# How Trudy Cleveland Built Her Longarm Quilting Business: Real-World Lessons

Trudy Cleveland shares her 13-year journey, practical marketing, pricing, and workflow tips for starting a longarm quilting business.

Quilting Business Success, Episode 31. Guest: Trudy Cleveland. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M

## Getting Started: From Hobby to Business

For anyone considering starting a longarm quilting business, Trudy Cleveland’s story is a practical example of turning a passion into a sustainable enterprise. Her journey began with a shared love of sewing and a realization that rental options at local quilt shops didn’t fit her early-morning workflow. "We realized very quickly, she and I, that this is not going to really turn out the way we wanted it to... both of us like to sew at six in the morning, and the stores not open up at six in the morning" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=278s). After a few missed dinners due to late-night quilting at a friend’s house, her husband suggested she get her own machine. Within a week, Trudy bought a Statler and never looked back (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=410s).

Trudy’s transition from hobbyist to business owner was intentional and supported by her family. "My husband did say, could you start a business? And I said, yes. That's what I want to do. I want to start a business" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=535s). She started right away, leveraging her network from years of quilting and friendships made in multiple cities. Her first year in business brought in $10,000, and she credits her ability to start quickly to a windfall from her husband’s job transfer, which funded her machine purchase [[t=1988, t=2982]].

She continued working as a dental hygienist during her early business days, but soon realized her passion had shifted: "I found myself sitting there dreaming about, I wonder if that thread would go with that fabric... I think I need to move on" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2032s). This clarity helped her fully commit to her quilting business.

## Finding Customers: The Power of Guilds and Show-and-Tell

A cornerstone of Trudy’s approach to starting a longarm quilting business was her active participation in two local quilt guilds. "I have found the guild has been the boom of where I get all my customers from... I go to it once a month, and I talk it up and talk to people. I make sure I have something to show at show and tell at the guild meeting every month" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=924s). Even when she didn’t have a new quilt, she brought a favorite from the past, always keeping her face and work visible.

Trudy’s strategy extended beyond just attending meetings. She made a point to participate in guild workshops: "I would go and take one of the workshops and do the project and then get the project done quickly... Because guess what? There's 20 people who have that project that if they see it done, they will come to you to get it done, to quilt" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2840s). This gave her a ready-made pool of potential clients who were already invested in the same project and motivated by seeing a finished example.

She also noted that quilters are extremely loyal to their longarmers, so breaking in as a new business meant finding something unique to offer rather than trying to undercut others on price or turnaround time. Her persistence and visibility at guild events were crucial in building trust and a steady client base.

## Standing Out: Personalization and Creative Touches

In a competitive market, Trudy found that offering something unique was the best way to attract and retain customers. She made a conscious decision not to compete on price or criticize other longarmers: "I never undercut another long armor. I never talk disparagingly about another long armor... I try to offer something that they don't offer" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1413s).

Her signature became personalization—adding names, dates, or hidden messages ("Easter eggs") into quilts at no extra cost. "All of a sudden the business boomed and they asked, could you please put the name of who this is for down in the corner?... I also, a friend of mine asked me to hide it. And I found that became huge when we started putting Easter eggs in quilts" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1530s). Customers began seeking her out specifically for these creative touches, and word spread quickly within her guilds and beyond.

Trudy’s willingness to experiment with new techniques during downtime—such as mastering metallic thread or custom block work—also contributed to her reputation for creativity. She used quiet weeks to try new things, which she then showcased at guild meetings and on social media, further reinforcing her brand as a quilter who could deliver something special [[t=1654, t=1874]].

## Marketing with Photography: Capturing and Sharing Your Work

Photographing every quilt became a central part of Trudy’s marketing and personal satisfaction. Early on, she realized, "I needed to get photographs of these... I didn't realize how attached you get to a quilt that maybe you custom quilted, and then you let it go, and you never see it again unless you take photographs" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1026s).

