands is magical. When you manage to create something new that once seemed impossible, it changes how you see yourself and what you are capable of.
Eventually, this will have an impact on your life in general.
When you have a will, the rest will follow.

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.