12 Lessons I've Learned After 20 years in the Quilting Industry

Last week I attended the latest trade show for the quilting and sewing industry: H+H America's Spring Show. More details on that in a minute. While I was there I started reflecting back on what I've learned over the past 20 years of working in the quilting industry. These are some pretty broad lessons - they aren't quilting-industry-specific - and I think they apply to lots of life lessons or opportunities in a creative life. I'd love to hear your own thoughts and whether or not you agree with any these lessons. Let me know in the comments.

But first, a little background: Trade shows like Quilt Market and H+H Americas are where the business side of the quilting industry happens. They're not the same thing as public Quilt Shows or retail events that are open to the general public. Typically these tradeshows happen twice a year in the Spring and in the Fall.

These are wholesale industry events where fabric companies, pattern designers, publishers, tool and notion companies, shop owners, distributors, and teachers come together to share new products, place orders, spot upcoming trends, and build relationships. The fabrics, patterns, books, and tools that later show up in quilt shops, online stores, classes, and blogs are first introduced here. (You can see highlights of the 2026 show here.)

Alright. Let's get down to talking lessons learned.

1 - It's Okay To Be The Newbie

I attended my first tradeshow - Quilt Market - in the spring of 2011. It happened to be in my home town, Salt Lake City, and I was working in a local quilt shop at that time. I'd also started writing this blog in 2008 and after a few years of designing projects and patterns for my local shop, I'd started to write tutorials for other sites like the Moda Bake Shop. So I had a little bit of an introduction to the broader industry, but still a lot to learn.

I was nervous walking into that first market. I didn't know very many people or the "unwritten rules" and I definitely felt out of my depth. But here's what I've come to understand: everyone in that room was a newbie at some point. Don't worry about feeling awkward when you're starting out. Show up anyway. Introduce yourself to people. Ask questions. Soak it all in. The learning curve is real, but the sooner you jump in, the faster you'll start to scale it.

2 - Everyone Has Different Strengths - Lean Into Yours

Being part of a creative industry is so fun and amazing, but it can also lead you down a rabbit hole of comparison and self doubt. Before you start feeling overwhelmed by all of your weaknesses (or your perceived weaknesses), take a good look at your strengths. And be honest with yourself. Here are some questions to start with:

• What do you love to do?
• What skills do you have that would genuinely help someone else?
• What comes naturally to me - even if I take it for granted?

Start with the skills, gifts, and talents that you enjoy. Build on those! If you're looking to build a business or a community, don't obsess about your weaknesses or perceived deficiencies. Lean into what you love! The rest has a way of falling into place.

3- Be Brave

I know how intimidating it feels to get outside your comfort zone. I'm a total introvert by nature and so approaching people I don't know for the first time takes a lot of guts for me.

But that's how to start building connections and relationships in a new community, industry, guild, etc. The more you do it, it starts to get easier. (And even if you never get totally comfortable doing it, keep doing it.) The efforts will pay off and you'll be so grateful.

Over the last 2 decades I've met some of the most wonderful, treasured friends because I was brave enough to introduce myself - or they were brave enough to introduce themselves to me! Stepping outside my comfort zone has opened more doors than almost anything else I've done.

One of my favorite examples - and maybe the biggest turning point in my story: back in 2003, I was browsing a brand-new quilt shop in my town and overheard the manager mention needing extra help on Saturday afternoons. I pushed past my usual hesitation and asked if I could apply for a job (you can read the full story here). I ended up working Saturday afternoons there for the next eight years. That one moment of bravery changed the entire trajectory of my creative life and career. And at the time I started, I never could have foreseen what would become of that ask!

4 - You Don't Have To Be An Expert - Just Start

If you're waiting until you feel "ready" to start something new - a hobby, a skill, a parttime side hustle, or growing a fulltime business - I want to gently tell you: that day might never come. Ready or not, just start.

