Once upon a time, Susan Brady was a teacher. Today, she is a quilter.
Susan started her business – The Gilded Bee Quilt Studio – about 1 1/2 years ago – though she’s been quilting for MUCH longer that this.
Susan says:
“I made my first quilt at the age of 21, however it wasn’t until 10 years ago that I fell in love with the craft. I LOVE everything about quilts from exploring patterns, fabrics, quilting designs and snuggling under them. I have made over 30 quilts for friends and family members and enjoy customizing them to suit each person. Giving a quilt not only warms their physical bodies but their hearts as well.”
With love in every stitch, The Gilded Bee Quilt Studio is a small home-based business that strives to cater to quilt enthusiasts with quality hand made products that embody warmth, comfort and tradition.
Susan makes many different quilted products – not only traditional quilts, but also environmentally friendly “Bee-kind” cloths, and this year, her new venture is hand-quilted linen placemats.
Her re-useable “Bee-Kind” kitchen cloths are made of 100% natural fibres so when they eventually wear out, they are fully compostable.
Susan was inspired by her ancestors to create these cloths.
The women in her lineage were dairy farmers and stewards of the earth – deeply connected to the land and animals in their care.
They used and reused everything they had – including using cotton and linen for cleaning.
Susan wants to encourage others to also use these natural, biodegradable products to clean with, rather than the plastic based micro-fibre cloths that so many of us use these days.
Susan is part of my membership community the Thriver Circle – where makers learn how to turn their handmade hobby into a thriving and profitable business – and when I asked her what she found most useful or enjoyed the most about her time in the Circle, she said…
“The advice and help from the community, especially from Jess, and learning about what others are making!”
Susan’s business journey has been a challenging one so far, mostly because her father – who has dementia – and has been in and out of the hospital and is now bedridden, so it’s been a challenge to make progress while also caring for him.
Her biggest piece of advice for other makers in business?
“Marketing is the key to sales” – but Susan is still in the learning phase of figuring out what works the best for her business, and has been experimenting with numerous different marketing channels to see which one works the best for her.
A few fun facts about Susan..
- Quilting is her passion!
- She’s a retired teacher.
- She loves to travel and enjoys learning about different cultures.
Check out Sue’s detailed designs in her Etsy shop, or on her website The Gilded Bee Quilt Studio here.
Want to grow the business of your dreams like Tania has?
Join the Thriver Circle today and get the education, advice, & support you need to plan, create, & grow YOUR ideal handmade business.
