We were lucky to catch up with Ginger Cherry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ginger, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

In my artist heart, I want to fill the world with soft, beautiful quilts. Just as every home should have books, every home should have quilts. In my day to day business, my mission is to have my customers finish the process with a quilt they love, and often during the process, I will say those words directly to my customer. Most of my customers are not quilters or even sewists, so my job is not only making a quilt for them, but to also educate and lead them through the process of having a quilt made. All of the quilts that I make from clothing for customers are highly personal and often represent years of a person’s life, and I want to best utilize what I am given to show and remember that person. Recently I made two small quilts for a mother whose three year old son had passed away, and some of our initial meeting was spent talking about him and his loves and the memories associated with the clothing we were discussing for the quilt. I am so often reminded that my work will become an heirloom quilt for a family, and the quilts I make are much more than the fabric from which they are composed. Quilts have always represented more than their sum parts, and I am grateful to be able to make the continuation of this artistic endeavor my daily practice and mission.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Ginger Cherry of Finished Fibers, LLC, and the core of my business is making custom quilts by commission. I make T-Shirt quilts, Memory Quilts, Memory Bears and Memory Pillows from clothing that the customer provides. I also make Custom quilts from quilter’s cotton if a customer so desires it. I make all of these quilts from scratch. I create custom patterns, cut the clothing and fabric, interface the clothing as needed, and piece each quilt top. I hand guide the quilting of each quilt with my APQS Lenni sewing machine, and I bind all of the quilts. I also offer embroidery services for the quilts I make. I take on commission projects that include quilts that have already been started or need a few repairs, too. When quilters die or reach a point where they may need a hand finishing a project, I can usually help, and I really enjoy seeing the work of other quilters and collaborating with them when I can. I sometimes do custom quilting for clients if they do not desire edge to edge quilting. I love quilting and sewing, and I delight in using my design and artistic skills to create items that people will cherish for a lifetime. I enjoy helping customers commemorate lost loved ones and celebrate milestones like graduation. I also enjoy helping people with having something special made for themselves…something tangible and cozy.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me is literally “word of mouth!” I work mostly with local customers, though, I have made quilts for clients from as far away as California and Australia, but those jobs came by word of mouth, also. I try to touch base with every new customer and ask how they know about me and my custom quilt making business, and most of the responses are a local quilt shop, past client, or someone who knows me recommended me. Sometimes I get traffic from my website and social media, but the connections I make with those local points of contact are so important, and I try to introduce myself at quilt shops because they are the ones who receive the calls from clients, who consider them the experts. I want local quilt shops to know I am an expert quilter, also. Too, many of the quilts I make are very personal…a mother has saved clothes from when the child was a baby through college or the clothing is saved from the passing of a loved one…and most people find it difficult to hand over those items, especially to a stranger. So having someone say, “Ginger is the best quilter for the job, you should contact her,” goes a long way to building trust with my clients before I even meet them. Then, the care, attention, and skill I put into each person’s quilt allows past clients to feel comfortable with showing off their quilt and recommending me to others.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

My custom quilt making business is very niche, and it is different from an artist or maker who creates and then sells items. My work is by commission, so I don’t have a newsletter for upcoming releases or collections, but I do spend time listening to clients and encouraging their return to me with projects. When I deliver items to customers, I usually, at some point in that meeting, say, “Please let me know if I can make something else for you” or if I am mailing off the item, then I put in a personal note to that effect. In person, my saying this statement usually elicits other ideas the client has and we can discuss them. Sometimes it leads me to put reminders on my calendar. For instance, if I make a graduation quilt for one child in a family, then I will usually make quilts for the other children, too. If the graduations are within a year or two, then I will put reminders on my calendar to contact the family in mid-February when I start filling up my work flow for graduations in May and June of that year. Those graduation reminders make sure the quilts aren’t forgotten until too late and a level of care and interest on my part. Clients are often relieved if they know I have a reminder set for them. If a customer mentions an idea or possible future project, then I will make a note on my calendar also, even if the client has been vague or noncommittal. Three to six months out, I will have a reminder set to touch base with the client if I have not heard from them. I usually send something like, “I am just checking in…I know you mentioned x project, and I just wanted to let you know I am here when you are ready to start the process.” Small personal touches and personal contact goes a long way in a small business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.finishedfibers.com/
• Instagram: @finished.fibers
• Facebook: Finished Fibers, LLC or Ginger Cherry

Image Credits
Ginger Cherry