I always try to shop Etsy businesses and ones like them and to reach out to artists and makers directly if I can. These are 10 of my favorite among the best Etsy shops I’ve found in the past year and links to more than 40 more, as well.
The Best Etsy Shops
People ask me regularly, “Is Etsy legit?” Absolutely! I’ve loved both eBay and Etsy but lately, eBay has become harder to browse than a bad flea market. Etsy’s managed to hold it’s appeal because I can still drill down to handmade or vintage and find small shops to love. My favorite shop Etsy stores are ones where real people are hand-making beautiful things, vintage is still vintage, and things are priced like an antique shop, not a boutique. If that’s your jam, too, here are some Etsy stores you’ll enjoy.
Favorite Shops for Babywearing & Special Needs Sewing
- Boulevard Designs – If you’re babywearing, diapering, breastfeeding, or have special needs related to enteral feeding or other medical conditions, you need to get to know Sarah at Wallypop/Boulevard Designs (That’s her website if you prefer; I do.) Her cloth diapers are super affordable. Not only is she a meticulous craftsperson (people rave about the quality), she’s a problem solver. If you have a need sewing can fill, she can find the answer and make it for you.
Best Etsy Shops for Handmade Awesomeness
- Beth’s Market Bags has me smitten – if you don’t already know it, oilcloth will have you living your best bag life and she makes some of the prettiest oilcloth bags I’ve seen. I love that you can customize with snaps, etc. I’m already finding lots of places I need one of these.
- Blue Sheep Boutique – I love quilts but I hate quilting – enter Jenny and her super cute quilt shop. She says the Hawaiian batik is her best seller and based on the reviews, it’s easy to see why. Wondering if one of her kits might make a quilter out of me…
- For Pete’s Sake Pottery – Susan’s work features a lot of blue and white which, if you’ve been with me long, you know is my favorite. She also carries this gorgeous handpainted home ornament that is now my all-time favorite gift idea.
- Whipping Up Fairytales – Kasey’s wall hangings are enough to make her shop ultra-cool, but there’s so much more to see. The colors she puts together in her beautifully-crocheted goods, the dyed onesies, the super affordable necklaces – it’s all good here, and all truly handmade.
Shop Etsy for Soaps & Such
- Green Living Soap Company – I didn’t even know conditioner bars were a thing until now. Yes, please. I’m also ordering some of this stamped mechanic/laundry soap.
Awesome Etsy Businesses for Vintage Clothing & Housewares
- You had me at pointe shoes. A fellow foodie and Italian cooking enthusiast, Dee at Donna’s Finishing Touch has the sweetest things, from primitive to vintage. Her shop is like wandering the halls of a beautiful antique store but with much better prices.
- Miss Hettie Custom Home Decor – I love vintage linen and the shop combines vintage goods and antiques with her handmade farmhouse and shibori dyed items – she has a real talent for dyeing and y’all, this lady can ruffle like nobody’s business.
- Honeybee Vintage Finds – Everything you didn’t know you needed is here. Estate sale expert Shawna has a great eye and her shop is priced reasonably. (If you’re tired of overpriced glassware, here’s your relief; still, my favorites are her vintage t-shirts.) Both the goods and the seller are authentic, that’s my kind of shop.
Visiting with these artists this week was exactly what I needed to put me back in touch with my mission here, which has always been to build a community of real people on the internet. Friends who make and curate pretty stuff for a living are definitely my tribe. If you’re looking for fabric specifically, check out my fabric stores post as well.
Here are other best Etsy shop listings for 50 more great shops:
https://laurelberninteriors.com/2020/11/03/the-40-best-etsy-shops-for-home-furnishings-in-2021/
https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/amazing-etsy-shops
Whatever you’re shopping for, if you are able to, I hope you’ll join me in taking the time to buy it as close to the source as possible and support artists and craftspeople. I’d love to see your Etsy favorites, share them in the comments and on social with #foodnfabric and we may feature you on our IG stories.
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