My Story

     I HELP PROVIDE UNIQUE, HIGH QUALITY QUILTED HOME ACCESSORIES SO YOU CAN ACHIEVE A COZY, INVITING SANCTUARY FOR ALL WHO ENTER YOUR HOME.

     IF YOU ARE A QUILTER AND HAVE A PASSION FOR FABRIC, YOU WILL ADORE ALL THE PRE-CUT FABRIC BUNDLES THAT WILL SAVE YOU SO MUCH TIME SO YOU CAN GET RIGHT TO THE GOOD PART. . . QUILTING!

     Sew Happy Quilting is an online quilt shop that sells small fabric items made from high quality cotton fabric.  It started when a small town mom of three started daydreaming about what her answer would be to the question, "If you could do anything, what would you do?"  Emphatically her answer was "own my very own quilt shop and sit in front of my sewing machine as much as possible."

WHERE MY PASSION STARTED:

     Hi, I'm Andrea and I live in Vermont where fabric shops abound.  I started at a young age, visiting fabric shops as my gram (also known as "Mea Mod") was always creating something beautiful.  She had a craft that she was working on at all times.  I loved watching her create and I cherished the many hours I could spend by her side.

     When I entered high school, I took my first quilting class with Mrs. Comtois.  Seeing her passion, feeling the fabrics and listening to the hum of the sewing machine while working on my first twin size quilt was all encompassing.  It awoke my senses...for once there was a class I actually looked forward to each week!  I couldn't wait!

4 Generations: my Mea Mod with my mom (Carolyn), my daughter (Sadie) and I.

WHERE I COME FROM:

     I'm a born and raised Vermonter.  The four seasons in Vermont are so conducive to a quilter's lifestyle.  It helps me balance my life.  While I adore summer and the warmth and sunshine it brings, the colder months draw me indoors.   In the winter I could sit in my long, aqua blue fleece bathrobe and quilt for hours!  Summers you can find me at our camp on the lake where I spend most of my time on the water "spotting" the teens while they waterski or tube behind the boat while my husband drives in endless circles until dusk.  But I have a confession, I've been known to bring my sewing machine to camp and "set up shop" on the porch where the summer breeze keeps me comfortable while I work on my latest quilt project.  If it were winter all year round, I don't think I'd ever leave my sewing room!  Balance.  Life is all about balance.

Quilting at the lake - a sewing room with a view.   

MY HELPERS:

     While I'm basically a one woman show, I do have a couple little helpers who deserve a shout out.  My teenage daughter Sadie has been my chauffeur to the post office, my comic relief, my thread cutter, and my honest opinion giver when I can't decide which colors go better together. 

     Sadie loves going to craft shows with me too!  She is such a joy to have at my side - her smile lighting up the room.  While she insists on not getting paid and just going along to be a helper, I'm on to her.  "Mom, can I have some money to go buy something from that cool vendor over there?"  "Mom, can I have some money to go buy some food?"  She makes out like a bandit by the end of a weekend long craft show!  In all seriousness, I'm so grateful for her company and she deserves some special treats.  Plus how can her mom be a handmade seller and Sadie not appreciate all the craftsmen and their beautiful creations?  She's learning young how special handmade really is. 

     I was sick and in the hospital for 10 days and Sadie was my saving grace!  I would talk her through over the phone how to print order slips, box up fabric and quilts and then she would have to get her brothers or dad to drive her down to the post office.  She did it without much complaining.  I'd be lying if I said there was no complaining at all.  After all, she is a young teen that would much prefer to get her beauty sleep.

     My other big helper is our English cream golden retriever named Jordy.  With me working out of my home, the house can often get very quiet with the kids off to school and the hubby at work.  While Jordy isn't allowed in the quilting room (you can thank me later for receiving your quilts and fabric in the mail without blond hair all over them) he does lay in the hall and will often peek his head over the gate to just make sure his momma is still there.  He loves lying at my feet on days that I'm in the living room doing computer work.  I take breaks often for ear squeezes, tummy rubs, potty breaks and ball tossing.  He's definitely a momma's boy and has been spoiled by me working at home.

Jordy and Sadie

MY WORKSPACE:

     With five people and a dog in the house, I spent years pulling out my sewing machine and sewing right at the dining room table.  That was not super conducive as I'd have to pick up and put the sewing machine away each evening so we could eat dinner.  One day I woke and realized I might actually be able to squeeze two tables into the tiny 10' x 10' long abandoned nursery.  It did have a desk in it for our printer and some more clutter but it had some possibility!  The rest is history.  It still has the fish wallpaper that my grandpa wallpapered years ago when we turned it into the nursery.  All three of our babies called that room theirs at one time.  The room as such special meaning to me.  Sure I'm proud of my Sew Happy Quilting business but the one thing I'm the most proud of in my entire life is my three children.  They are my everything.  So to spent time in "the nursery" also called "the fishy room" just makes my heart smile.

