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My Journey. Dream It. Do It.
Do you have secret dreams of designing and publishing your own quilt patterns? It's easier than I thought it would be once I found the Quilters Candy Pattern Writing Course by Elizabeth Chappell. It's a 9 week self-paced and live interactive course that taught me how to create my branding, write and publish patterns, market and learn the in's and out's of the industry. The course opens up for registration on Tuesday Sept. 6th (and every September) and class starts Sept.12th- Nov.14th. As an alumni and affiliate of the course, I'm offering 3 FREE LARGE BONUSES for those who decide to take the course using the link below and Elizabeth is offering 3 bonuses if you
pre-order the course.
Not sure yet? You can sign up for her FREE 3-day live Pattern Writing Masterclass held on Zoom this month by registering here. This will give you a feel for the full course.
Elizabeth has turned out to be one of my dear quilterpreneur friends and I know you will enjoy her support, advice, course and podcast as much as I do.
How It Started.
I learned how to quilt via YouTube University at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and immediately fell in love with the craft. At first, I didn't realize that I was even supposed to follow a pattern. I was just sewing 5" squares together and making the 'quilt sandwich". After finding a few patterns I loved, I started daydreaming about designing my own, but I had no idea where to start.
Around the Spring of 2021, I found the Quilters Candy Membership created by Elizabeth Chappell and quickly joined her quilty community where we would receive a free pattern each month and many opportunities to learn new things as well as connect to other quilty friends during a time of lock down in the world. Fast forward to June of that year and she released these helpful and inexpensive Pattern Writing Canva templates and FREE Mini Masterclass She is offering her FREE Mini 3-day Pattern Writing Masters Class again this month if you want to get a taste of what the FULL course is like. Click here to register.
Those steps were a great start for me. So much so I started writing my first pattern even before I took her big course. It was my Quilt Journal Cover Pattern and is loved by so many! Those two things really ignited the dream that I could create a business around something that I enjoyed so much. I already had a small Etsy shop selling handmade notions, but designing patterns was what I wanted to do even more.
Taking the Plunge.
I soon realized there was much more I needed besides the pattern writing templates and the mini course on how to use them. I needed branding, a website, understanding the legal side of the business, how to work with distributors, software writing options and..... a support system.
When I learned that Elizabeth was opening up her Quilt Pattern Writing Course that September, I knew it was exactly what I needed to help me really thrive, so I enrolled. And contrary to popular belief, there is room for everyone to enter the pattern writing industry. We all have something unique to give and share. I knew I did, and I know you do too!
"There is room for everyone." – Elizabeth Chappell
The Course.
The course exceeded my expectations. As a trainer and facilitator in my other business, I'm familiar with the Kajabi learning platform Elizabeth uses and I found the self-paced modules released every Monday very user friendly. Then we would meet with her live on Zoom on Fridays and also able to meet with small pods (groups of three of us in the course) each week to discuss our progress.
Fun Fact: I was selected to be a team leader for this year's course. Here's the course break down:
Week 1- Finding Your Niche and Branding
Week 2- Designing Your Quilt Top (EQ8, Adobe Illustrator, Canva)
Week 3- Block Contruction (cheat sheets and block math included)
Week 4: Fabric Requirements
Week 5- Writing the Steps
Week 6- Implementing the Steps (using your own design)
Week 7- Adding Images (includes Adobe Illustrator templates)
Week 8- Tech Editing
Week 9- Marketing
Before I knew it, our virtual graduation night happened and several of us even dressed up! I mean we had been in our homes and yoga pants for months because of the pandemic so it gave us the opportunity to wear our 'fancy' clothes (well at least a sequence top and pearls) and a glass of bubbly.
My Course Pattern.
Thanks to everything I learned in the course, I designed and published my Dueling Diamonds quilt pattern. You can read about it here. It's currently with two distributors and many fabric shops. In the first day I released the pattern, I was able to make back the investment that I put into the course! Keep in mind, I did a lot of marketing, had many talented pattern testers and the pattern itself resonated with the quilters of the world so everyone's results may vary.
The journey and opportunities have continued for me after the course. I became a Maywood Studio Maker and an Ambassador for Havels Sewing. And I was able to bring the Tack It Easy
EPP quilty product to the states from Australia through a collaboration with the inventor. I've had the opportunity to teach at guilds, will be an instructor for the American Quilter Society Quilt Week in Branson, MO in 2023 and have made many wonderful relationships with other designers and companies in the industry. As an alumni of the Quilters Candy Pattern Writing Course, I was selected to travel with 11 other designers for an exclusive Art Gallery Fabrics retreat that will take place October of 2022 in Ft. Lauderdale. When you become a Quilt Pattern Designer and put in the work, many doors can open up for you quilty friend.
Is It Your Turn?
I am so glad I took the vital step of enrolling in this formal pattern writing course. I cannot imagine trying to learn all of the steps on my own. It just would have been too complicated for me otherwise. Would you like to come on this this journey too? Pre-order now and you can read all about the course with the links below.
Feel free to join my private Quilt Pattern Writing Support Group on Facebook to learn more about my experience. In that group, I have scheduled Zoom calls to answer any questions or hesitations you have about the course as well as created a place of support and community throughout your
9-week course. And......
I am offering three FREE Bonuses if you sign up for the course using my affiliate link. One is my live Essential Motivators for Quilt Pattern Designers Course* (valued at $600). This course is a live guided self-discovery process to unlock your unique skills, talents and internal motivations which will help you gain the confidence to thrive as a Quilt Pattern Designer. Join my private FB group to learn more about the other bonuses that I offer to support you on your journey.
* I am a nationally certified Interstrength Practitioner.
In Closing....
If, I at 47 years old, with no prior quilting experience and basic computer skills can do this, so can you. And I'm here to encourage and support you quilty friend. Let's be quilterpreneurs together!
Be well, spread kindness and ....
Make lovely things,
Belle
