Episode #96: Jen Carlton Bailly

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we’re talking about building a career as a modern quilter with my guest, Jen Carlton Bailly. Jen is a founder of the Portland Modern Quilt Guild, the largest modern quilt guild in the world. She had a career in retail before becoming a mother and modern quilter and carries many of lesson she learned in those years over to her current work.

In this conversation we talk about discovering a craft community online and in person. Jen explains how modern quilters first connected online via Flickr and then came together in her local community to form a guild.

Jen's blog is called Betty Crocker Ass and we discuss what it's like to have such a standout name for your website. She explains her mixed feelings over the years about possibly changing it, and why in the end she chose to keep it.

Jen has a line of quilting templates out and she talks about creating and selling a signature product and the challenges with scaling the business. She also beginning to sell patterns and discusses what that decision entailed.

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This episode is sponsored by Yount Street Glass. Kay and her partner, Cindy, at Yount Street Glass make jewelry and accessories from recycled wine bottles. Located in the heart of Napa Valley, Yount Street Glass is perfectly situated to upcycle the beautiful glass that cradled beautiful wines.  Check out YountStreetGlass.com to learn more about Yount Street Glass and their hand crafted eco-friendly products. Be sure to enter promo code NAP for a 15% discount on your next order.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.