American Quilter's Society

What American Quilter's Society does

American Quilter's Society (AQS) is a privately held, membership-based quilting organization operating in the United States since 1984, run through its legal entity Schroeder Publishing Co., Inc., headquartered in Paducah, Kentucky. AQS monetizes a diversified stack of products and services targeted at quilting hobbyists of all skill levels, guilds, and quilt collectors: a recurring membership tier that confers 20% discount across retail and exclusive content access; the AQ Magazine in print and digital; the iquilt online learning platform offering structured courses on beginning quilting, applique, piecing, domestic-machine quilting, longarm quilting, and art-elements design; an e-commerce storefront (ShopAQS) selling books, patterns, fabric, kits, batting, thread, notions, and merchandise; and a portfolio of in-person experiences including the multi-city QuiltWeek shows (each featuring 600-800 contest and exhibit quilts plus a vendor Merchant Mall), the Paducah-based Seam Quilt Retreats, and AQS Quilt Cruises.

Distribution combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce, on-site sales at QuiltWeek events, a toll-free phone order line, and weekly email and social-media engagement via the OnPoint newsletter and a Facebook presence at facebook.com/AQSonline. Partnerships with National Brand Partners AccuQuilt (Qraftful) and Bernina, alongside multi-vendor sponsorships (WonderFil, Quilters Select, Rowenta, Pfaff, Electric Quilt Company, Faultless), anchor an ecosystem in which vendors co-fund events such as the Honey V Revival Quilt Along and the 50 States in Stitches Wool Appliqué Creativity Challenge Exhibit in exchange for access to AQS's member base. AQS also operates a Certified Appraiser program, a guild/club directory, and recurring Quilt Contests offering what it describes as the largest cash prizes in the country. Reported employee count is 11-50; revenue, ownership structure details, and management team are not publicly disclosed, and the organization has not raised external institutional capital per available records.

Name

American Quilter's Society

Legal name

Schroeder Publishing Co., Inc.

Website

https://americanquilter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

American Quilter's Society (AQS) is a privately held, U.S.-based membership organization serving quilting hobbyists, guilds, and collectors through the AQ Magazine, the iquilt online learning platform, ShopAQS e-commerce, multi-city QuiltWeek shows, Paducah retreats, and quilt cruises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quilting Publishing and Membership Services

NAICS

Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (459130), Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (45913)

SIC

Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Quilting & Patchwork Shops (CRALADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fashion & Textile Arts (Sewing, Patternmaking, Knitting, Crochet) (EDAAAGAK), Notions & Sewing Accessories Retail (Thread, Needles, Zippers, Buttons) (CRALADAG)

Keywords

• Quilting publications
• Membership events
• Fabric retail
• Online quilting courses
• Quilting competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Paducah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership/Subscriptions: AQS membership provides access to member-only content, retreats, discounts on products, and community benefits.
2. Magazine Sales: Sale of American Quilter (AQ) Magazine, both print and digital issues.
3. Product Sales: E-commerce sales of books, patterns, fabric, kits, notions (batting, thread, scissors, cutters, stencils), DVDs, and merchandise.
4. QuiltWeek Events: Revenue from event tickets and vendor participation at multi-city quilt shows.
5. Quilt Retreats: AQS Seam Quilt Retreats featuring workshops with world-class instructors, with optional group discounts for 6+ attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

American Quilter's Society is a membership-based publishing and events organization for the quilting community. It publishes the AQ Magazine (print and digital), sells quilting books, patterns, fabric, kits, and notions through ShopAQS, and delivers online quilting courses via its iquilt platform. The company also produces multi-city QuiltWeek trade shows, immersive Seam Quilt Retreats in Paducah, themed Quilt Cruises, an annual Quilt Contest with cash prizes, creativity challenges, and a certified quilt appraiser program.

