Today we’d like to introduce you to Gudrun Erla Gisladottir.
Hi Gudrun, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started designing quilt patterns in Iceland where I am born and raised. I owned a quilt shop there and had a small line of patterns in Icelandic. A rep from the US encouraged me to translate my patterns into English and publish them in the US which took off quickly, so I moved to the States in 2003 to pursue a full-time career as a designer.
Since then, I have been self-publishing books and patterns in the quilting industry, as well as writing and designing tools, notions, and fabric for other publishers and manufacturers.
Until 2020, I traveled the world teaching and lecturing for quilting groups and at large conferences. I had also started selling a little bit of fabric and other tools on my website which worked well with my travel and workshops. I steadily grew my community through live shows on social media whenever my travel schedule allowed. The lockdown in March 2020 took me off the road permanently so we pivoted and started doing more live shows and live quilting events on Facebook and youtube which resulted in the business exploding.
Selling more fabric and expanding our reach resulted in us moving the company out of our home to a large warehouse in the fall of 2020. There we keep growing the business as our community of quilters grows with more quilting content and publications. We have increased the number of team members by 1000% since March 2020 and are very excited for the future.
On a local level, we just opened our classroom space, furnished with BabyLock sewing machines where we host classes, sew along, and sew for a cause day which quilters can reserve spots for on our website.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think any entrepreneur’s journey is without struggles. There have been times when sales have fluctuated wildly and impacted my family life when I was a 1 person team.
Lots of personal sacrifices where I had to travel and miss things in my kid’s lives. The biggest challenge lately has been our extreme growth in 2020-2021. Growing that much, that fast has a lot of challenges that take a couple of years to level out.
As you know, we’re big fans of GE Designs. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Since I started writing my first instructional patterns and books in the quilting industry, I have always been driven to find faster and easier ways to do things. That is still my guiding light today. I have designed a series of rulers for quilting called the Stripology rulers which makes the process easier, more effective, and more accurate for the user.
They are among the best-selling quilting tools in the world today. I want to make quilting more approachable and fun for all by writing patterns that look interesting but are easy and fun to make.
I love to make each event a full-circle experience so even though it is a virtual event like our retreats, there is a physical product box that everyone receives with fabric, tools, swag, snacks, and recipes which connects us all on multiple levels. There is even a music playlist we put together, themed for each day. All of those things help break down any physical distance between us all and create a lasting bond.
Our mission statement reads: At GE Designs, our mission is to create high-quality quilting products and experiences that inspire creativity and promote well-being among our coworkers, customers, and community. As a family-owned business, we value the power of a strong community and strive to cultivate a workplace culture that fosters collaboration, respect, and personal growth.
We are committed to innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility in all aspects of our business. Whether someone is an experienced quilter or just starting, we’re dedicated to providing them with the tools and support they need to express their creativity, connect with others, and enhance their overall well-being.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success in life means you get the most fulfillment out of everything you do and everyone you spend your time with. I am honest and real with my community of customers on our live shows and make sure to share parts of our lives as well as promote our products.
That approach creates a bond and a connection with the community which gives me so much joy and satisfaction that carries into all aspects of my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gequiltdesigns.com
- Instagram: @gedesignsgudrun
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/gequiltdesigns
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/gedesigns
Image Credits
GE Designs
