Quilting on the Side

Season 5 Recap

Send us a textIn this episode, Andi and Tori reflect on their journey through five seasons of the Quilting on the Side podcast. They discuss the importance of community engagement, key business insights shared throughout the season, and highlight memorable guests who brought unique perspectives to the quilting industry. The conversation also touches on industry trends, the impact of AI, and preparations for the upcoming year, emphasizing the need for collaboration and support within the quilting community.Chapters00:00 Reflecting on Five Seasons of Podcasting05:02 Engaging with the Community10:50 Key Business Insights from Season Five16:56 Guest Highlights and Unique Perspectives24:20 Industry Trends and Future Directions30:20 Planning for the Holidays and Beyond39:04 Looking Ahead to Season SixMentioned in this Episode:Craft to Career Podcast with h+h Americas’ Darrin Stern https://quilterscandy.com/hhSeason 5 Guests:Jennifer Long @sewastory_jenniferlongDara Tomasson @dara_tomassonTasha Hayes @tashaquiltsTheresa Benson @theaiquilterLaureen Smith @ttquiltsMeredith Marsh @meredithmarsh.coJessica Steele @jessicasteeledesignand Karlee Porter @karleeporterdesignWant More Quilting Business Content?🔗 Support us on Patreon for exclusive perks🔗 Grab Tori’s new book, Workshops Unleashed📌 Follow us on InstagramCo-Hosts:Tori McElwain @heytori.techAndi Stanfield @truebluequiltsSupport the showIf you want more support with your quilting business, make sure to hit follow.

Unraveling the Art of Graffiti Quilting with Karlee Porter

Send us a textIn this episode of Quilting on the Side, Tori and Karlee Porter discuss the evolution of quilting, particularly focusing on graffiti quilting. Karlee shares her journey from working with long arm machines to developing her unique artistic style. The conversation explores the importance of community, the impact of self-publishing, and the accessibility of quilting machines. Karlee emphasizes the need for open-mindedness in the quilting world and the significance of balancing business with creativity. The episode concludes with rapid-fire questions that reveal Karlee's personal preferences and inspirations.Don’t miss an episode! Like, comment, and subscribe for more quilting stories, tips, and industry insights.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Quilting and Artistic Journey03:11 Transitioning from Long Arm Testing to Artistic Quilting05:52 The Evolution of Graffiti Quilting08:55 Reactions to Graffiti Quilting and Breaking Norms11:47 The Impact of Graffiti Quilting on the Quilting Community15:02 Self-Publishing and Building a Brand17:51 Expanding the Product Suite and Online Teaching21:00 The New Graffiti Quilting Book and Its Features23:47 Creating a Community Through Quilting26:45 Conclusion and Future Directions33:33 The Evolution of Graffiti Quilting39:11 Balancing Business and Creativity44:15 Open-Mindedness in Quilting52:31 Finding Inspiration and Community59:28 The Bruce Wayne and Batman of QuiltingAlso mentioned in this episode: Podcast Episode Where Tori yelled: Collaboration Over CompetitionSam Hunter's Podcast interview with Karlee Porter: https://www.revcraftbiz.com/p/navigating-the-gatekeeping-with-karlee?r=rkjue&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Karlee Porter Inspiration:Jeff Soto: https://jeffsoto.com/Jessica Hische: https://jessicahische.is/James Jean: https://www.jamesjean.com/ Alphonse Mucha: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_Mucha Qveen Herby: https://qveenherby.com/NF: https://www.nfrealmusic.com/Charlie Puth: https://www.youtube.com/@charlieputh Connect with Karlee PorterOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karleeporterdesign/On her website: https://www.karleeporter.com/ Want More Quilting Business Content?🔗 Support us on Patreon for exclusive perks🔗 Grab Tori’s new book, Workshops Unleashed📌 Follow us on InstagramCo-Hosts:Tori McElwain Support the showIf you want more support with your quilting business, make sure to hit follow.

