From Etsy to a brick-and-mortar store
Amanda’s entrepreneurial journey began with creating banks for children. After her husband passed away unexpectedly, Amanda wanted to pay tribute to his legacy. She decided to honor him and his passion for financial literacy by making wooden banks. The banks featured a child’s name engraved on the top and three compartments labeled “give,” “save,” and “spend.”
The product took off on Etsy, eventually making her store one of the platform’s top 2%. That milestone combined with her previous experience gave her the confidence to pursue another entrepreneurship opportunity when an established quilt shop became available. “I consider myself a serial crafter,” she said. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got the entrepreneurial spirit and I understand the retail world and I understand crafting.’ So, it felt like a really great fit.”
Amanda quickly realized her customers like to quilt for the same reason she was driven to create the banks: they want to pass on a legacy. So, she changed the name of the business to Quilting Legacies.
Expanding the Business
The original shop was located in Oakfield and now, nearly three years after moving the business to Fond du Lac, Quilting Legacies has grown into much more. The business has added two long-arm quilting machines, increased its programming and class offerings, and opened a Creative Studio featuring paint-your-own pottery.
The business has also expanded its staff. “Given my background in human resources, being able to offer jobs and to grow the team has been one of the most fulfilling parts,” she said.
For Amanda, the growth reflects her broader vision for the business: creating a welcoming place where people of all ages can learn, make things, and find a creative outlet. “I feel like the store is a creative extension of myself,” she said. “And I love when people walk in and feel the warmth and the vibes that we’re trying to create.”
Building skills – and confidence
Quilting Legacies’ educational efforts extend to younger members of the community, too. For the past three years, the business has partnered with a local school district to offer summer sewing camps, typically for middle school-age students. Amanda sees sewing as a practical skill that also teaches problem-solving, math, and resilience. “Usually, a sewing project doesn’t go exactly right the first time and you have to rip it out and try again,” she said.
The store also attracts adults who are discovering sewing and quilting later in life. Amanda understands that experience firsthand. She bought her first sewing machine when she was 31 years old. “I would not consider myself an expert quilter in any way,” she said. “I love it and I hire expert quilters that teach the classes, but I’m still working on my skills just like everyone else.”
Accomplishments with SBDC:
- Marketing strategy
- Business planning
- SWOT Analysis
- Financial projections
Entrepreneurship doesn’t always go according to plan
While Quilting Legacies has experienced significant growth, she said the journey has also reinforced the unpredictable nature of owning a business. “I am very proud of the success that we have had, but it has not been without its bumps,” she said. “At one point, we were hoping to acquire a large amount of inventory but the bank turned us down for a loan to finance the purchase.” She encourages aspiring business owners to be prepared to adjust their plans.
“Everything takes twice as long and costs twice as much as you think it’s going to, at least at the start,” she said. “I’ve learned not to be so rigid with my plans, especially in the beginning.”
Amanda gives advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
One of Quilting Legacies’ biggest pivots came after the move to Fond du Lac. The business initially leased half of a much larger building; then Amanda quickly realized the space would not be enough to accommodate the classes and other activities she envisioned.
The business expanded into the other half of the building, creating roughly 2,000 additional square feet of space that became home to the Creative Studio.
Finding Support in the business community
Amanda has worked with Tom Sonntag, a consultant at the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW-Oshkosh, on business planning, strength and weakness analysis, marketing, and financial projections.
But she said the most valuable support has been the opportunity to have someone to turn to as a mentor. “It’s hard not having a boss sometimes,” she said. “I like not having a boss, but also that can be a double-edged sword. Having Tom to bounce ideas off of and help make sure I’m on the right track has been really valuable.”
Amanda is also involved with Envision Greater Fond du Lac, which she said provides support and camaraderie among local entrepreneurs.
Looking toward the future
Amanda’s plans for Quilting Legacies extend beyond growing the retail business. She has begun speaking publicly at quilting events and recently spoke at the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show in Madison in September. Her presentation focused on the mental health benefits of quilting and crafting. For her, creative activities can provide more than a finished product. They can offer an opportunity to slow down, solve problems, and find satisfaction in making something.
For Amanda, success is reflected in the employees she has been able to hire, the visitors learning to sew, and the creative community taking shape inside Quilting Legacies – which may be the most important legacy of all.
Published September 2026