Key takeaways
- Start by joining quilt clubs and volunteering for charity quilts to build skills and reputation.
- Word of mouth and personal connections are key for finding your first customers.
- Keep pricing simple and transparent—Donna charges by the square inch and avoids hidden fees.
- Having a dedicated space at home allows for flexible work hours and better work-life balance.
- Streamline client communication by pre-selecting design options and using email attachments.
- Teaching family members can help pass on skills and keep the business in the family.
The numbers
| Metric | Value | Basis | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||
| Edge-to-edge rate | 2.9 ¢/sq in | 14:21 | Donna's stated edge-to-edge rate, ¢/sq in |
| Custom rate | 4.9–6.9 ¢/sq in | 14:31 | Donna's stated custom rates, ¢/sq in, range for complexity |
| Thread and batting charges | Does not charge for thread; batting is either provided by customer or purchased from Donna. No thread surcharge, batting extra if not supplied. | 15:02 | Donna's policy on thread and batting charges |
| Volume and capacity | |||
| Quilts per year | 200–300 quilts | 15:54 | Donna: 'several hundred' customer quilts per year |
| Time | |||
| Quilting hours per week | 30–35 hours | 13:35 | Donna's stated weekly business hours |
| Money | |||
| Annual earnings (est.) | $52,200–$78,300 | estimate | quilts per year x edge-to-edge rate x 9000 sq in (queen); at 30–35 hours a week |
| Effective hourly rate (est.) | $31–$54/hr | estimate | annual earnings (est.) / (30–35 hours a week x 48 weeks) |
| Equipment | |||
| Machine (model, throat, table) | Gammill Optimum with Statler (computerized), currently with Ascend upgrade | 5:16 | Donna's machine history and current setup |
| Number of machines | 1 | 5:16 | Donna refers to a single machine |
| Business profile | |||
| Years in business | 14 years | 24:42 | Started business in 2010, interview in 2024 |
| Years quilting | 14 years | 24:42 | Started quilting in 2010; had sewn since age 7 but not quilting |
19 other metrics were not covered in this interview
- Queen-size price, edge-to-edge
- Queen-size price, custom
- Average price per quilt
- T-shirt quilt price
- Backlog / waiting list
- Turnaround time
- Time per quilt, edge-to-edge
- Time per quilt, custom
- Edge-to-edge share of work
- Mail-in share
- Hourly rate (stated)
- Annual revenue (stated)
- Worst year revenue
- Lifetime revenue per machine
- Machine cost
- Machine payback (stated)
- Machine payback (est.) (have: annual earnings (est.) $52,200–$78,300; missing: machine cost)
- Studio size
- Customers
What the numbers say
What the numbers say
The available figures show that Donna operates her quilting business with a single computerized Gammill Optimum machine,5:16 working 30–35 hours per week 13:35 and producing between 200 and 300 quilts annually.15:54 This suggests a significant throughput for a solo operator, with an estimated 4–6 quilts completed per week, though the exact time investment per quilt is not specified.
Pricing is clearly stated for quilting services: edge-to-edge work is charged at 2.9¢ per square inch,14:21 while custom quilting ranges from 4.9–6.9¢ per square inch depending on complexity.14:31 Donna does not charge extra for thread, and batting is either provided by the customer or purchased separately.15:02 However, the average price per quilt, as well as typical charges for queen-size or T-shirt quilts, are not given, so per-project revenue remains unclear.
Estimated annual earnings, based on the edge-to-edge rate applied to a queen-size quilt area and the stated annual volume, range from $52,200 to $78,300. This yields an effective hourly rate of $31–$54, assuming 30–35 hours per week over 48 weeks. These are rough calculations and depend on assumptions about quilt size and the share of edge-to-edge versus custom work. Without data on machine cost or actual payback, it is not possible to estimate equipment payback time.
Overall, the figures point to a business with steady capacity and moderate pricing, but gaps in the data—especially around actual project pricing, backlog, and costs—limit a full analysis of profitability and efficiency.
From Corporate Downsizing to Quilting: Donna’s Start
Starting a longarm quilting business was not originally in Donna Goldbeck’s plans. Her journey began unexpectedly after she was downsized from her consulting job. With a background in sewing since childhood but little quilting experience, Donna found herself at a crossroads: “I got downsized out of my corporate job and I’m like, okay, what am I going to do with myself? And my aunt invited me to come to Smoky Mountain Quilt Fest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee”.1:45 While her initial interest was more about family time, by her second year attending, she was “hooked” on quilting.2:11
The turning point came in 2010 when, after days of visiting the Gammill booth at the festival, she called her husband: “I love this Gammill machine. I want one. And he goes, well, what do you want me to say? I said, say, buy it”.2:30 That leap of faith marked the start of her business, with her formal living room transformed into a quilting studio.
Learning Curve: Overcoming Challenges Early On
Donna’s early days weren’t without hurdles. Shortly after purchasing her machine, she suffered a stroke at a quilting event: “While I was there the very first night, I had a stroke. I didn’t know that I thought I had a bad headache”.6:02 Recovery made learning the computerized Statler system especially challenging: “I’d take really good notes, and she’d show me things and I’d come home and I couldn’t remember… My brain wasn’t catching it. And I just cried”.6:39
With patience and encouragement from her husband, she persevered: “He said, Yes, you will. Just take it easy. Take it slow. You’ll learn it. And I get goosebumps now… Because I have, I stuck with it. And I have learned it. And I love it”.6:54 Donna’s story is a testament to resilience and the importance of support systems when starting a longarm quilting business.
“If they have their mind made up, they want to they will.”