She invested time in learning iPhone photography, taking classes to ensure her quilting showed well in photos. Trudy focused on capturing both the overall quilt and close-up details, which highlighted her skill and creativity. These images served multiple purposes: she shared them at guild meetings, kept them on her phone for impromptu marketing, and mailed printed photos to customers as holiday cards—a gesture that built goodwill and repeat business (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1078s).

Her photography skills also opened up new opportunities, such as photographing opportunity quilts for local guilds and teaching workshops on quilt photography. "I got into doing as much photography as quilting... local guilds here will call me and get some images of it" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1112s). This not only diversified her business but also made her a resource in the quilting community.

## Balancing Workflow and Life: Setting Boundaries and Using Downtime

Trudy is clear about maintaining balance between work and life, a lesson she carried over from her previous career. "I try to limit it to six hours a day... if you try to do 10 and 12 hours in a day... you're sore. And I really work on taking breaks" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2111s). Her background as a dental hygienist taught her the value of ergonomics, self-care, and the importance of regular breaks to avoid repetitive strain.

She reframes slow periods as opportunities: "If I have a week where I have no customers, I don't get nervous about that. I take that as a gift. That is a whole week that I do something very special that I'm going to be able to show at Guild... If I had customer quilts every day... I would never have time to really grow the business" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1654s). During these times, she experiments with new techniques, builds her portfolio, and hones her brand. For example, she used one quiet week to master metallic thread, which later became a popular request from clients (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1874s).

Trudy also sets clear boundaries with her family and clients, ensuring that her quilting business enhances her retirement rather than dominating it. "My quilting does not get in the way of my retirement. And there's a balance there" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2183s).

## Custom vs. Edge-to-Edge: Finding Your Niche

Trudy’s workload is split evenly between custom and edge-to-edge quilting, but she’s found a niche by being one of the few in her area willing to take on custom work. "I'd have to say I'm about 50-50, but I have to say I'm one of the only people that will take on custom. A lot of people around me will not take on the custom. And when I heard that, I realized that's another niche" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2352s).

Initially, she was intimidated by custom quilting, but she overcame this by breaking projects into manageable chunks—treating each block as its own mini-project. "If you look at a quilt and say, I'm going to do a 12-inch block right here, that's it. And then I'm moving on to that... when you break it into smaller pieces, it doesn't look as overwhelming" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2381s). Practicing on small charity projects for her guild gave her the confidence to tackle larger, more complex custom quilts.

She also offers a blend of edge-to-edge with custom borders or personalized elements, adjusting her pricing accordingly. This flexibility allows her to serve a wider range of clients and keeps her work interesting.

## Pricing with Confidence: Valuing Your Time and Skills

Pricing was a learning curve for Trudy, who emphasizes the importance of valuing your time and skills when starting a longarm quilting business. She estimates the time required for each project but pads her quote, knowing that "we always think we can do it faster than we can" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2514s). She sets clear boundaries: "It's this amount of money. And if they want it done, they will get it done for that amount of money. If not, if they say, well, that's just too expensive. Okay. Then, you know, I'm not gonna go less than that" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2546s).

For queen-size custom quilts, her prices range from $200–$500 depending on complexity, with heavy custom work starting at $500 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2590s). She’s also considered charging per bobbin as a proxy for time and thread used, though she hasn’t implemented it yet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2600s). Her advice is clear: "Just because you can do it, doesn't mean that you should charge lower... your time is worthwhile and you should be compensated accordingly" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2770s).

Trudy also highlights the challenge many quilters face with self-promotion and pricing: "I don't think quilters self-promote themselves very often... I have had to really talk in my brain that there's nothing wrong with promoting my quilting and being proud of it" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2673s). Building confidence in both your work and your pricing is essential.

## Support Systems: Delegating and Staying Motivated

Trudy’s husband plays a crucial role by handling invoicing and bookkeeping: "My husband took over my invoices. He does all that. He keeps track of that on a spreadsheet, and I give him the information... He analyzes them, and tells me, do you know you did 10% more this quarter than you did last quarter" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=681s).

She encourages others to find support for business tasks that drain creative energy: "If there's anyone in your life that actually likes to do spreadsheets, that's the person you need" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=742s). This allows her to focus on quilting and growing her business.

