Back from Daytona: Nerve-Wracking & Wonderful

And definitely worth it!

I didn’t write a blog last week. I was just back from Daytona Beach for AQS QuiltWeek Daytona Beach – teaching two classes and, for the first time, stepping into a new role: vendor. Not just any vendor, but there representing WonderFil Specialty Threads as one of their designers.

It felt big.

Teaching always brings its own energy, but this was different. Having a booth meant putting my work fully on display and quietly wondering:
Will people walk in?
Will they connect with what I do?
Will they see the value in it?

It was exciting. And nerve-wracking.

I tried to make the booth as inviting as possible. I learned quickly that beautiful work is only part of the equation. Clear signage matters. Price tags matter. More samples matter. People need to understand what they are looking at and how they can take a piece of it home.

And this is where community shows up. Nina generously lent me her extra acrylic price stands so I could label everything properly. It was a small thing that made a big difference. And it reinforced something beautiful: you may stand in your own booth, but you never really stand alone.

I also rearranged the tables to create a small, cozy corner where I could sit and stitch during quieter moments. I’ve learned that people are drawn to process. When they see hands at work, they step closer. They ask questions. The booth becomes less of a shop and more of a conversation.

So, after 4 days of vending, I came back with a list:
– More signs.
– Clear pricing.
– Additional samples.
– Better vertical display.

But here is what mattered most: people responded.

They told me the work was unique. Different from anything else there. They lingered. They asked questions. They bought kits, lace, fabric, threads. They smiled.

That affirmation – not just in sales, but in connection – meant everything.

When I returned home, I did something equally important: I slept. A lot.

Creative energy is expansive, but it is also demanding. After days of teaching, talking, standing, smiling, explaining, and hoping, my body simply needed to rest. So I listened.

And now? I am back in the studio.

Making more kits.
Packing fat quarters of hand-dyed fabric.
Preparing lace bundles.
Assembling slow stitching grab bags.
Testing new display ideas.

I’ve ordered long hooks, a metal display, proper price tags, and beautiful boxes with clear lids to feature the slow stitching kits. The materials are piling up in the studio – and instead of feeling overwhelmed, I feel… happy in my messy place surrounded by stuff.

There is something deeply satisfying about refining an idea. About learning in public. About doing something that stretches you and realizing you can do it again – better.

Daytona reminded me that growth often feels uncomfortable at first. That visibility requires courage. And that sometimes the only way to know if your work resonates is to let it be seen.

I’m grateful I did.

Thanks for reading. Until I write again, I’m off to work on some more samples,

Ana

PS: There is still time to sign up for classes in March. Check them out here.

Sophisticated Monoprinting with Stencils and Masks – Friday, March 20th at 9:00 a.m. Mountain

Rocks, Pebbles and Stones, Oh My! – March 24 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain