Top seller on Etsy interview – Inspirational stories on success Ira Rott
It is time for another Top Etsy Sellers interview. You can read the first one here. I have a few favorite pattern designers, and the numbers are increasing everyday. I am so happy to introduce you to a very successful and talented designer. I adore her shop.
She has the cutest patterns, and you can choose from more than 200 of them. The designer’s name is Ira Rott from Southern Ontario, Canada, and her Etsy shop is called IRAROTTpatterns. She has patterns for hats, blankets, rugs, loveys, and clothes too. She also wrote not one, but three books. You can even find knitting and quilting patterns. Talk about the options!
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She is a little camera shy, that is why we didn’t do a video interview, but she was so kind and took the time to answer my questions. She is so amazing that she even offered a gift to my readers. She gave a 20% discount on all of her patterns! That is truly wonderful.
Here is the discount code: HAPPYCRAFTING – 20% off on all patterns in IRAROTTpatterns shop until November 15 (Midnight EST). That certainly is an offer you do not want to miss.
How did it all begin? Tell us your story.
I have always had a passion for making things from strings. Anything fiber related makes my eyes sparkle. Coming from a family of textile engineers, I was surrounded by fabrics and yarns from the time I was born. That’s why knitting, crocheting, and sewing feel natural to me. My first crochet projects were doilies from thread that I enjoyed making in middle school. In high school, I tuned into a fashionista, so I learned to draft sewing patterns, sew my own clothing and knit/crochet sweaters…If I could dream it, I would achieve it.
About 17 years ago, I started designing crochet clothing inspired by Irish, Bruges and Romanian Point Lace Crochet. Unfortunately, not many of my earlier designs are still available as patterns but there are some. For example, here is my Bruges Crochet Skirt pattern.
At the present time I enjoy creating and writing fun patterns inspired by animals. I am so thrilled that my Josefina & Jeffery the Elephants became loved and popular in the crochet community. It makes my heart incredibly happy when I see projects made from my patterns. Please keep sharing them on social media using hashtag #IraRott and tag me @IraRott in your posts when possible.
Last year I published my book “Crochet Animal Rugs” which includes 21 fun crochet patterns for 7 animal themes: elephants, monkeys, dinosaurs, kitties, crabs, giraffes, and pandas. So now, my patterns are available in print as well as in PDF format.
What inspires you?
My family and our children inspire me each and every day. My husband Maurice is my best friend and cheerleader, it’s so easy to live a creative life with his continuous encouragement and support. Even though it’s hard to see our kids turning into independent adults so quickly, I am very proud of their accomplishments and my heart is full of lasting memories we’ve created by crocheting, knitting, and sewing together. I hope that they will carry on these wonderful crafting skills to their children, just like my parents & grandparents passed their skills to me.
How does your every day look like?
Well, every day is a new day with new goals…however, my usual working day looks like:
1. 10K morning run
2. Answering questions on social media, answering emails and Etsy messages
3. Posting my work in progress and updates on social media
4. Pattern writing, photo editing, drawing diagrams
5. Team work with Polina (our youngest daughter who helps me with graphic design)
6. Working on my new projects – knitting, crocheting, spinning, sewing or quilting
What is your favorite yarn?
Oh my, it would be better if you asked what isn’t my favorite…I loved most yarns I have worked with and I love trying new yarns in any weight category and any fiber content…It all depends on my mood. Right now, I am having a blast with Red Heart Chick Sheep yarn by Marly Bird.
I also like to spin my own yarn using a drop spindle, and I hope to get a spinning wheel someday as well.
I am so grateful Ira took time and answered my questions. This is such an inspirational interview. Ira Rott is undoubtedly one of Etsy top sellers, with her 63500 sales. She is truly an amazing woman. It is pleasant to see a wonderful tradition has been passed on from generation to generation in their family. I think that every mother wishes that something that she loves would be so well received with her children.
Ira has even written a book and spins her own yarn. Astonishing! I have bought her book, and I can honestly say it is fantastic. I wouldn’t expect different since I know her patterns from Etsy. I have bought five of them, and I know I will buy more.
Here is the discount code again: HAPPYCRAFTING – 20% off on all patterns in IRAROTTpatterns shop until November 15 (Midnight EST).
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Which is your favorite design from the IRAROTTpatterns? Please tell me in the comments below. Thank you.
Thank you for reading.
Have a beautiful day.
Enjoy crocheting.
Katja
That was a great interview. Loved hearing about how her family passed down through the generations the love for crocheting. Ira Rott has designed and made so many different designs over the years and written books that are being shared on the differed media sites. My favorite patterns were the elephants and the skirt pattern. I will be looking into her products.
Thank you. Ira’s patterns are amazing and easy to follow; you will like it. If you make something, you can share your crochet creations with me on my Facebook page. I would love to see it.
Have a beautiful day.
Wow, Ira is totally successful. I really envy her and i have to add to the fact that she is truly a very awesome talent. Seeing the amount of sales she has made, it is very hard to say that she isnt a success. She really has made her own and even went so much to write a book. That’s awesome. Her works are really beautiful. I will check Iras’s social media pages for more of her beautiful works.
Thank you, I agree. You can check out her Etsy shop, too; she has more than 200 patterns there. I am sure; you will love it.
Have a nice day.
What a wonderful story you’ve got here, it’s been a long time ago you’ve been into this business. I believe in determination, passion that never ceases to get you motivated and inspiration that is beyond lesson, I really fancy your kind of work and the progress you’ve made overtime. 63500 sales, wow, it’s good to hear that it’s a generation legacy that has been passed down to her. Its really interesting to read across this article, I’ve learned a lot and I’ve been inspired to, thanks for sharing.
Thank you. It really is an inspirational story of success.
Have a nice day.
Ira Rott is a leader and a topper in the world of crotcheting and it was very interesting to see that her passion is passed down as a generational business to which she has taken to a new level entirely. Very interesting to read about her and her experience with this. Such a great interview. My best pattern and designing is that of the elephant
Thank you for your comment. I love to introduce inspirational stories of successful people and Ira Rott is definitely one of them. I am glad you enjoyed the interview.
Have a beautiful day.
Ira Rott is actually a big mentor that I have secret admiration for. I have read her book and she has really impacted on my vie of crotcheting. No wonder she has got that special touches, it is passed down from generations of crotceters, this is great to read about her and thank you for sharing.
I am glad you liked it. I love her patterns and the book also. She really is a great talent. Thank you for your comment.
If you want, you can share your crochet creations with me on my Facebook page. You are welcome there.
Have a beautiful day.
Hi Katja! I really enjoyed your first interview. And I was excited to read this one too. I love Ira Rott’s patterns. And will take advantage of this discount code before November 15.
I’ll follow Ira on social media. Thanks for providing her account. And I’ll also share with a friend that will also love her work!
Hi Henry! Thank you so much! I am so happy to hear that. You can follow my Facebook page also, and you can read all the interviews and get more discounts. I also share a lot of free patterns, but I am sure you already know that. Have a beautiful day. Thank you for sharing.
Ira Rott’s “Josefina & Jeffery the Elephants” became viral on social media and there was the first place were I heard about Ira. I started to research about her work and I’m glad I found this interview. For me it’s exciting to get to know a bit of her background and some of the things that have influenced her work.
I like to do that too. I love to know more about designers and their stories. I am glad you enjoyed the interview. Have a nice day.
Hello Katja and thank you for this interview with Ira Rott because it has directed me to her Etsy shop so I can get a crochet blanket for my nephew’s newborn son as a Christmas present. She certainly has a lot of items in her Etsy shop and I will definitely take advantage of that 20% off sale for my pre-Christmas purchase.
Her story reminds me a lot of my sister, my nephew’s mom. My sister is a graduate of a well-known college in New York City called Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). She was always artistic and liked sewing. She became a textile designer and many of her floral patterns which she excelled in made it into the Laura Ashley stores.
She has long been retired from the textile design industry and has since created dozens of different abstract, floral, cultural, and scenic paintings and other works of art that she has represented in an Atlanta Georgia art gallery. Like my sister, Ira Rott has a great eye for what will appeal to many and such has a great selection of patterns on Etsy.
I am happy to hear that you are from an artistic family too. I think that when you come from this kind of background, you cherish handmade items even more. I am sure your nephew will love the present.
Have a beautiful day.
Hi! Etsy is really cool, it’s great to see so much creative entrepreneurship on display. I haven’t got around to selling on Etsy but I’m going to once I get good enough at my new hobby (making gummy candy). I liked the background on Ira. Question for my noob brain though, regarding patterns. Do you just sow them onto something, like a sweatshirt? Or how are crocheting patterns used? Thank you appreciate it.
Hi. You are making gummy candy? That sounds interesting. What is the main ingredient?
Crochet patterns are basically instructions on how to make something from yarn and crochet hook. You can see how this is done in my post here:https://bestofcrochetpatterns.com/learn-to-crochet-step-by-step-for-free-video-tutorial/ You can make anything, from toys to blankets, to clothes, kitchen items, anything, that is why it is so fun 🙂
Have a nice day, and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Can you link me to a website or social media profile of this successful seller of patterns on Etsy? I’d like to also make an interview with her. I’m a home business coach here in the Philippines who is encouraging a lot of my country start something profitable in their spare time, as a home-based business. I think her story would inspire a lot of moms here to pursue their passion particularly in making patterns and selling them online. I will also share this blog post of yours in one of my own blog posts.
Hi Gomer.
You can find them on Etsy; the link is in the post.
Thank you for sharing my article. I wish you all the best.
Hey thanks for the awesome post! I like, in particular, how you talked about what inspires us. Family is my biggest inspiration, especially my kids, who are 2 years old, and 10 months old! I’m also a father who likes to crochet, but I have never made anything that could be worn, just little patches that have cool designs. Thanks for the discount code too! I may be able to convince my wife to get me some yarn!
Thank you. I am sure if you show your wife Ira’s beautiful patterns that she will get you some yarn right away. 🙂 I have a one-year-old son, and I love crocheting for him. It is a special feeling when you see your loved ones use the things you made.
You can make Potholders with little patches 😉 For more ideas on what to crochet, you can follow me on Facebook and Pinterest.
Have a nice day.