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What happens when the business you love physically can't come with you? In this episode, Andi sits down with Cindy Bader of Patterns on the Prairie to talk about building - and rebuilding - a quilting business around the realities of your life.

Cindy started quilting as a first-generation quilter on a $60 Walmart Singer that she had to spin the flywheel to start. Nearly two decades ago, worsening carpal tunnel pushed her out of a desk job and into a computerized longarm business she ran from home while raising three kids. Then COVID opened the door to snowbirding - and she hit a new wall: you can't exactly pack up a twelve-foot longarm frame and take it to Texas.

So she pivoted again. Inspired by a 2:00 a.m. idea, Cindy started designing what she calls mosaic applique - fusible applique patterns with small gaps between the pieces, pre-reversed templates, color-sorted layouts, and a numbered reference page so customers can build each design from the center out like a puzzle. She recently added SVG files for cutting machines and uses a hotfix adhesive that stays permanent through washing, so there's no stitching around every little piece.

If you've ever felt boxed in by the physical or seasonal limits of your current quilting business, this conversation is a reminder that the constraint often points directly at your next move.

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Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Cindy’s Background
02:20 Cindy’s First Quilt and Early Sewing Memories
03:17 Transition from Hobbyist to Business Owner
05:47 Starting a Business During Carpal Tunnel Challenges
08:35 Discovering Quilt Pattern Design and Expanding Horizons
10:32 Introduction to Mosaic Applique Patterns
12:54 Design Process and Customer Pain Points
14:31 Innovative Application Techniques and Tools
15:30 Teaching and Sharing Patterns in Person and Online
16:42 Marketing Strategies and Word of Mouth
17:35 Family Support and Tech Skills in Business
21:41 Upcoming Events and New Pattern Releases
22:16 Where to Find Cindy and Her Patterns
23:03 Rapid Fire: Favorite Quilt Colors and Pattern Ideas
33:01 Closing Remarks and Thanks

Connect with Cindy:

• Website: https://patternsontheprairie.com
• Instagram: @patternsontheprairie
• Facebook: @patternsontheprairie
• YouTube: @patternsontheprairie

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Co-Hosts:

Tori McElwain @heytori.tech & https://www.heytori.tech/

Andi Stanfield @truebluequilts & https://truebluequilts.com/ 

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