Beyond Distributors and Social Media: How One Quilt Pattern Designer Built a Successful Business

Partner Blog for Quilting on the Side Season 6, Episode 16.

If you’re a quilt pattern designer who has looked into getting your patterns into a distributor, you’ve probably heard some of this advice:

“You need more patterns.” 

“Your cover design won’t sell.” 

“You’re not ready for distributors yet.”

That’s exactly what my friend and client Joyce heard when she first approached distributors in 2022. At the time, she had four patterns - beautiful, thoughtful designs she believed in. But she was told:

• She didn’t have enough patterns 

• Her covers needed a redesign; they wouldn’t sell

• And from other distributors: her projects themselves wouldn’t sell

Many designers would have stopped there, but Joyce didn’t. She knew she had designs that quilters would enjoy - everyone she showed her designs to loved them! 

Listen to the full episode here:

Fast forward to today, without social media, without a giant marketing engine, and with just over a dozen or so patterns, she’s built a successful quilt pattern business.

And the method she that she used is one that every quilt pattern designer can do it.

I met Joyce for lunch and I asked her if she would be willing to fill out a questionnaire after she broke down exactly what she did to grow her pattern-designed business after the distributor said no, and she got locked out of her Instagram for a very long time (it’s been over two years since she’s been able to access her Instagram!). 

I want to break down what Joyce did, step by step, so you can follow her path.

Step 1: She Researched the Shops 

Research is key. She was looking for patterns

She researched shops that:

• Sell digital and printed patterns to shops and consumers that fit her design style

• Local shops that fit her design style

• Already buy from independent designers

• Have customers who love the type of quilts she makes

She didn’t just look at what they sold - she looked at what they featured.

She went to their social media, websites, and booths at h+h Americas (a Fiber Arts Industry TradeShow) and studied:

• Their most popular videos/featured blogs

• Which fabrics and styles they highlighted

• The level of difficulty their customers liked

• Whether her brand aligned with their audience

If these shops fit what she had to offer, then and only then did she reach out. Your patterns don’t need to fit every shop - just the right ones.

Step 2: She Tailored Her Pitch to Their Customer Base

Once she identified good matches, she wrote short, focused introductory emails that did three things:

1. Introduced herself (briefly!)

2. Showed she understood their customer

3. Included a simple call to action: “Would you like to see a sample pack of patterns?”

Example:

Hello Jessica!

My name is _____ and I design patterns for the quilting industry. I was wondering if I could send you a pattern package sample to review for consideration? 

I believe my patterns would appeal to your customers because [Insert the reason they should choose you! “They are perfect for your featured charm packs…” or “they work incredibly well with your line of blenders…”, or  “they complement your featured products”]

I currently have ___ patterns. I have been featured in ____ [insert shops, magazines, newsletters, BOMs, blogs, podcasts, any distributors, look books, Quilt Guilds etc. This is a place to share more social proof]. I have distributor and wholesale pricing available for your consideration. 

Please advise if you would like to review paper or digital examples of my best sellers, if interested.

Thank you for your time.

Insert 3 of your best-selling pattern covers as image attachments to show your brand. 

No long bio about her, short and pretty darn direct. Her call to action at the end was a follow-up, not a giant ask.

Step 3: She Sent a Curated Pattern Package

Joyce offered two types of sample packs:

• Digital bundle of PDFs

• Physical pattern pack for shops that prefer paper patterns

This is a preview of her work, so she only sent 4-5 top sellers and let them know that she has more. She does include the full patterns, not just the covers, like in the first email. 

This matters because many shops:

• Want to hold the product

• Want to gauge print quality

• Want to see how easy the instructions are to follow

Your package doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to show that you’re professional and organized.

Step 4: She Built Genuine Rapport

When shops replied, she added a human element - like you would do naturally in a face-to-face meeting.

She added something small, like:

• A shared interest or a funny comment

• A comment about their latest video

• A connection to their town, staff member, or sample project

• How her top sellers would work well with a certain style or fabric type they were featuring

This was just a sentence or two, but it helps build an impression and a conversation. The quilting industry is incredibly relationship-based, and she treated every email like a conversation - not a transaction.

Step 5: She Personalized Everything

Joyce never sent a mass email. She:

• Found the right contact name (this is either online or at trade shows)

• Referenced that shop’s style or customer

• Only pitched patterns that truly fit their brand

• Thanked them - every single time - for reading, responding, or considering her work

Did it take time? Yes, but how long do you think this would take compared to overthinking recording a reel every week? Or planning out your YouTube content? This reach out is a way to scale your marketing - spending the same amount of time and energy but reaching a wider audience. 

This approach - research + personalization + rapport + consistent and timely follow-up - has now become her primary distribution strategy and it works because it's humans talking to other humans. 

What Quilt Pattern Designers Can Learn From Joyce

Here are steps you can put into practice:

1. Research shops that already sell the type of work you create.

Do limit your search just to Google and YouTube. Ask around, talk to other industry professionals, or attend a tradeshow.  It’s the fastest way to see what customers respond to.

2. Customize your pitch to each shop.

Show that you understand their customers and where your patterns fit.

3. Offer a pattern sample pack.

Make it easy for them to see your work and for them to say yes.

4. Build real rapport.

One human sentence can open more doors than a long formal email.

5. Personalize every communication.

Names, specifics, and gratitude - it all matters. Plus this is more fun for everyone involved. 

Bringing It All Together: A Replicable Strategy for Quilt Pattern Designers

Joyce’s story isn’t a one-off success. It’s a clear example of what’s possible when you combine:

• Smart research

• Personalized outreach

• Relationship-building

• Strategic pricing

…even without social media and even when distributors initially say no.

One final piece she uses - and one you’ll want to consider - is custom pricing. Joyce offers each shop:

• Distributor-level or wholesale pricing (depending on the shop's business model)

• A free-shipping threshold

• A curated bundle that fits their audience

• And a dedicated wholesale section of her website, they can order from anytime

Every offer is personalized to the shop, just like her communication.

This combination of relationship-first outreach and tailored wholesale options is exactly what allowed her to grow a very successful business with 12–16 patterns.

Thank you so much to Joyce for shring her advice and her story with me, Tori. You can connect with Joyce at https://www.jminnisdesigns.com/.

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