Quilting for Hire
Posted on October 20, 2021 by prairiemoonquilts in Quilting For HireIn January of 1999, I embarked on a journey. I started my little quilting pattern company in my spare time.
In April of 2009, the journey continued. I purchased a longarm quilting machine, with the intention of quilting for myself and others.
In August of 2010, I quit my day job to start quilting full time. Best thing I ever did for myself!
In January of 2020, I embarked on another journey. To California, actually, to attend a gallery reception for Victoria Findlay Wolfe and others involved in the Craft in America episode on Quilting. It was fun to get to see some of our collaborative work in an art gallery exhibit! Who’da thunk I’d ever have my work in an art gallery or a museum?
On the train ride out to California, I embarked on another journey as well — I wrote the first chapter of my new book! It seems so long ago.
I always joke that writing a book and waiting for it to be presented to the world is like being a pregnant elephant — it’s almost a 2- year gestation period!
But I’m in my final trimester — haha! — my new book is coming out in January! Woohoo!
What is the book about, you ask? Well, it’s all about the business of longarm quilting for other people for a living — Quilting for Hire:
It’s all about all the stuff I wish I’d known when I first started out. All the questions I wish I had asked. All the things I should have thought about. There were a LOT of things I failed to think about when I first started!
Hopefully, if you are a longarm quilter who wants to make your living quilting for others, this book will help you out and save you a lot of the headaches I went through.
When C&T Publishing first approached me and asked if I’d like to write such a book, my first thought was, “No. I’m not the right person to write a book like this.” But then I thought about it some more, and decided, “Why NOT me? I’ve built my business from the ground up, I’m making my living at it, and I know what I wish I had known when I started out, so why not see if I can help others do it faster and easier than I was able to?” So I said YES!
And here we are . . . A business handbook about longarm quilting!
This book is not your typical boring, dry business book. My main requirement was that it should be a fun, interactive workbook that makes you think about things from your own perspective. No one fits into the same exact mold as anyone else, even in the longarming business, so this book helps you tailor your business to fit your particular situation.
It’s chock full of questions, worksheets, examples, information, exercises, resources, sample forms, sample contracts, studio layouts, business plan information, you name it — it’s all in there (including quotes from My Cowboy).
In addition, some of the worksheets and sample forms will be available for download so you can print them off and use them as many times as you need to. I’m so excited for you to get to use this workbook to help you launch your own business of Quilting for Hire!
To go along with the book, I’ll be regularly posting business articles here on my blog to further expand on information in the book, and sometimes work along with you on some of the exercises, and offer up more resources or information that we couldn’t fit inside, or talk about new stuff that has hit the scene since I wrote it.
I’ll be back soon to expand a bit more on the topics that are included in the book, so stay tuned!
And if you’d like to pre-order a signed copy, you can find it in my Etsy shop here!
Wow!!! this is so exciting!
Congratulations Shelly.
Michele
xo
Congratulations!!! I bet it will be humorous and informative.
How exciting!!! Congratulations to you!
Congratulations Shelly. I know it will be a best seller.
Wishing you well with this new venture in your life.
Love this!! Hope it includes Farm Photos!!
Great job!!! So proud of you.
Oh Shelly! I am so excited for you. You are such an inspiration! I can’t wait to order it and read it, even though I’ll never start a longarm business. I am so freaking proud of you!
Congratulations Shelly! I want to know more about that train ride???
Congratulations! I still hope for a longarm, but I’ll probably be using a walking frame before I get anywhere proficient enough!
Congratulations, Shelly! And to think I knew you when…. And extra special that you quilted one of my quilts.
Congratulations Shelly!!! I’m so excited for you! – Rene’
So excited for you. I wish you would write a book about your daily life adventures!
Congratulations, Shelly!
Congrats! I am a new longarm quilter (I purchased my longarm about 2 years ago), and am looking forward to your book.
How exciting! Congratulations!
Congratulations! I am gonna have to have a copy of this book!
Congratulations! And I can say I knew you when… waaaaay back when! Best wishes for a best seller!
You are such a great writer, so I know your book will be both informative and amusing! How did you keep this to yourself?
Congratulations Shelly! That’s great news. I may have to check it out…if I ever decide I could longarm for others. Not really a bad idea now that I’m retired and some extra income might come in handy…hmmm
You are so amazing!! You are always looking for ways to share your knowledge/skills and help others. Wishing you fabulous sales!!!
Wow, Shelly! How exciting to be an author. I am sure your book is great. I got a long arm (no computer) in July, but I don’t think I will ever be brave enough to quilt for others.
Go Shelly!
i will be ordering mine tomorrow……
That is fantastic! Congratulations! I’m not surprised— you are just as talented at writing as you are quilting and designing!
I’m sooo excited for you. Congratulations. Can’t wait to read it.
Congrats on you new baby! Hope it is a best seller.
Congratulations! So exciting!
Congratulations, Shelly! This is so exciting! You are such an amazing talent and also so generous to share your knowledge with us! Woo!!! Hoo!!!!
You never fail to amaze me with your many talents. Congratulations on your new venture!
Wow…very nice and Congrats on your book…what a great undertaking! All the best and way to go!!!
Hey, congrats! This is really big deal! I hope your new book becomes a best seller overnight 🙂
Congratulations! Like writing a book, going into business is not easy. I’m sure this will be a giant step in getting there for many.
Congratulations! You amaze me with everything you do!
Congratulations!
I’m so happy for you and all of us who can use your guidance! One more item for the resume – published author!
I’m so excited for you Shelly! This will be such a great read for anyone starting a longarm business. So needed in our industry!
Congratulations I am very excited for your new journey as an author!!
Congratulations!!! I’m so excited for you!
Pre Ordered today! So excited!