Quilting Year in Review and 2024 Quilty Goals
As 2023 reaches a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I accomplished on my quilting journey this year and set some quilty goals for 2024. I released several quilt patterns this year, got juried into several quilt shows and participated in several group projects. I also made five quilts this year — many fewer than in years past but applaudable considering all that happened this year in my life.
2023 Goals
I did set goals for 2023 at this time last year, so first, let’s look at how those turned out. Overall, I’m pretty happy with what I accomplished even though I didn’t achieve two of my goals. I did make progress, and progress counts.
Since I launched my first quilt pattern in 2022, I wanted to focus on growing the business side of my quilting life in 2023. I set four goals for myself this year—all of which are milestones along the way to my ultimate goal: Have quilting pay for itself.
My goals for 2023 were:
Double quilt pattern sales (This seems lofty, but I was just starting in 2022 and I knew I could achieve this by releasing a few more patterns).
Reduce long-arm expenses (This is related to my desire to get better at quilting and to “break even” eventually).
Increase traffic to my website (Maintaining a website is a considerable expense, and I need to make it worth it. Plus, the thinking here is that this will also support my first goal).
Break even on quilt show expenses (This may have been a little too ambitious. I won several ribbons in 2022, and I was hoping that I would continue with the trend).
I managed to achieve two of these goals and almost achieve a third goal. However, the quilt show goal was waaaaay too ambitious.
I also participated in several group projects this year. I contributed blocks to two Exquisite Quilts by Abigail Vargas. I also helped with the initial design and color mapping for a group quilt titled GTFO which will be on display at QulitCon 2024. The biggest of them all was Quiltmas Spectacular, an event organized by Mija Handmade that features festive blocks designed by 12 quilt designers. We had more than 11,000 quilters sign up this year.
Currently, I’m working on block patterns for a 2024 Block of the Month for my guild. It’s called Junket Block of the Month and features 12 big, modern patchwork blocks.
2023 Quilt pattern writing
It’s difficult to find information about what to expect from quilt pattern writing. So, I appreciate fellow quilters like QuiltingJetGirl who share information about the business side of this craft. With that in mind, I’d like to follow that example and share a bit about what my second year as an independent quilt pattern writer looked like.
In 2022, I had more pattern writing expenses than I had revenue. I will also just say, that overall, I spend thousands of dollars more than I make on quilting. That was true in 2022 and 2023. This is an expensive hobby. Even though I sell patterns, the revenue I generate is no where near what I spend on the business, quilting or quilt shows.
When I look solely at my expenses related to pattern writing (website, Etsy fees, software, fabric, pattern testers, etc.) and compare it with the revenue I generated in 2023, I’m in the green by a few hundred dollars. 🎉 I’m really proud of that. It’s the small things, right?
I released Funhouse and Assemblage this year. Anachrome, my first ever FPP pattern, is coming in January 2024.
Shuttle continued to be my most popular pattern by a mile! Even though most of my patterns are priced around $13/each, the average sale price for my quilt patterns after sales and discounts was $10.79. The majority of my sales happened on Etsy, and Etsy charges lots of fees. [Note to quilters: If you really want to support a designer or artist, go to their website and buy from them directly if it’s an option.]
2024 Quilty Goals
As I mentioned earlier, my immediate goal is to have quilting pay for itself. I’m a ways a way from this being a reality. Each year I invest several thousand dollars more into quilting than it pays back. But, my sole focus also isn’t the money. I love this community and enjoy having a creative outlet—a place where I can express myself and take time for myself.
It seems I’m constantly wavering between the quilt pattern side and the quilt art/show side. I’ll probably continue that dance in 2024. With that in mind, my goals for next year are:
Increase pattern sales by 50% (I want to continue to increase pattern sales to hopefully reach the “quilting break even” milestone someday.)
Write 12 blogs this year (I was to both document my quilting journey but also contribute to this community in some way. Hoping I can find a way to do that more in 2024.)
Collect feedback on the Junket BOM (I’m hosting a Block of the Month for my guild this year, and I want to be sure to collect feedback. I hope to offer a BOM or QAL someday.)
Quilt 2 projects this year (I want to continue to improve my quilting. I’ll do that my quilting my own quilts more.)
Make time to create quilts for myself (Someday I’d like to have a quilt acquired by a museum. I need to make time to focus on my art.)
Hope you found this blog helpful in some way and that you’ll continue to support and be part of my quilting journey. Follow me on Instagram or Facebook - like, comment, share. It’s the little things, right?