Trudy also finds motivation in her family and quilting community. Her husband is her biggest cheerleader, and her son-in-laws, who are also creative, appreciate her work. She’s active on social media and quilting forums, sharing her experiences and answering questions for others starting a longarm quilting business (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=3159s).

Her advice for new business owners is to be patient, use downtime to experiment and grow creatively, and not to undervalue their work. "It always takes you longer than you think. Just because you can do it, doesn't mean that you should charge lower... your time is worthwhile and you should be compensated accordingly" [[t=2763, t=2770]].

## Key numbers

Every article reports the same metrics. 'unclear' means the guest did not give it.

- Edge-to-edge rate: unclear [unclear]
- Custom rate: unclear [unclear]
- Queen-size price, edge-to-edge: unclear [unclear]
- Queen-size price, custom: $200–$500 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2621s)
- Average price per quilt: unclear [unclear]
- T-shirt quilt price: unclear [unclear]
- Thread and batting charges: Considering charging per bobbin; no specific info on thread/batting charges given. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2600s)
- Quilts per year: unclear [unclear]
- Backlog / waiting list: unclear [unclear]
- Turnaround time: 2 weeks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2298s)
- Time per quilt, edge-to-edge: unclear [unclear]
- Time per quilt, custom: unclear [unclear]
- Edge-to-edge share of work: 50 % (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2344s)
- Mail-in share: unclear [unclear]
- Quilting hours per week: 30 hours (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2111s)
- Hourly rate (stated): unclear [unclear]
- Annual revenue (stated): $10,000–$22,000 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2976s)
- Worst year revenue: $10,000 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2982s)
- Lifetime revenue per machine: unclear [unclear]
- Annual earnings (est.): unclear [unclear]
- Effective hourly rate (est.): unclear [unclear]
- Machine (model, throat, table): Gammill Statler, purchased 2011, computerized; single machine, no size stated. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1278s)
- Machine cost: unclear [unclear]
- Machine payback (stated): unclear [unclear]
- Machine payback (est.): unclear [unclear]
- Number of machines: 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1282s)
- Studio size: unclear [unclear]
- Years in business: 13 years (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2011s)
- Years quilting: unclear [unclear]
- Customers: unclear [unclear]

## What the numbers say

The available figures provide only a partial view of this quilting business’s operations. The business has been running for 13 years with a single Gammill Statler machine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2011s), and the owner limits quilting to 30 hours per week (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2111s). Turnaround time is typically two weeks, though it can be longer if the business is busy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2298s). About half of the work is edge-to-edge quilting, with the other half being custom work (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2344s).

Pricing information is limited. The only stated rate is for queen-size custom quilts, which range from $200–$500 depending on complexity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2621s). There is no clear information on edge-to-edge rates, average price per quilt, or additional charges for materials, though charging per bobbin is under consideration (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2600s). Annual revenue has ranged from $10,000 in the first year to a best year of $22,000 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2976s), but without data on the number of quilts completed or average pricing, it is not possible to estimate throughput or effective hourly rate.

Overall, the figures suggest a modest-capacity, single-operator business with variable pricing for custom work and a consistent, but not high, annual revenue. However, most key metrics—such as pricing for standard services, number of quilts completed, and machine payback—are unclear, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about throughput, pricing structure, or return on equipment investment. All estimates would rest on the few stated figures and should be treated as rough approximations.

## Quotes

> We realized very quickly... both of us like to sew at six in the morning, and the stores not open up at six in the morning.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=268s

> I have found the guild has been the boom of where I get all my customers from... I make sure I have something to show at show and tell at the guild meeting every month.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=915s

> All of a sudden the business boomed and they asked, could you please put the name of who this is for down in the corner?... I found that became huge when we started putting Easter eggs in quilts.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1515s

> I needed to get photographs of these... I didn't realize how attached you get to a quilt that maybe you custom quilted, and then you let it go, and you never see it again unless you take photographs.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=1010s

> Just because you can do it, doesn't mean that you should charge lower... your time is worthwhile and you should be compensated accordingly.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-KEgG6l4M&t=2763s