Main Stage.

Buying Strategies for the Show Floor

You've made it to the trade show, now what? In this panel discussion, seasoned shop owners who've walked the floor of trade shows for years share their playbook for making the most of every minute here. They'll cover how to set a buying budget, prioritize meetings, and stay open to new products and brands you might be discovering for the first time.

They'll also share how to follow up after the show ends, so the connections and orders you make here turn into the strongest possible return on your investment.

Beyond the Sale: How Craft Retreats Build Community and Loyalty

Turn your shop into a destination. A well-run retreat, whether it's a weekend knitting getaway or a multi-day quilting escape, gives customers something they can't get from a single transaction: uninterrupted time to finish projects they love, forge real friendships, and fall deeper in love with your shop. The result? Stronger community, repeat business, and customers who become your biggest advocates.

In this session, a panel of shop owners who've built successful retreat programs will share what actually works, from planning logistics and pricing to creating the kind of distraction-free environment that keeps customers coming back year after year.

Running Successful Classes in Your Shop

What does it take to build a thriving class program in your brick-and-mortar quilt or yarn shop? In this panel discussion, seasoned shop owners share the strategies that work best, from choosing class topics that draw a crowd, to marketing tactics that fill seats, to leveraging the class experience to drive in-store sales.

You Might Be Making YouTube Harder Than It Needs to Be

Whether you're thinking about starting or are already creating videos, learn practical ways to simplify the process, remove friction, and get more from YouTube.

Reimagining Textile Craft as Precision Mental Health Intervention

While the textile industry has long recognized crafting as a relaxing hobby, the Men's Textile Collective Foundation (MTCF) is elevating fiber arts into a targeted clinical and social tool for mental health, fine motor development and rehab, and neurodivergent care. By breaking the gender stigma surrounding fiber arts, MTCF positions men at the forefront of a movement that treats crafting not as passive self-care, but as an active, tactile intervention for complex mental health challenges and youth neurodevelopment.

This presentation outlines MTCF’s mission to transform how industry leaders view their end-users, shifting the narrative from mere consumers of craft supplies to active participants in preventive, accessible mental health care.

From Personal Collection to Public Institution: Building a Fiber Arts Lending Library, Studio, and Education Center

One founder, a lifetime collection of rare fiber arts books, and a realization that none of it would matter unless someone acted — that's how Fiber Arts Houston began. Terri Michele King, RSN-trained embroiderer turned nonprofit founder, shares how she's building Houston's first fiber arts lending library, studio, and education center from the ground up, and what it takes to turn a personal collection into public infrastructure for the craft industry.

From Portfolio to Print: Landing (and Succeeding With) Your Own Fabric Line

Designing your own fabric line is a dream for many quilters, but how does it actually happen? In this panel discussion, seasoned fabric designers pull back the curtain on how these deals really come together: building a portfolio that gets noticed, growing an audience that publishers want to reach, and pitching yourself as a designer worth investing in.

They'll also cover what comes after the deal: how to design fabric that genuinely sells in shops, and how to be the kind of collaborator that fabric companies want to work with again.

Google Business Profile: Your Secret Weapon for Nearby Shoppers

Most retailers already have a Google Business Profile, they just aren't using it strategically. This session shows shop owners how to turn everyday searches into real foot traffic: optimizing their profile, using posts and photos to build trust, and turning reviews into a sales asset. One half covers the retail strategy, the other walks through the technical setup. No tech experience required.