PatternJam is for quilters, Stitched is for non-quilters who would like to purchase a quilt for either themselves or as a gift.
People are unique. This isn’t a groundbreaking revelation, but it’s amazing nonetheless when you take a step back and really comprehend how unique humans are — a mix of varying shapes, sizes, colors, and mindsets that provide each individual with a sense of self. It’s because of this sense of uniqueness that people value ways to stand out, a tattoo or t-shirt or poster that displays the things we identify with on a very personal level, things that help distinguish each person as a one-of-a-kind creation.
Another, softer way to stand out is customizable quilts, a vision that founder Emily Taylor hopes to convey with the recently launched Stitched, a quilting paradise designed specifically for non-quilters.
“If someone is giving a quilt as a gift, a customized quilt shows someone that you’ve put a little extra thought into it,” said Taylor. “You’ve chosen the fabric based on someone’s favorite colors or life event or hobby. Furthermore, you can also customize many of the quilts with a name or a date — what little girl wouldn’t love a quilt with her name on it? A baby quilt with the date of baby’s birth makes it extra special.”
You might remember Taylor from our past writings on PatternJam, dubbed the perfect storm of tech, startup, and quilting. Stitched will launch as a sister-brand to PatternJam, boosted by a recent $100,000 grant from the GOED TCIP (if you’re not up to date on your acronyms, that stands for Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Technology Commercialization and Innovation Program).
Already tuned into the quilting market, Taylor is taking the necessary steps towards providing the tools to non-quilters as well.
“PatternJam is for quilters, Stitched is for non-quilters who would like to purchase a quilt for either themselves or as a gift,” said Taylor. “Both platforms feature our robust design and audition software — something that is not found anywhere else.”
You don’t have to be a quilting savant to use Stitched. Simply browse through thousands of fabric designs, choose whatever fits your fancy, and Stitched takes care of the rest — wait a couple of weeks and that customized, digitally printed quilt will arrive on your doorstep. No quilting expertise required, no weeping and anger directed towards the quilting gods.
“We are focusing our product offering around four categories: babies and children, dorm decor, home decor, and weddings,” said Taylor. “In addition to offering finished quilts, we are rolling out simple wall tapestries, tapping into a new trend in home decor for the millennial demographic — we see this emerging in Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Target. This is a great way to decorate a dorm room, my daughter who’s off to college this fall has inspired me.”
All quilts are manufactured in Salt Lake City, with Taylor placing a special emphasis on providing job opportunities to refugees in the area. She has also raised a total of $260,000 and continues to pursue additional funding.
Taylor was gracious enough to provide a promo code for Beehive readers interested in purchasing a Stitched custom quilt — use “BEEHIVE” for 20% off any single product.
Published 3/18/2016
