Stitching Together a New Career

Jill Kerttula didn't quit her day job to start her business making beautiful one-of-a-kind reconstructed sweaters. Her day job quit her last year, leaving her with the time and motivation to start something new.

"I started thinking about what I wanted to do next," says Kerttula, a 58-year-old former graphic designer for a home furnishings company. After months of fruitless job searching, she took matters into her own hands--literally--and sewed her way to a new career.

The Hobby That Became a Business
Last summer, the Wisconsin woman bought a $1,000 serger (a sewing machine for knitwear) with a no-interest loan and started selling her repurposed sweaters, scarves and gloves on Etsy, the online marketplace for handmade items and vintage goods.

Kerttula's investment paid off: Within months, she had enough sales pouring in from her shop and trade shows to forget about passing out resumes. She's not alone.

"We've seen a definite increase in the number of people on Etsy who have been able to quit their day jobs," says Adam Brown, a member of Etsy's marketing team. The site's blog now includes a regular Monday feature about these folks.

Just months after opening her shop, Kerttula's "hobby" began grossing $1,000 a week. This year, with more repeat business and custom orders, she expects sales to reach $75,000--enough to live comfortably, but not enough to hire employees. That's just fine with her.

"I like to do all of the actual work myself," she says.

A New Workday
Freedom and solitude are just two of the payoffs of Kerttula's new noncorporate gig, which includes shopping at thrift stores once a week. Here's what a typical day looks like:

• After waking up, she checks e-mail on her computer, scans Etsy's forums and responds to conversation threads--her version of water cooler talk.
• Around 9 a.m. it's downstairs to her studio to sew (and listen to NPR).
• At lunch, she's back online.
• Afternoons, she works with her palette of sweaters--cutting them apart and bundling parts for each piece. She photographs new creations and takes orders to the post office.
• After dinner, she uploads photos, washes sweaters and does hand-sewing while watching TV.

Ready to Quit  Your Day Job?
Kerttula offers this advice:

• Be realistic about your time and money.

One reason her business has succeeded is because of low overhead. Thrift store sweaters can be had for a buck or two, and Etsy charges just 20 cents per listed item and 3.5 percent of each sale. Moreover, she doesn't spend more than 12 hours laboring on any piece--even the priciest custom cardigan coat. She completes about four to six sweaters a week and six to eight scarves and cuffs.

• Promote yourself.

"You can't be afraid to blow your own horn," Kerttula says, and that may mean cold calling and booth sitting. She pitched herself to Etsy's in-house blog, attends craft shows and is setting up her own website.

• Have a support system.

Kerttula turned to friends and strangers in online groups and forums for the advice and encouragement she needed. "It took [my husband] a while to believe that selling sweaters online could make a buck."

• Do what you love, because you'll be doing a lot of it.

For Kerttula, work lasts well past sundown. But her love for it makes the long hours worthwhile. "This morning I woke up at about 3 a.m. so anxious to go down to the studio, I could hardly wait," she says. "It is all-consuming, but I am having a ball."