Personal Background

Kelly, could you tell us a bit about yourself?  (location, age, educational background, …) Who is behind Steel City Quilt Co?

Hi! I’m Kelly, the face behind Steel City Quilt Co. I live in our slice of heaven in the country outside of Kansas City. We’ve been here about 18 months and I love looking outside and seeing a pond, and trees, and in the late summer, sunflowers! I have three daughters (Faith, Hope, and Grace), a most supportive partner (Rob), and two cats and three guinea pigs! I dream of having alpaca some day. Professionally, I’m a nurse and work in an administrative capacity developing programs to make healthcare delivery better for everyone.

Quilting Journey

How did you first get into quilting? When did you decide to turn this passion into a business by opening your shop?

My mom was a quilter and cross-stitcher, so growing up, I was exposed to fiber arts. I was first drawn to sewing when I stumbled upon Alexander Henry fabric. I started collecting prints that I saw as art, knowing some day I would have time to make amazing things with the fabric I was amassing. I got an entry sewing machine for Mother’s Day in 2011 and dabbled with it from time to time, but didn’t seriously make anything until good ole 2020.  My oldest daughter was graduating high school that May, and I wanted to make her a quilt to take to college.  From there I was hooked!  

I soon found Ruby Star Society fabric and realized I had such a passion for the brand that I wanted to open a shop to bring it to more makers, which then snowballed into getting into longarm quilting about a year later.  

Shop Story and Style  

What’s the story behind Steel City Quilt Co? When did it start, and how would you describe its personality, style, and size?

Steel City Quilt Co was born laying in bed and dreaming up what Rob’s and my future looked like. He’s a creative too and we talked about someday having a shop, or participating in art festivals with our makes.  The name is an homage to his hometown, which is a very special place for us – Pueblo, Colorado.  A large steel mill existed there for many years and it’s known as the Steel City, so Steel City Quilt Co was born.

The shop opened with about 20 small items available in September 2021.  Ruby Star Society precuts were introduced in 2022, and the full Ruby Star Society collections of yardage were available by late 2023.  I also started longarm quilting for clients in 2023.   

Product Offerings  

What types of fabrics do you focus on? How do you offer them to customers—by the yard, as kits, or with custom options?

Steel City Quilt Co focuses on Ruby Star Society fabrics, offering precuts and yardage of new collections, as well as over 400 bolts from older collections. Many new collections have a sample quilt with a quilt kit available, most recently being the Ribbon Candy quilt kit featuring Eye candy.  

I offer edge to edge longarm quilting with all-inclusive pricing that takes the guesswork out of budgeting for quilting. 

Special Collections and Products  

Are there any collections, brands, or unique products you’re especially proud to carry?

I recently released a three block FPP pattern featuring a UFO!  This was my first pattern, but definitely not the last.  It’s available at www.steelcityquiltco.com and it’s free!

Inspiration and Trends  

What inspires you when choosing fabrics or products for your shop? Do you follow any specific trends or themes?

I am an aspiring bag maker so I carry canvas because it inspires me to continue working on developing my bag making skills.  I’m hooked on Ruby Star Society and carry their products exclusively at the moment, but am watching trends for solids and would like to consider that as part of what’s next for Steel City Quilt Co. 

Additional Services

Do you offer any other quilting-related services, like pattern design, long-arming, or classes?  

Longarm quilting

Online Presence

Where can people find your shop online? (Website, social media handles, online marketplaces). How do you use online platforms to connect with your audience and fellow quilters?

Website: www.steelcityquiltco.com

Instagram: @steelcityquiltco

Upcoming News and Projects  

Are there any exciting new projects, events, or collaborations coming up that you’d like to share with the community

Animal Animal will be releasing soon and has a darling quilt kit that will be launching! Follow  @steelcityquiltco on Instagram for sneak peeks and to see the quilt kit when it’s available.

QuiltInk Experience

How has QuiltInk been useful for your shop or customers? Any favorite tools or ways it’s made things easier?

