Quilter Subscription Boxes

Currently subscriptions are all of the craze! They are everywhere. Think about it. You have the layered websites where free information is posted regularly, but with a paid subscription you unlock so much more information. Perfect for a meal planning business or the “how to build a business” business. Then there is the ever popular subscription courses: Craftsy, Creativebug, Skillshare, and the list goes on. These websites and/or phone apps give you classes on all sorts of topics from teachers around the world. However it is the old faithful subscription box that I want to talk about today. 

This idea has alway been around. My dad gifted my mom one christmas a plant club (she was sent a different plant each month) and for their anniversary one year he bought her a fruit of the month subscription. My sister and I always talked about gifting my parents a wine subscription… maybe this is the year.  This industry has quickly expanded. You can get clothing sent to you every month, makeup, and yes even fabric. The quilting industry is no exception with our quilter subscription boxes. Our industry is in the thick of it, right on point. SEW HIP!!   🙂

For my birthday, I decided to see what all the hype was about. So I looked around the web for quilter subscription boxes and bought myself a box. The funniest part was that I really didn’t even remember what box I signed up for. And when I saw the reveal on Instagram of the box I thought I had bought I was a little bummed. But then my box came and it was a Quilters Candy Box and I was in love. The reason why I picked that box was that they had a yummy treat included, which is perfect since I have a big sweet tooth. I decided we had to learn more about the company, so I reached out to the owner of Quilters Candy Box and here is the scoop. The following copy is our interview the colored text is her answers.

I am happy to introduce to you Elizabeth Chappell.  

Are you a quilter?
I am a quilter!  I learned to quilt right before Quilters Candy Box was born.  It’s funny it took me so long to learn to quilt, seeing as my mom is an amazing sewer and quilter. I can’t believe I didn’t start sooner in my life!  But now that I’ve started, there’s no going back!

How did you start quilting?
I started quilting when my good friend and neighbor took me along to Quilt Market here in Houston a few years ago. Her mom is Bonnie of Bonnie and Camille for Moda fabrics, and I LOVED everything at Quilt Market! Bonnie took me to a quilt shop and helped me pick out fabric for my first quilt. I used one of her patterns, and her daughter (my neighbor and friend) was there helping me navigate through the process. My first quilt was tricky, but I loved the finished product. The more I quilt, the easier it gets, and the more relaxing it becomes.   

What type of quilts do you make?
I feel like my style keeps shifting!  I love a lot of different quilts, but I’m leaning more and more to modern quilts. We’ll see, I may change my mind tomorrow! 😉

What is your favorite tool?
My favorite tools are my rotary cutter and Creative Grids rulers.  Oh, and I won’t quilt without my iron and Best Press!

Where are you from?
I grew up in Minnesota.

What other hobbies do you have?
I also love reading and writing.  I still have some stories I would love to write one day!

What brought you to the idea of this company?
The idea for the company actually came from my little sister.  I have an entrepreneurial spirit, and I was always toying with different business ideas.  One day, my sister suggested that I try doing a subscription box for quilters since subscription boxes are really trendy right now, and I was just learning about and starting to love the quilting world.  So I will always be grateful for her suggesting that!

When did Quilters Candy Box start?
The idea of the company came about early 2016.  We went to work getting everything ready, and our first boxes shipped in June 2016.  

Why do you think someone should try a subscription?
A subscription box is so fun!  It is the same sensation as someone sending you a care package, or an unexpected gift in the mail, even though you’ve signed up for it yourself.  There’s a reason people are signing up for these like crazy!  

This is my reveal of the November box I received.

Can someone buy a box after the month has ended?
We generally sell out of our monthly boxes.  However, on the off chance that we have an extra box or two, we do sell them, but the price is a little higher.  We want our subscribers to get the best deal on the box price.

What sets you apart from other subscription boxes?
Quilters Candy Box has one obvious difference from other quilting boxes: we include a candy or dessert in our box each month.  We also look for unique items that aren’t mass produced.  Some of our favorite past items are things made exclusively for our box, or items you only find in an Etsy shop. We like to think of our product as a more boutique experience, which is why we have capped the number of boxes we package each month. Because we want to be able to keep the integrity of our box, and not just sell loads and loads. We want to keep our number manageable so we can make the box experience special and unique and include those items that aren’t going to be found in other boxes.

How do you decide what items to include in the boxes?
We do a lot of looking!  We look online and at Quilt Market and try to find what is trending, as far as fabric. And then we dig deep to try and find some unique and creative notions and treats.

If someone was interested in getting their product in a box what should they do?
Email us!  We are always open to new ideas.  We have had people reach out to us in the past and that’s how we have
found some really neat items for the box. Our email is: quilterscandybox@gmail.com

How 5 Quilter Subscription Boxes
Can Crush Your Daily Grind

I am loving my subscription box and think that the subscription box can be used as a way to challenge yourself with new projects. It will keep your stash fresh. And since the products included in the box are current items sold on the market, they can keep you in touch with the industry. As I was researching quilter subscription boxes, I found that some companies had closed and some that had stopped adding new box requests. That is why I decided to focus on currently established companies. It is certainly not every box in our market and some are fabric-only boxes and some have fabric and tools. All the boxes have different price points. But I think these five subscription boxes can crush your daily grind by giving you fresh projects and a fun surprise to open once a month. Here are examples of their past boxes.

Maker Valley

Sew Sampler

Cotton Cuts

Cotton + Steel Club

I would love to know if you have a subscription to a box and if so which one you have. Have a lovely week & quilt on!