Quilting on the Side

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Quilting on the Side, hosts Andi and Tori chat with their guest Ashli Montgomery about her journey as a quilter and author.  Ashli discusses her diverse interests, including her writing career and her non-profit business, Quilt to End Alzheimer's. She explains how she balances her various pursuits and the importance of time blocking. She also shares the ins...

Send us Fan Mail In this two part episode, Tori and Andi interview Julia Wachs, a quilter and pattern designer, about her recent successful launch of a Row of the Month program. Julia shares her background in foundation paper piecing and her goals for the launch. She discusses her marketing strategies, including email and social media, and the collaborations she formed with quilt shops. Julia also...

Send us Fan Mail Darla Hall shares her journey in the quilting world, from learning to quilt as a child to starting her own long arm quilting business. She discusses the transition from quilting as a hobby to turning it into a business, and the various components of her quilt business, including teaching classes and creating online content. Darla also talks about the challenges and rewards of shar...

Send us Fan Mail In this engaging episode, Andi and Tori delve into the crucial role of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics in assessing the vitality and success of a quilting or craft business. They clarify the distinction between revenue and profit, highlighting profit's paramount importance as a business health indicator. The conversation further explores the concept of return on...

Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode, Lyric Montgomery-Kinard shares her quilting adventures, from traditional quilting to art quilts and teaching with our hosts Andi and Tori. She discusses the benefits of teaching as a way to travel and have a flexible career. Lyric also talks about the challenges of teaching online and the importance of owning intellectual property. Lyric offers insight...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Quilting on the Side, Andi and Tori discuss the power of collaborations in growing a quilting business. They explore different types of collaborations, such as summits, podcasts, Instagram collaborations, and blog hops. The hosts emphasize the importance of finding collaborators with similar goals and values. They also provide tips for starting a collaboration,...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, our hosts Tori and Andi chat with Kris O'Neill who shares her journey from being a hobby quilter to building a successful business on YouTube. She discusses the importance of joining a quilt guild and learning from other quilters. Kris explains how she started her YouTube channel and the strategies she used to grow her audience and monetize her content....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Andi and Tori dive into e-commerce platforms, with a spotlight on Etsy and having your own site. They chat about kicking off their businesses on Etsy, what was great about it, and the not-so-great parts. They also touch on how crucial customer service is and the tricky bits that come with it. Then, they switch gears to talk about picking an e-commerce platform and...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, Becky Campbell joins our hosts Andi and Tori and shares her journey into quilting and how it evolved into a successful business. Becky's business began with designing and selling quilt storage sleeves. She then developed innovative applique techniques and started teaching. She also ventured into pattern design and published two books. Becky discusses h...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Quilting on the Side explores the process of launching a product or service in the quilting industry. Andi and Tori discuss the different phases of a launch, including the pre-launch period, the actual launch, and the post-launch follow-up. They provide insights into the activities and strategies involved in each phase, such as surveying customers, creating content...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Quilting on the Side, our podcast hosts, Andi and Tori, sit down with Sherri Noel from Rebecca Mae Designs who shares her journey in the quilting business, starting from selling mittens to writing quilt patterns. She discusses the popularity of block of the month programs and how she built her following through blogs and collaborations. Sherri also talks about h...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Tori's husband Ryan joins the podcast to provide a family perspective on supporting a small business owner. Ryan shares his experience as an entrepreneur himself and how it helps him understand Tori's journey. They discuss the pros and cons of having a partner with a side business, including the startup costs and adjustments to routines. Ryan also talks...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Andi chats with Julie Loma from Off the Wall Quilt, discussing her transition from quilt hobbyist to quilt business owner. They delve into Julie's coincidental journey into quilting, her experiences in vending at quilt shows, and her passion for business growth and customer success. The conversation highlights how Julie manages different facets of her busines...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'Quilting on the Side', Tori & Andi share tips on transitioning from quilting as a hobby to a serious business. Important steps discussed include setting up a legal entity, establishing a business bank account, preparing for sales tax obligations, and starting an email list. They also emphasize the importance of separating personal and business per...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'Quilting on the Side', co-hosts Tori and Andi talk with special guest, Brandie Nelson, about her journey as a long arm quilter and the business she started around her passion. Brandie shares her unique experience of transitioning from cross-stitching to long arm quilting. Brandie shares strategies on managing customer interactions, deciding pricing, m...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Andi and Tori discuss the importance of setting goals in your business. They emphasize the benefits of working with shorter timeframes for business goals and planning around big events and launches. They also discuss the importance of setting realistic revenue goals and focusing on goals that you can control. They provide tips for reflecting and dreaming for goal...

Send us Fan Mail We asked all our guests to share their favorite notions and quilting tools that they cannot live without. In this recap, we have compiled all the answers from our Season 1 interviews.  Do you agree with these choices for indespensible items? Please share in the comments what your favorite quilting notion is! You can find most of these items at your local quilt shop, or purchase on...

Send us Fan Mail S1E18 Woo Hoo! Episode 18 - it's been an amazing first season for the Quilting on the Side podcast. Andi and Tori share the highs and lows of starting and producing a weekly  podcast focused on the quilting industry. We'd love to hear who your favorite guests were and what topics we should tackle next. Find us online at  http:quiltingontheside.com Support the show If you...

Send us Fan Mail Nancy from Patchwork Breeze talks to us about her quilting journey, that started by using cardboard templates before rotary cutters came on the scene. Today she designs both patterns and fabrics using computer software. You will be inspired to keep chasing your dreams, even if it takes decades! You can find Nancy at http://www.patchworkbreeze.com/ Support the show If you want more...

Send us Fan Mail S1E16 Take a deep dive into social media strategy as we discuss our hits and misses. Tori and Andi have been actively promoting their quilt businesses online for years and in this episode they share some tips and tricks to find and engage with your audience. Leave a review or comment and let us know your favorite socail media platform. Support the show If you want more support wit...

Send us Fan Mail S1E15 We are thrilled to chat with Beth Ann Williams about her quilting journey and how she approaches the business side of things. In this episode, you will hear about her "grandma of the heart," the impact of a viral video and how to love social media. Successful quilt businesses develop a strong community and we are so happy to have Beth Ann as our new best friend. Le...

Send us Fan Mail S1E14 We have discovered that a key element in pricing your offers is the desire to have a thriving business. Listen to our conversation about setting prices to discover how we find that sweet spot that allows us to feel good about what we charge for things like workshops, lectures, longarm services and even selling finished quilts.  Learn more at  https://quiltingontheside.com/ S...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Marlene, the owner of K.I.S.S.ed Quilts who has a darling fabric shop in Grand Coulee, Washington.  Marlene started as a longarm quilter and expanded to teaching and selling fabric. In this episode, she explains her growth from a weekend quilter to a shop-owner with plans to expand. You will hear all about her pattern design process and block of the month program along with t...

Send us Fan Mail Season 1 Episode 12 - There is so much to learn as you start a business! Here are a few resources we have found to be super helpful in our entrepreneurial journey. We each chose three favorite books that have given us a firm foundation as we navigate the path to success with our side hustles. What are you reading that has made an impact? Support the show If you want more support w...

Send us Fan Mail Belle Brunner from Seams Sew Me join us to talk about her fast track to success. She started quilting during the pandemic, and quickly connected with pattern distributors and began teaching at national shows. She brings expertise as a leadership coach who has worked with non-profits to offer training to quilt guilds in the areas of strategic planning and conflict resolution. There...