Craft to Career

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

Mim Jenkinson sells stickers, and she has grown that into a business earning over $1 million a year. In this episode of Craft To Career, Mim opens up about what she sells, how her business has grown year after year, and the choices that made the biggest difference.
She talks about the role her courses and membership play in her success, and how learning from people who are a few steps ahead of her has shaped her growth. Mim also shares a recent shift in how she builds her email list. For years she relied on seminars, and she has since moved to a new model that has worked better for sales.
If you want to grow your own creative business, Mim's story is full of lessons you can apply. Come get to know Mim, her sticker business, and the thinking behind how she keeps it growing.
About Mim
Mim Jenkinson is a sticker making educator who has taught more than 20,000 crafters to make stickers using Cricut, Silhouette, and Canva. She started making stickers at home in 2016, built a five star shop, and now runs a creative education business that earns over $1 million a year.
In this episode
What Mim sells, and how the pieces of her business fit together
How her courses and membership became central to her success
Why learning from people ahead of her has been a driver of her growth
The pivot from seminars to a new model for building her email list, and why it has worked better for sales
The habits and decisions that keep her business growing year after year
A few takeaways for your own business
Growth often comes from learning openly from others, not figuring everything out alone
Courses and memberships can create steady income and deepen your relationship with your audience
When a list building strategy stops serving your sales, it is worth testing a new approach
Connect with Mim
Website: https://www.mimjenkinson.com/
Free Sticker Making Starter Kit: https://www.mimjenkinson.com/guide
Free Sticker Starter Class: https://www.mimjenkinson.com/freeclass
Secret Sticker Society (membership): https://www.mimjenkinson.com/sss
Business coaching: https://www.askmim.com/unstuck/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mimjenkinson
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mimjenkinson

What does it look like to grow a quilt pattern business when you lean fully into your roots and design what you genuinely love?
In this episode of the Craft To Career Podcast, Helene of Scandi Quilts shares how her business has grown since taking the Quilt Pattern Writing Course. Helene has built a beautiful niche around Scandinavian-style quilts, and she's seen real growth in both her sales and her email list along the way. In our conversation, she opens up about what's actually working for her business right now.
Helene shares the role on-brand photography has played in her growth, and how adding unique, story-rich elements to her photos has helped her quilts feel instantly recognizable as hers. We talk about what it looks like to build a brand that feels cohesive across patterns, social media, and email, and why leaning into a specific aesthetic has helped her stand out rather than blend in.
In this conversation, you'll hear:
How Helene found her Scandinavian niche and why it has resonated with quilters
The shifts she made after the Quilt Pattern Writing Course that started moving the needle
How she approaches on-brand photography for her patterns and social content
The little details and unique elements she adds to her photos to make them feel like Scandi Quilts
What's working for her email list and pattern sales right now
Her honest take on what it takes to grow a pattern business one step at a time
Whether you're just starting to think about your brand or you're ready to refine the niche you already have, Helene's story is a beautiful reminder that the most sustainable businesses are often the ones built around what you love most.