Finding Customers: Clubs, Charity, and Word of Mouth
Donna’s first customers came from her local quilt club, where she volunteered to do charity quilts for free: “As the people saw my women saw my work, and they’re like, then they started bringing their own personal quilts to me”.10:02 This grassroots approach allowed her to build trust and showcase her skills.
She also distributed business cards in quilt shops and maintained a website, which continues to bring in new clients: “I have my website, as well as cards in quilt shops… I get new people all the time”.11:03 Word of mouth remains a powerful driver: “They get their quilts back, and then they’re telling their friends, and then I get new ones”.12:12
Donna’s experience shows that for those starting a longarm quilting business, personal connections and visibility in local quilting circles are invaluable.
“As the people saw my women saw my work, and they're like, then they started bringing their own personal quilts to me.”
Pricing and Keeping It Simple
Donna’s pricing structure is straightforward: “My edge to edge price is 2.9 cents. And then I have like three different prices for custom depending on whether it’s like edge to edge in the center, or custom in the center and edge to edge in the borders, or just how intricate it is… 4.9, 5.9, 6.9 prices. I don’t charge for, for thread”.14:31
She avoids hidden charges, aiming for clarity: “I try to make it very simple. So when my client gets their invoice, they haven’t, they don’t, there’s nothing going to be added on. That’s exactly what’s own”.15:08 Batting is provided by the client or purchased from Donna, but no thread surcharge is ever added. This transparency builds trust and makes quoting jobs easier for both parties.
“I try to make it very simple. So when my client gets their invoice, they haven't, they don't, there's nothing going to be added on.”
Workflow and Work-Life Balance at Home
Operating from her home studio, Donna enjoys flexibility: “What used to be my formal living room is now my studio. So I can work day and night in my pajamas, however I need to, and bring people right in my front door, customers and clients”.4:30
She typically quilts 30–35 hours per week, completing 200–300 quilts per year.13:35 The home setup allows her to manage her schedule and maintain a calmer lifestyle than her previous corporate role: “It’s helped me to have a more calm life… I’m in control of my work schedule”.22:37
Donna also builds in time for unexpected issues, like having to redo a section: “I try to make sure that when I give them a date that I’m going to have the quilt done I’ve planned in if I need an extra day or so”.23:41
“I can work day and night in my pajamas, however I need to, and bring people right in my front door, customers and clients.”
Streamlining Client Communication and Design Choices
Donna has refined her process for working with clients on design choices. Early on, she would sit with clients for hours reviewing pattern catalogs, but found it inefficient: “I know that I could spend two hours just sitting at the computer with someone. This way, I’ve had a time to look at their quilt and get an idea of what I think. And then I pick out patterns and send them to them. And then they email me back what they would like”.19:19
She now asks clients for general preferences, then emails a curated selection of designs: “I send them an invoice and an attachment with choices. If you don’t like those, let me know, I’ll send some different ones”.19:13 This method saves time and ensures clients feel involved without overwhelming them.
Family, Mentorship, and Passing It On
Quilting has become a family affair for Donna. She’s taught her daughter and is eager to pass the craft to her granddaughter: “I’ve taught my daughter… and I was telling my husband on the weekend, I’d like to teach my granddaughter because when I’m not able to do it… I still want it to stay in our family”.10:35
Mentorship played a critical role in Donna’s own start: “I had a real good mentor in the person that taught me how to use the machine and she’d been in business for about 12 years so she pretty much told me… join a quilt club, get your business cards in stores, hand them out to people… get a website”.25:14
She now pays it forward, welcoming curiosity from others: “I’ve had people say could I just come and watch you quilt my quilt because I want to see how your machine works and everything and they’re just wow”.28:20
Advice for New Quilting Entrepreneurs
For those considering starting a longarm quilting business, Donna is encouraging: “I would tell them you would never be sorry that you went this way and it’s a whole different type of sewing”.26:59 She recommends joining clubs, volunteering, and building a portfolio through charity quilts: “Tell them you’ll do some quilts for free or at least one you know in the beginning and see if you like my work and then you’ll come back”.31:54
She also emphasizes the importance of community: “There’s like several hundred people in my one quilt club and there’s maybe three or four long armors in there besides me and people are just young people are joining because you can come at night and work your job during the day or they just want to get started more”.28:06
Donna’s story shows that with persistence, openness to learning, and a willingness to connect with others, starting a longarm quilting business is still a viable and rewarding path.
“I would tell them you would never be sorry that you went this way and it's a whole different type of sewing.”
Questions this interview answers
How did Donna Goldbeck start her longarm quilting business?
Donna began her business after being downsized from her corporate job. Inspired by a visit to a quilt festival and with encouragement from her family, she purchased her first longarm machine in 2010 and started by volunteering for charity quilts and joining local quilt clubs to find her first customers. 1:45
What advice does Donna have for finding quilting customers?
Donna recommends joining quilt clubs, volunteering for charity quilts, handing out business cards in quilt shops, and maintaining a website. She emphasizes the importance of personal connections and word of mouth in building a steady client base. 11:03
How does Donna price her quilting services?
Donna charges 2.9 cents per square inch for edge-to-edge quilting and between 4.9 and 6.9 cents for custom work, depending on complexity. She does not charge extra for thread and only charges for batting if the client does not provide it. 14:31
How does Donna manage client design choices efficiently?
Donna asks clients for their design preferences, then emails a curated selection of patterns for them to choose from, rather than spending hours going through catalogs together. This approach saves time and streamlines communication. 19:19
Is starting a longarm quilting business still viable today?
Donna believes it is, especially for those who engage with local quilting communities and are willing to start small, build skills, and grow through word of mouth and quality work. 31:02
Source
This article was written from Episode 51 of Quilting Business Success with Donna Goldbeck. Quotes are verbatim and link to the moment in the recording. Full transcript · Markdown version.