Craft to Career

Quilting is centuries old, so how does a brand-new product become a must-have in an industry that's already full of tools and traditions? In this episode, we sit down with the team behind Sew Tites to find out.
SewTites makes magnetic cutting mats and rulers designed to keep fabric steady while cutting, and to make cutting far less painful for quilters with arthritis or hand pain. It's a simple idea on the surface, but one that's become hugely popular in a short amount of time, and the company has more products already out and even more in development.
We talk about:
How SewTites got started, and the problem that sparked the idea
What it actually takes to launch a brand-new product in an industry that isn't new at all
How they knew there was real demand before they built the product
The marketing strategy that helped SewTites take off
What's next for the company, including new products in the works
Whether you're a quilter curious about the tools that make cutting easier, or a quilterpreneur wondering how to spot an unmet need in a mature market, this episode is full of takeaways.
WEBSITE: https://www.sewtites.com/

If you sell digital quilt patterns, you've probably wondered whether a marketplace is worth it, and what actually goes on behind the scenes to make one work. Ruth Erdei joins the podcast to talk about Quilting Books Patterns & Notions (QBPN), the family business she co-owns, and why she believes so strongly in transparency as a business model.
Ruth is a serial entrepreneur, designer, and creative business strategist with more than 20 years of experience building businesses across the craft, creative, and e-commerce industries. Her background spans custom cosplay, crochet, digital products, fashion, quilting, and cross-stitch, which gives her a wide view of both the creative and business sides of the industry. She's the co-owner of QBPN and co-founder of Craft Hatchery, two marketplaces supporting hundreds of independent designers and connecting makers with customers around the world.
In this episode, Ruth shares:
How she got started with QBPN and how the company has grown
How the QBPN business model works and what makes it different from other marketplaces
Why pattern writers might consider selling their patterns through QBPN
The different revenue streams the company offers designers
We also talk about something that doesn't always get discussed: what it actually costs to distribute digital patterns. It's easy to assume digital products have no overhead since there's no shipping or warehousing involved. But platform fees, protecting designers' intellectual property, keeping listings current, customer support, marketing, and ongoing file management all take real time and resources. Ruth talks through what that investment looks like at QBPN and why supporting and protecting designers is central to how the company operates.
If you're a pattern designer weighing where to sell, or just curious how a marketplace like this runs behind the scenes, this episode is worth a listen.

Eli McCann on Writing "Stitched": Quilting, Comedy, and the Drama of a Sewing Circle
What happens when a group of older women who quilt together also happen to be full of secrets, rivalries, and sharp opinions? Author Eli McCann joins the podcast to talk about his debut novel, Stitched, a comedic look at a fictional quilting group and all the drama that unfolds within it.
Eli is a lawyer by profession and writes a humor column for the Salt Lake Tribune. Stitched is his first novel, and the idea came straight from his own family. His mom has quilted for years and been part of the same quilting group for most of that time. Eli grew up playing under the quilts she and her friends made together, long before he had any idea how much material was sitting right there in that sewing room.
The book took shape after one dinner conversation, when his mom told him, "You won't believe all the drama in the quilting world," and spent the next few hours proving it. His husband was the one who suggested he turn it into a novel.
In this episode, Eli talks about:
The real conversation that sparked the idea for Stitched
Why he pushed back when publishers wanted a younger main character and a romance subplot
Writing older women as complex, funny, and entertaining without needing a love story to carry the book
What it's been like watching quilters respond to a book that hasn't even released yet
Stitched isn't out yet, but it's already generating buzz in the quilting community. Tune in to hear how a lifetime spent around quilters became the foundation for Eli's first novel.
LINKS: 
Order the book: https://www.torreyhouse.org/stitched-mccann
Eli's website: https://www.itjustgetsstranger.com/

This week I'm joined by Jamie Bright of Craft a Dream, and what a treat this conversation is. Jamie is a sharp businesswoman with a real gift for marketing, and her path into quilting is not the one you might expect.
Jamie did not start out in the quilting world at all. She built her business knowledge in a completely different field first, and then quilting found its way to her. With that foundation already in place, she grew a vibrant, self-sustaining business in the quilting industry, and she's generous about sharing how she did it.
In our chat, Jamie opens up about growing her email list, the summits she has run so successfully, and some smart, practical ways to earn more money from every quilt pattern you create and sell. What I love most is that her advice reaches beyond quilting. Because so much of her experience comes from outside the industry, the skills she shares apply to almost any creative business.
If you have ever wanted to turn your quilting passion into something steady and sustainable, this one is for you.
In this episode:
How Jamie came into quilting after building her business skills elsewhere
The strategies she used to grow her email list
What makes her summits work, and how you might run one of your own
Practical ways to earn more from each pattern you sell
Why her business lessons apply far beyond the quilting world
Connect with Jamie:
 
Website: craftadream.com
Links from this episode:

Collab Interest Contact Form: craftadream.com/collab?utm_source=quilterscandypodcast&utm_medium=podcast
Quilters Paradise Summit Speaker Application/Sign Up: https://masteryroute.com/speakers
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jamiembright?sub_confirmation=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamiebrightquilts
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamiebrightquilts
The dance video of my daughter with almost 3M views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3PjHc5oAZ8

About Joshua
Joshua Dunn is the quilter and designer behind Lifting and Stitching. Based in North Carolina, he creates modern quilts inspired by the cosmos, where memory, color, and story meet. His first pattern, A Trip Around the Universe, drew on the James Webb Telescope's Cosmic Cliffs image, and his work has been featured in quilt shows. His pattern Snapshot, a memory quilt, appears in the Summer 2026 issue of Quiltmaker Magazine alongside a designer spotlight.
In this episode
The memory quilt in Quiltmaker Magazine, and the story behind it
How quilting keeps Joshua connected to his mother, who was a quilter herself
The way he uses quilting to explore his love of outer space
His path as a newer pattern designer, from quilt shows to a magazine feature
Why quilting stays a creative outlet rather than a full time job, and what that gives him
A look at his life beyond the sewing machine, including weightlifting and his approach to healthy eating
A few takeaways
A quilt can hold memory and connection, not just fabric and thread
You do not have to quilt full time for it to be a meaningful part of your life
Designing from what you love, whether that is family or the stars, gives your work its voice
Sharing your designs can inspire others to start creating too
Connect with Joshua
Website: https://www.liftingandstitching.com/
A Trip Around the Universe pattern: https://www.liftingandstitching.com/atatu
Snapshot in Quiltmaker Magazine, Summer 2026 (digital available now, print on newsstands June 16): https://www.quiltingdaily.com/product/quiltmaker-summer-2026-digital-edition/
Etsy shop: https://liftingandstitching.etsy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftingandstitching/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@liftingandstitching
Patreon: https://patreon.com/liftingandstitching