Enjoying some quilting in the "Fishy Room" aka the former nursery

MY PRODUCTS:

     I specialize in smaller quilted items.  It all started with baby quilts.  When I was a young mom, I knew how much I loved handmade quilts and made an abundance of quilts not only for my children but for all my friends who were having babies.  It quickly expanded into other smaller items such as corner bookmarks, checkbook covers, potholders, table runners and mug rugs.  What are mug rugs?  Well they are insulated 100% cotton fabric drink coasters that are washable and gorgeous to place on your coffee table or desk to protect your table.  Next I expanded into selling fabric bundles.  I have an eye for combining fabric and figured I should use that to my advantage and make bundles to help others who struggle with combining coordinating material.  Batik fabric and Kaffe Fassett fabrics are a clear favorite which you will notice while browsing my shop. Come back often as I'm always adding new product.  www.sewhappyquilting.com

A fabric jelly roll and a pink mug rug taken at my photo backdrop where I take my product photos.

MY AHA MOMENT:

     I went to college to be a paralegal and even worked in the legal field for years but I just wasn't feeling rewarded at the end of the day.  Soon I started having my babies and had three children under the age of 4 (yep, pour me some wine).  I wanted to be home with them and while it was exhausting, it was so rewarding.  The "reward" part doesn't come immediately, you gotta be in this "parent thing" for the long haul.  It was hard (some days it was downright ugly) but when the kids have turned into amazing teens who are smart, funny and well behaved. . . it's then that I feel most rewarded.  

     So you are probably asking, "so what the heck is the aha moment Andrea"?  Ok so here it is.  When you spend years being a mom and being constantly needed, whether it be to fill the sippy cup or to drive them to and from practices and games, well then your kids grow up.  They get their licenses and they can drive themselves, they can cook their own meals, they can bathe themselves, etc.  I was stuck feeling, "what's next Andrea?"  This is where we circle back to the top where I asked myself, "If you could do anything, what would you do?"  It's time for me.  I want to quilt.  I want to mail my products out all over the United States and maybe even all over the world some day.  I want people to feel my passion with every quilt or fabric bundle created by me, by Sew Happy Quilting.  Quilting makes me happy.  My kids are growing up but they still keep me busy between college tours and going to all their games.  But I'm so fortunate to have my business to be there when the days are quiet.  I feel such a sense of accomplishment and pride with each quilt I finish...kinda like my kids.  Such pride!  

My three "babies": Carver, Mason and Sadie

MY CUSTOMERS:

     Oh how I love my customers!  I can't tell you the sheer number of amazing messages I've shared with my customers here and on Etsy over the years.  From new grandmas who want a special heirloom baby quilt for their grandson/granddaughter to the newly married couple who want potholders and table runners to match their new home that they are so excited to be decorating.  And the woman who has been searching online for weeks now for a gift for the friend in her life that "literally has everything".  She was thrilled to discover the mug rugs that she was going to pair with a bottle of her friend's favorite wine and a wine glass.  And I can't forget my fellow quilters!  You guys are the best!  You are loving the fat quarter bundles of batiks as well as the fabric subscription boxes that are mailed to your door.  Thank you all for your business, the stories, the amazing reviews.  I clearly have the best customers, boom!

PROUD BUSINESS MOMENTS:

     Etsy Conversations Podcast interviewed me about my Etsy shop.  It was such an honor to talk with Ijeoma for over an hour about my process, my subscription boxes and so much more.  

     Etsy reached out asking for over 200 of my mug rug craft kits to be mailed out to Etsy workers for a craft day.  For Etsy to spot me among the millions of sellers, it was a true honor. 

     Now that I'm a business owner, it makes me so proud to not only give to causes near and dear to my heart on a personal level but now on the business level too.  I donate countless quilted items to our local school fundraisers.  And after losing both of my parents to cancer before I turned 40 years old, the American Cancer Society is near and dear to my heart.  I've spearheaded numerous local dance and auction events over the past 10 years in which we've raised over a quarter of a million dollars for the American Cancer Society.  Countless Sew Happy Quilting quilts have been donated to these events over the years.  While my parents are gone, their memory lives on.

My wonderful parents.  My mom died of a rare bile duct cancer at the age of 63 and my dad died at the young age of 54 of kidney cancer.

HOW YOU CAN REACH ME:

     First, please consider joining my email list.  It's a fun way to communicate with me, to get some sweet deals, and to learn more about me and my business.  Here's the link and you'll get an immediate coupon sent your way upon signing up.  http://eepurl.com/ghvOUH

You can also find me on:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/sewhappyquiltingvt

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sewhappyquiltingvt

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/sewhappyquiltingvt

     Check out my website and let me know if you have any questions by emailing me at:  info@sewhappyquilting.com  I do take custom orders of smaller items such as baby quilts, table runners, etc.  I hope you feel the passion in all of my products.  Best wishes.

~ Andrea Scott at Sew Happy Quilting