EVERYONE starts somewhere. And usually starting something is messy. When you learned how to make a quilt your seams weren't perfect, your star tips got cut off, etc. And that's normal! Learning anything new takes practice! I love the thought "Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly."

When I started this blog, my photography was genuinely terrible. If you go back to my earliest posts (and I'm embarrassed to even suggest this) you'll see some cringe-worthy poor attempts at photography. 😅 But I kept showing up and sharing. I took classes and learned as I went. I saved up for a better camera. Slowly, things improved.

Nobody sits down at a piano for the first time and plays Chopin. Nobody makes a perfect quilt on their first try. (Well, okay, maybe in astronomically rare examples, those things happen.) But normally, skills take time to learn. Give yourself permission to be a beginner.

5 - Don't Compare Yourself To Others

This one is so easy to say and so hard to live. But comparison really will steal your joy and your momentum.

Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle. The person with 50,000 followers, a polished website, and a book deal didn't start there. You're seeing the highlight reel of years of work, failure, and growth.

Some people pick up skills faster. Some people had a head start or knew someone in the industry. Some people just got lucky with timing. None of that is a reflection of your worth or your potential. Stay in your own lane and keep moving forward.

6 - Learn a Lot But Implement One Thing at a Time

Trade shows, workshops, and online courses are incredible for inspiration and education. I almost always come away from them buzzing with ideas - and slightly overwhelmed by my to-do list.

Here's what I've learned: you don't have to implement everything at once. In fact, trying to do so is a recipe for burnout and paralysis. Pick one or two actionable things and focus on those. After you feel more comfortable with those skills, then move to the next. Slow, consistent progress beats a frantic sprint followed by burnout every single time.

7 - Trends are Real - But So Is Timelessness

Trends are a fascinating thing in the quilting world (and really, in any design or creative industry). There are real pros and cons to being "on trend." Leaning into a popular color palette, style, or motif can bring visibility and momentum. But I've also found real value in investing in timeless skills, classic techniques, and content that stays relevant for years.

As Elizabeth Gilbert writes in Big Magic, ideas move through the world looking for someone to bring them to life. Sometimes a trend is just that - an idea whose time has come. And don't be shocked o surprised if someone else is running with that same trend too! (Remember when owls were the big thing? Or chevrons?...) I've seen this happen so many times over the last 20 years. Embrace a trend if you love it.

But don't abandon what you love just because it's not the current thing. Trends do come back around, and what feels dated today often becomes vintage and beloved again in a decade.

Biggest takeaway: Be you and create what YOU love.

8 - One Step at at Time

Growth - real, lasting growth - always happens one step at a time. It rarely feels dramatic in the moment. Most of the time it's quiet and incremental: one tutorial, one class, one conversation, one finished quilt, one lesson learned.

Looking back over 20 years, I can trace a clear line of small steps that added up to something big that I'm genuinely proud of. But I couldn't have seen that path when I was in the middle of it. Trust the process, and take the steps.

9. Let Yourself Be Inspired Without Getting Overwhelmed

The quilting world - and any creative industry - is full of incredible talent, beautiful work, and endless ideas. That can be so energizing. And it can also send you into a spiral of "I want to do ALL of this." Or worse, "I SHOULD do all of this."

Give yourself permission to be inspired without feeling obligated to act on every single idea or starting a dozen new hobbies or projects. Keep a running list of things that light you up. Come back to it when the timing is right. Not every inspirational idea needs to become a project right now.

Have too many ideas, but feel overwhelmed and worried that you can't do everything all at once? Start a Pinterest board for each new idea. This is a free and easy way to stay organized. And remind yourself, this is purely aspirational. You don't have to act on every idea at the same time.

As a more business focused example: start building your business focusing on one online platform at a time. For example, if we were talking in person, I'd recommend establishing your own website before you start building a social media following. You don't own your "real estate" on social media platforms - you're building a rental on someone else's platform. Build a website that is your real estate and funnel your social media posts back to your site.