We’ve worked to load Ruby Star Society fabrics into QuiltInk under the Steel City Quilt Co shop so makers can mock-up quilts using the fabrics we sell.  This has been a huge benefit as makers can then send me the fabric requirements for the quilt they want to make, and I can kit it for them.  

Favorite QuiltInk Options

What features or options in QuiltInk do you love the most? Anything that stands out to you or your customers?

I love being able to add custom fabric palettes and then mock up quilts using the fabrics that I love! 

Personal Background

Lindlee, as we dive into your story, could you provide a snapshot of who you are and take us on the journey that led you to where you are today?
I am a former Financial Analyst and Accountant who “retired” in 2022 to pursue my love of Quilt Pattern design full time. As “full time” as having 2 young kids allows, that is! I live in Bozeman, Montana with my husband, 2 kids (a toddler and preschooler), and black lab. 

Quilting Journey

When and how did you start quilting? What drew you to quilting as a form of expression?

I have always loved being creative and was constantly drawing or painting or collaging. I have lots of memories of being in the fabric store with my mom when I was little and being so bored. Then my first job at 15 was in the fabric department at Ben Franklin Crafts and I still had no interest in fabric or sewing. I don’t remember what changed, but in college my mom walked me through making my first quilt – a queen size quilt that we still use! A couple years later my parents bought me a sewing machine and I was hooked. I loved the whole process from picking a pattern to finding the fabrics to cutting and sewing. It was an amazing feeling to make a quilt pattern “mine” simply by choosing colors and fabrics that I loved. 

Pattern Designing

What inspired you to start designing quilt patterns?How do you approach the creative process of designing a new pattern?

Becoming a mom at the end of 2019 was difficult timing to say the least. I was still figuring out how to be a mom when I suddenly had to work from home full time while also being a mom full time with no childcare. Quilting was my outlet to feel like “me” again. It was also during this time I discovered there was a whole world of quilters my age who were making and sharing beautiful quilts on Instagram. I felt like a light turned on when I realized I could design and sell my own designs. I worked on designing my first quilt pattern (the Big Sky Star) during that year and released the pattern in January 2021.

It is such an amazing feeling to design a quilt pattern, put the pattern into the world, then see how other people will interpret that pattern and make it their own. Most of my designs come from playing with different design elements in Illustrator. Sometimes inspiration hits at random times or when I’m laying in bed. 

Style and Aesthetics

How would you define your pattern style? Are there specific themes or elements that consistently appear in your designs?

Probably 50/50 Traditional and Modern. The Lone Star is my all time favorite so usually design quilts that are a modern interpretation or new variation of the Lone Star.

Color

How does color play a role in your pattern designing? Do you have a favorite color? Are there certain color combinations you find particularly appealing?

I love using unexpected color combinations – like a pop of neon in a mostly neutral quilt or using multiple colors in the background which would typically be just 1 color. My favorite colors to use are blues or warm tones (reds, oranges, pinks, browns).

Business Activities

Apart from designing patterns, what other activities are integral to your quilting business?

(Membership, notions, courses, etc)

I have a handful of on-demand workshops and I also sell a small number of kits when I release a new pattern. Now I am starting my 2025 Block of the Month quilt called the Combo Star.

Online Presence

Where can people find your work online? (Website, social media handles, online marketplaces). How do you use online platforms to connect with your audience and fellow quilters?

My website: plainsandpine.com

Instagram: @plainsandpine

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlainsandPine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plainsandpine/

Upcoming Projects

Can you provide a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or designs you’re working on? Any exciting collaborations or events?

In 2025 I am going to be focusing on using what I have and I hope to host a few live events related to that so stay tuned for more details. 

I haven’t started working on my next pattern yet but my plan is to design some beginner friendly star patterns for people who might be intimidated to make a Lone Star quilt.

QuiltInk Experience

How has QuiltInk contributed to your quilt pattern design business? Could you share your experience with the platform and how it has influenced your creative process and connected you with fellow quilters?

I love using QuiltInk for coloring my patterns and sharing those mock-ups with my followers. It is the perfect tool for making sure you are happy with your fabrics/colors before cutting. It is such a fun and powerful tool!