In the early days of my quilting journey, I crafted quilted ornaments from leftover fabric to complement the quilts I was making. Some friends suggested I sell them, so I set up an Etsy account and listed a few items. When they didn’t sell right away, I casually told my friends, “See? No sales,” and removed them. That was my first “attempt” at a business.
After a few years of quilting and gifting my creations, I stopped making the ornaments (they took more time than they were worth) and continued focusing on quilts. Friends and family kept suggesting I sell them. To be honest, I never thought my quilts were anything special—they were just a creative outlet I enjoyed sharing with people close to me. But when strangers started saying the same thing, I began to reconsider. It’s funny how easily we dismiss advice from those we love, but when someone we’ve never met echoes it, we pause and think, “Maybe they’re right.”
I spent a lot of time thinking about who I was really trying to reach. Sure, any sale is a success—but who needed a quilt like mine?
After weeks of reflection, I realized I wanted to connect with the person who wants a handmade quilt but doesn’t have the time, skill, or desire to make one. Maybe it’s a soon-to-be mom who wants a 100% cotton quilt that can be passed down. Maybe it’s a newlywed couple or someone who just bought their first home, looking for something more unique than what they’ll find in stores. Maybe it’s a parent whose child is moving away and wants to send them off with something special. Handmade quilts carry meaning, but not everyone has the knowledge—or bandwidth—to make one themselves.
As I looked deeper into mass-produced trends, I felt discouraged. I saw memes claiming lap quilts should cost $1,200+ and graphics justifying extreme pricing. That prompted me to track how much fabric and time I actually used—especially since I was working a full-time job while quilting. When I saw the real hours it took, I developed a pricing strategy that made sense for me and helped keep my quilts affordable.
I also learned three key things about mass-produced “quilts”:
- Very few are made with 100% cotton.
- Most aren’t true patchwork—they’re printed panels or whole cloth with minimal quilting.
- Nearly all are made overseas, not in the U.S.
That’s when it clicked. I wanted to create high-quality, 100% cotton quilts for people who didn’t have the time or interest to make one themselves—but still wanted the comfort, durability, and meaning that only a real quilt can provide.
With my Etsy store already in place, I started refining my listings and promoting my work. Etsy had recently leaned into the handmade movement, even adding categories to help customers find handcrafted goods. I thought, “Perfect! This is it!” But… it was quiet. A few items were favorited. Carts were abandoned. And when I paused my ads, the only traffic I saw came from my own efforts—not Etsy’s.
That’s when I made the decision to try Shopify, and if you’re reading this, you’re seeing the result of that leap.
I also began doing in-person markets. It’s taken time to figure out which ones are a good fit, but the process has been fun and full of learning. I’ve met so many interesting people and had meaningful conversations with folks who value the time and love sewn into each quilt.
Balancing site promotion, quilt-making, and market events has been a challenge, but also deeply rewarding. Even if this all becomes a hobby again someday, I’ll know I gave it my best shot.
I don’t know what the future holds—but I hope it holds a quilt for people who might not otherwise have one. As quilting becomes less common, I hope to spark a renewed appreciation for this craft. And if even one person who buys a quilt from me decides to take up quilting themselves? Then maybe I’ll have helped carry the tradition forward—one stitch at a time.
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