LOOKING BACK: 5 Years of Vacilando
Next Tuesday, February 18th marks Vacilando Quilting Co.’s five year anniversary. Somehow, five (FIVE!!) whole years have passed since I started Vacilando. It’s the longest I’ve ever had one job, the longest any one thing has held my attention. I must like quilting ;) But it’s still wild to me how much this little business has slowly-but-surely grown into something I couldn’t have ever imagined.
Vacilando started not too long after I taught myself how to quilt as a side hustle with a crazy dream to make a living designing and making quilts all day, every day. I always hoped that dream would come true (I’ve long joked-not-joked about making my quilting millions) but I wasn’t quite sure what that path would look like. I’ve always struggled with the balance between artist and designer and quilter. No single label felt right - I was somewhere in between all three. I spent many years trying to choose which of those worlds my work would belonged to…until I realized that I didn’t have to choose. Vacilando can encapsulate all of that - art, design, and craft.
That path has not been easy - it’s been mostly uphill, it took years of struggle to find stability and confidence, and there haven’t been many examples to look to for guidance. But I’m proud of what me and my small team has created over the years and so incredibly glad and grateful you’re along for the ride.
This milestone has got me all kinds of nostalgic, so let’s take a little walk down memory lane…
2015
Designed + made my first collection of 4 hand quilted quilts and photographed them on Texas’ Gulf Coast
Launched the shop + website on my 27th birthday while we were camped outside of White Sands, NM
Received my first custom quilt commissions (mostly from friends and family at first - it was a BIG deal to get my first commission from a stranger later in 2015)
Ended 2.5 years of full time travels in our Airstream trailer to move to the San Francisco Bay Area
Was laid off my day job shortly after our move so I decided to go all in and make Vacilando my full time job
Started making a lot of work (including canvas totes) and getting some press, but wasn’t selling that much (a very exciting, but stressful time)
2016
Moved to an RV Park in Pacifica on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean - suuuper dreamy
Started developing my own unique style and experimented with wall hangings, cohesive collections, machine quilting, curves, linen, waxed canvas, and whole cloth quilts
Collaborated with Sarah Elands Peterman’s hand printed indigo textile and Little Korboose’s screen printed tea towels
First in person shows - West Coast Craft and a pop up at a furniture store in Potrero Hill - and first wholesale orders
Left San Francisco at the end of the year to get back on the road full time
2017
Discovered our first Airstream was not in good shape and decided to stay with my family in Texas for the year while we built a new Airstream from scratch
The year of collaborations: i worked with Lindsay Hollinger of Casa Joshua Tree, documentary filmmaker Eric Bricker, Kate Oliver of The Modern Caravan, the Airstream hotel Autocamp, canvas shower curtain company Quiet Town, and the clothing brand Jamie + the Jones
Spent two weeks traveling in Europe, a trip which would later inspire the Lowlands Collection
Designed + made the Balance Collection and photographed it in Joshua Tree, CA
2018
Released my first quilt pattern and tutorial for The Atlantic Quilt
Went to QuiltCon for the first time (and saw my Topa Quilt hanging in the show!)
Hired my first employee and production assistant, Lindsay (who’s still with us today!)
Finished building our Airstream home/studio, got married outside of Joshua Tree, started traveling full time again, and spent the year exploring the West Coast
Spent most of the year working on my book Simple Geometric Quilting - designing and making all 20 projects, writing the patterns, putting all my knowledge about quilting down on paper
Design + made the Lowlands Collection and photographed it along the Oregon Coast
Got really into garment making
2019
Spent the spring traveling full time in our Airstream through the deep South, honeymooned in Thailand for two weeks, and join a two week yoga/creative retreat in Peru with Juniper & Stone
Went to QuiltCon in Nashville to see the Norrebro Quilt in the show + meet Lindsay in person
Bought a house in San Marcos, TX and settled down in the Texas hill country in May
Launched our best selling Wall Quilts, made a LOT of custom quilts, experimented with one-of-a-kind quilts, and began working on the Quilt Coat with our Massachusetts-based pattern designer, Erin
A snowball of press, including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, Dwell, Domino, Rachael Ray Everyday and American Craft
My book, Simple Geometric Quilting, was published in August and I hosted a project tour with my favorite makers to celebrate
Designed + made the PNW Collection and photographed it on the Olympic Peninsula
Started selling my work through West Elm Local and Madewell’s Hometown Heroes Collective
Of course more happened than just those highlights, including lots of failures, disappointments, and missteps. But that’s whooole a different conversation. Today we’re celebrating the wins and five years of being in business, so HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO VACILANDO!!