Product overview

American Quilter's Society (AQS) is a membership-based quilting organization offering a comprehensive ecosystem of products and services centered on quilting education, community, and commerce. The core offerings include: the AQ Magazine (print and digital publication), the iquilt online learning platform with multiple quilting courses, AQS QuiltWeek events (major quilt shows), Seam Quilt Retreats, and Quilt Cruises. Commerce is handled through ShopAQS, which sells books, patterns, fabric, kits, notions, and merchandise. The organization also runs Creativity Challenges and Quilt Contests, provides a Guild/Club Registry, and maintains a free patterns library through its blog. AQS Membership provides access to exclusive content, discounts, and events. Together, these form a unified platform serving quilters of all skill levels through magazines, quilt shows, online learning, retail, and community programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AQ Magazine Monthly print and digital magazine featuring quilting patterns, articles, tutorials, and award-winning quilts, with member-exclusive content, sold to individual quilters and hobbyists.
• iquilt Online Courses Digital learning platform offering online quilting courses including Beginning Quilting, Art Elements of Quilting, Building Piecing Skills, Adventurous Applique, Beginning Applique, Beginning Domestic Machine Quilting, and Longarm Quilting, sold to individual learners.
• AQS QuiltWeek Annual quilt shows held in multiple U.S. cities featuring 600-800 contest and special-exhibit quilts, workshops, lectures, vendor Merchant Mall, and the largest cash prizes for quilters in the country, open to individual attendees.
• AQS Seam Quilt Retreats Multi-day immersive quilting retreats featuring workshops with world-class instructors, local excursions, and sewing time in Paducah, KY, with a 10% group discount for parties of 6 or more.
• AQS Quilt Cruises Quilting-themed cruise vacations combining travel with quilting instruction and community, sold to individual quilters.
• ShopAQS E-commerce Store Online retail store selling quilting supplies including books, patterns, fabric, kits, batting, thread, scissors, cutters, stencils, DVDs, and AQS merchandise, with both downloadable and physical products and a 20% members-only discount.
• AQS Membership Paid membership program providing access to member-exclusive content, retreats, patterns, contests, and a 20% daily savings benefit at ShopAQS, sold to individual quilters.
• AQS Quilt Contest Annual national quilt competition with the largest cash prizes in the country, allowing quilters to enter and showcase their work at AQS QuiltWeek shows.
• AQS Certified Appraisal Program Program that trains and certifies quilt appraisers and publishes a directory of certified appraisers offering valuation services to quilt collectors and owners.
• AQS Bento Box Illusion Quilt Pattern Optical illusion quilt pattern (48" x 48") released as part of the AQS Quilt Alongs series for individual quilters to download.
• Tessellating Hearts Quilt Pattern Quilt pattern (65" x 74") by Jeri Auty released by AQS for individual quilters to purchase and download.
• Free Wallhanging Patterns Collection of free downloadable wallhanging and table-topper patterns released by AQS, including the Freedom Star patriotic wallhanging and the Summer Garden Basket (25" x 21").

Quantifiable outcome

• Largest cash prizes for quilters in the country
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Quilters SelectminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor for the Honey V Revival Quilt Along, providing products and materials for participants in this community quilting event series.
• RowentaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor for the Honey V Revival Quilt Along, providing ironing/pressing products for quilting participants.
• PfaffminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor for the Honey V Revival Quilt Along, providing sewing machine-related products for participants.
• Electric Quilt CompanyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor for the Honey V Revival Quilt Along, providing quilting design software support for participants.
• FaultlessminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor for the Honey V Revival Quilt Along, providing quilting-related products for participants.
• AccuQuilt (Qraftful)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAccuQuilt is featured as a National Brand Partner on the AQS website, appearing in brand partnership sections alongside Bernina. They collaborate on content, products, and cross-promotion within the quilting community.
• BerninacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBernina is featured as a National Brand Partner on the AQS website, appearing alongside AccuQuilt. The partnership involves brand collaboration and cross-promotional activities for the quilting market.
• WonderFil Specialty ThreadsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWonderFil Specialty Threads sponsored the 50 States in Stitches: AQS Wool Appliqué Creativity Challenge Exhibit, providing curated wool appliqué kits for participants.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Connecting Threads: Catalog and online quilting fabric/notions retailer with its own educational content and quilting-community presence — comparable e-commerce + content model to ShopAQS.
• Quilts Inc. (International Quilt Festival): Producer of the Houston International Quilt Festival (long-running large-format quilt shows, contests, and Merchant Malls) — most direct competitive overlap with AQS QuiltWeek on the events and contest axis.
• Mancuso Show Management: Operates a portfolio of national quilt shows (Mid-Atlantic, Quilt Odyssey, etc.) competing head-to-head for vendors and attendees with AQS QuiltWeek events.
• Missouri Star Quilt Company: Hamilton, MO-based quilting retailer and educator built around Jenny Doan's YouTube tutorials, an e-commerce fabric shop, and a 12-location town retail complex — same multi-channel membership/education/retail playbook as AQS. Closest direct peer.
• Road to California Quilt Show: Ontario, CA-based annual quilt show with contests, vendor malls, and special exhibits — same event-and-contest monetization model as AQS QuiltWeek.

Broad incumbents

• JOANN: National craft retail chain selling fabric, notions, and sewing supplies to the same hobbyist customer base as ShopAQS, but at materially larger scale and broader craft focus.
• Hobby Lobby: Large multi-category craft and home décor retailer, significant fabric and notion assortment, overlapping customer base with AQS — broader incumbent with cross-category focus.
• Moda Fabrics (United Notions): Major quilt-focused fabric manufacturer and brand house whose designer collections (Fig Tree, Moda Bake Shop) anchor the same quilting retail ecosystem AQS serves. Adjacent incumbent, not direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Electric Quilt Company: Niche quilting design software maker (EQ8) that is already an AQS show sponsor — adjacent technology enabling digital quilt design, comparable in serving the design-conscious segment of the AQS audience.

Others

• National Quilt Museum (Paducah): Paducah-based quilt institution in AQS's home city — not a competitor, but an ecosystem participant that reinforces Paducah as the destination hub for AQS's events and reinforces audience funneling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AQSonline
• Xx.com/AmericanQuilter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Quilter's Society