Starting
a quilt pattern design business may sound like a lot of fun and a great way to
earn extra income. The reality is that quilt pattern design is a challenging
profession that requires and a lot of time and dedication with a lot of hard
work. With that in mind, I decided to devote a blog series to my experiences in
running a pattern design business from my home. I hope that in sharing the
struggles that I have faced and what I have learned will help others decide
whether they would want to take the challenge of professionally designing quilt
patterns.
First, a little bit
about myself and how Quilting Affection Designs came to be. My quilting inspiration comes from my
mom and my aunt. I began sewing at an
early age on my Holly Hobbie sewing machine. In addition to taking home
economics classes, which included sewing.
My love of quilting started while
watching my mom make and hand quilt several
quilts. After I was married, I took my first quilting class at a local fabric
store. Here I discovered my talent and passion for
quilting. I even got my first quilting job from my quilt instructor.
For many years while my husband served
in the military, I quilted when I could. However, some places we stationed did
not make getting quilting supplies easy to understand.
So, I would find myself taking long breaks from quilting. We finally ended up
in the Washington DC area, and while
working, I was again able to take up quilting. Over the next few years, I
dedicated myself to learning all could
about quilting and all the new tools and technics.
When
I first got the idea of starting a home-based quilting business in 2012. I was
focusing on becoming a Longarmer and running a quilt finishing service. My
youngest son had just gone to basic training in the Air Force, and my husband
and I had the opportunity to go to an APQS demonstration in Fredericksburg Va.
I have been looking at different longarms at quilt shows for a while. I fell in
love with the APQS Millennium, and the time seemed right,
From
2016 to the present, I have been a full-time quilt pattern designer, and what an
enjoyable experience it has been. I genuinely love the challenge of coming up
with original designs, choosing colors, and working with beautiful fabrics.
Above all, I love that my job is to see my creations come to life.
Now,
I also need to leave a word of caution because it is not all fun and games.
Running a business is a lot of work and requires a lot of time and dedication.
I am not trying to scare people away from doing something they love. I just
want to ensure that if you are thinking of taking the plunge, you know what you
may be getting into.
For
the next several weeks, I am going to post about my journey into the world of
quilt pattern design, what I have learned, and what I have experienced. Additionally,
I will cover what my average day looks like, the tools I use for designing,
working with other quilting companies, and the joys/challenges I run into every
day.
Now
I want to make clear that this is not a step by step how to start a business
blog. The purpose of this blog is to share my experiences and what I have
learned in the hope that you will find the information enjoyable and maybe even
useful.
I am trying to get one ready myself....and it is hard work. I look forward to hearing your journey!
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