How to Prep Your Quilt Business for the Holidays (and Survive the Slow Seasons)

Send us a text In this episode of Quilting on the Side, Tori and Andi break down how quilt pattern designers, quilting teachers, and longarm quilters can prep their businesses for the busy holiday season - without being glued to their laptops. They walk through what really needs to stay consistent (like newsletters and YouTube), how to set up simple holiday sales systems on your website, and why December and summer slowdowns are normal in the quilting industry. You’ll leave with practical steps, data-driven ideas, and a mindset boost to help you ride the ups and downs of your quilt business with more confidence. Don’t miss an episode! Like, comment, and subscribe for more quilting stories, tips, and industry insights.Listen to the Black Friday/ Holiday Sale episode here!Want More Quilting Business Content?🔗 Support us on Patreon for exclusive perks🔗 Grab Tori’s new book, Workshops Unleashed📌 Follow us on InstagramCo-Hosts:Tori McElwain @heytori.techAndi Stanfield @truebluequiltsSupport the showIf you want more support with your quilting business, make sure to hit follow.

Jessica Steele: The Intersection of Sports and Quilting

Send us a textIn this episode of Quilting on the Side, host Andi introduces Jessica Steele, a quilt pattern designer known for her sports-themed quilts. Jessica shares her journey from a hobbyist to a full-time business owner, discussing the inspiration behind her designs, the challenges of balancing family life with her quilting business, and her approach to marketing and social media. She also talks about her collaborations with other designers and her future projects, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the joy of quilting amidst the business aspects.Don’t miss an episode! Like, comment, and subscribe for more quilting stories, tips, and industry insights.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Jessica Steele and Her Designs01:28 The Journey from Hobby to Business02:58 Inspiration Behind Sports-Themed Quilts04:57 Designing for a Modern Aesthetic10:06 Balancing Family Life and Business12:30 Navigating Social Media and Marketing16:58 Collaborations and Community Engagement20:56 Future Projects and Aspirations21:52 Maintaining the Joy of Quilting26:18 Rapid Fire Questions and Fun InsightsConnect with Jessica:On her Website: https://www.jessicasteeledesign.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicasteeledesign/Want More Quilting Business Content?🔗 Support us on Patreon for exclusive perks🔗 Grab Tori’s new book, Workshops Unleashed📌 Follow us on InstagramCo-Hosts:Tori McElwain @heytori.techAndi Stanfield @truebluequiltsSupport the showIf you want more support with your quilting business, make sure to hit follow.

Virtual Quilting Summits: Andi in the Hot Seat!

Send us a textIn this episode of Quilting on the Side, Tori interviews her co-host Andi about her experiences participating in four virtual quilting summits this year (2025). They discuss the rise of virtual summits in the quilting community, the benefits of collaboration, and the importance of audience engagement. Andi shares insights on preparing for a summit, the importance of follow-up strategies, and the role of lead magnets in building an email list. The conversation emphasizes the value of data collection and marketing strategies to maximize the impact of summits on business growth.Don’t miss an episode! Like, comment, and subscribe for more quilting stories, tips, and industry insights.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Virtual Summits in Quilting04:15 The Benefits of Collaboration and Community07:03 Choosing to Participate in Summits10:01 Testing Ideas Through Summits12:48 Engagement and Audience Building15:38 Impact on Business and Sales18:20 Follow-Up Strategies After Summits21:24 Preparing for a Summit24:10 Marketing and Promotion Strategies27:02 Interacting with Summit Organizers30:16 Final Thoughts on Summit ParticipationSee previous Episodes on summits:"My Summit Story" Listen to Tabatha's Interview Here! (Mentioned in this podcast)Subscribe to Andi's YouTube! CLICK HEREWant More Quilting Business Content?🔗 Support us on Patreon for exclusive perks🔗 Grab Tori’s new book, Workshops Unleashed📌 Follow us on InstagramCo-Hosts:Tori McElwain @heytori.techAndi Stanfield @truebluequiltsSupport the showIf you want more support with your quilting business, make sure to hit follow.