10 - Don't Try to do All of the Things At Once - There are Times and Seasons

Slow and steady really does win the race. I've watched people burn bright and burn out by trying to launch too many things at once - a new pattern line, a YouTube channel, a newsletter, an online shop, a teaching schedule - all at the same time. The enthusiasm is real and beautiful, but spreading yourself too thin rarely leads to the results you're hoping for.

Pick your priorities. Do fewer things with more intention. Quality over quantity, always.

And here's something it took me a long time to truly accept: not every season of life is meant for the same level of output. Some seasons are for planting: learning, experimenting, building quietly behind the scenes. Some are for harvesting: launching, creating, sharing, growing. And some are genuinely for resting (which is not the same as falling behind).

There have been years in my creative life that were full of output - designing, writing, traveling to teach or to shows like the one I just attended. And there have been seasons that required me to pull back, take care of my family, or simply rest and refill the creative well. I used to feel guilty about those slower seasons. Now I recognize them as necessary.

Your audience, your business, and your nervous system will all thank you for honoring the season you're actually in, rather than forcing a harvest when it's still time to plant.

11 - Collaborate

Some of the most rewarding experiences of my career have come from working with other people: designers, fabric companies, shop owners, fellow bloggers, and teachers. There's a myth in creative industries that we're all competing for a limited slice of pie. In reality, I've found that the more I collaborate with other artists, quilters, and friends, the more my business grows. And so have my friendships!

When you collaborate, you bring your strengths together with someone else's and the result is almost always better than what either of you would have created alone. Say yes to partnerships that feel aligned. Reach out to someone whose work you admire. A rising tide really does lift all boats.

At the same time, don't forget #10. You don't have to go with every collaboration that you think of or that is offered to you. Be judicious about who you collaborate with and be careful if someone is asking too much of you. The only one who can set clear boundaries on your plans and capacity is you.

12 - Be Generous

Closely related to collaboration - but worth its own place on this list - is generosity. I have watched many in my industry - and been the beneficiary of many professionals who have been so generous to me. I'm a big believer in karma. That the energy and generosity that you put out into the world, will also come back to bless you.

So be generous with your knowledge, your encouragement, and your connections. Share what you've learned. Answer the newbie's question kindly, because someone once did that for you. Tag a fellow maker. Leave a genuine comment. Recommend someone else for an opportunity that isn't the right fit for you.

The quilting world has given me so much over the past 20 years - friendships, opportunities, creativity, and a sense of purpose. A lot of that came back to me because others were generous first. I hope to keep paying it forward for the next 20.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Twenty years goes by faster than you'd think. I'm still a little bit in awe of that thought. Looking back from this vantage point, I'm genuinely grateful for every season of it: the exciting launches and the quiet slow periods, the times I was brave and put myself out of my comfort zone, the hard lessons, the collaborations and even the times when I regretted making too many commitments or discovering that hard way that there are parts of this industry that I don't enjoy.

If I could boil down all of these recommendations into a quick thought, it's this: show up, be generous, and keep going. The quilting community is one of the kindest, most creative groups of people I've ever had the privilege of being part of, and I'm so glad I didn't let fear or perfectionism or negative self talk keep me from diving in all those years ago.

If you're just starting out - in quilting or any creative pursuit - I hope something on this list will encourage you. And if you've been at it for decades, I'd love to know what lessons you'd add. Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Want to Learn More and Go Deeper?

After 20 years of figuring things out the hard way, I'm putting together a newsletter and course specifically for quilters and creative entrepreneurs who want to build a business in this industry - whether you're just starting out or looking to take what you're already doing to the next level. My goal is simple: to share what I've learned and help shorten your learning curve.

If that sounds like something you'd find valuable, I'd love to have you join the list. Sign up here for the newsletter.

And while you're at it, I'd genuinely love your input. What do you most want to learn about? Building an audience? Working with fabric companies? Selling patterns? Monetizing your business? Drop your biggest question in the comments or reply to any newsletter email. This community has always been my favorite place to learn, and I want this to be a conversation, not just a lecture.