C&T Publishing
C&T Publishing is a privately held craft and hobby publisher selling books, patterns, online courses, and tools to individual crafters and retailers via ctpub.com, operating seven imprints and the Creative Spark learning platform across 30+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersConcord, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What C&T Publishing does
C&T Publishing is a privately held craft and hobby publishing company, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Concord, California. It operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business at ctpub.com, with the company selling physical and digital books, patterns, online courses, and crafting tools to individual crafters and wholesale retailers. The core product is a catalog of 2,762 SKUs spanning quilting, sewing, crochet, knitting, embroidery, fiber arts, paper crafts, cooking, and lifestyle craft categories, organized across seven imprints (C&T Publishing, Leisure Arts, Stash Books, FunStitch Studio, Crosley-Griffith Publishing, FanPowered Press, Kansas City Star Quilts).
The underlying technology stack is conventional rather than differentiated: a Shopify-based storefront with integrated digital downloads for eBooks, patterns, and online courses, combined with a print-on-demand model for physical books. Creative Spark, an in-house online learning platform, delivers 206 video courses and virtual live events taught by instructors, functioning as a community-and-education layer atop the static publishing catalog. Order fulfillment is outsourced to Simon & Schuster's Jackson, Tennessee distribution center, which also enables UPS International shipping to 30+ countries.
C&T's revenue model is one-time purchase across all product lines — book sales, eBooks/digital downloads, online courses (Creative Spark), and standalone patterns and tools — with no disclosed subscription tier. Pricing runs from $3.95 to $34.95 for books and $14.99 to $59.99 for courses, with a 10% newsletter-signup discount for subscriber acquisition. GTM motion is product-led: D2C e-commerce supported by content marketing (blog, free projects, SEO), an active social media presence across X, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, an affiliate program, and wholesale/retailer partnerships. Customer segments are horizontal across craft disciplines, with quilters as the primary base and sewists, yarn crafters, embroidery enthusiasts, families/kids, and online course learners as secondary segments.
C&T Publishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- C&T Publishing
- Legal name
- C&T Publishing
- Website
- https://ctpub.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- C&T Publishing is a privately held craft and hobby publisher selling books, patterns, online courses, and tools to individual crafters and retailers via ctpub.com, operating seven imprints and the Creative Spark learning platform across 30+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
C&T Publishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft and Hobby Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK), Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Sales & Merchandising (Publisher Stores, Bundles) (MPAJAKAD)
Keywords
Where C&T Publishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Concord
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
C&T Publishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Physical and digital books across quilting, sewing, crochet, knitting, embroidery, and other craft categories. Products sold through print-on-demand model.
- eBook/Digital Downloads: Digital format books and patterns available for immediate download
- Online Courses: Creative Spark online courses and virtual live events for craft instruction
- Patterns and Tools: Standalone craft patterns and specialized tools/notions products
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Books and Patterns - One-time purchase |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Creative Spark Online Courses - One-time purchase |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
C&T Publishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
C&T Publishing is a craft and hobby book publisher that sells physical and digital books, patterns, tools, and online courses across quilting, sewing, crochet, knitting, embroidery, fiber arts, and related disciplines. The company operates 7 imprints and the Creative Spark online learning platform, fulfilling orders through print-on-demand and a Simon & Schuster warehouse partnership while distributing globally from its ctpub.com storefront.
Product overview
C&T Publishing is a craft and hobby publishing company offering physical books, print-on-demand editions, eBooks, online courses through Creative Spark, patterns, and crafting tools. The company operates multiple imprints including Leisure Arts (acquired craft book publisher), Stash Books, FunStitch Studio, Crosley-Griffith Publishing, FanPowered Press, and Kansas City Star Quilts. Products span quilting, sewing, crochet, knitting, embroidery, painting, paper crafts, fiber arts, and general crafting across all skill levels. The company ships from a warehouse partnership with Simon & Schuster in Jackson, Tennessee.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Creative Spark: Online learning platform offering video courses in quilting, sewing, embroidery, fiber arts, and other creative crafts.
- Leisure Arts
- Stash Books
- FunStitch Studio
Products and services
- C&T Publishing Books Physical and print-on-demand craft books covering techniques and projects across quilting, sewing, crochet, knitting, embroidery, painting, paper crafts, fiber arts, and general crafting for hobbyists of all skill levels.
- Creative Spark Online Courses Online learning platform with 206 video courses for quilting, sewing, embroidery, fiber arts, and other crafts, taught by authors and instructors. Includes virtual live events for craft instruction and community engagement.
- eBooks Digital download versions of craft books and patterns available for immediate purchase and download, spanning 330 eBook titles across multiple craft categories.
- Patterns Standalone craft patterns and project instructions available for digital download, serving quilters, sewists, crocheters, knitters, and other crafters.
- Tools & Notions Crafting tools, notions, and supplies sold alongside books and digital products, including specialized color selection and design tools for crafters.
- Color Tools Color selection and design tools for crafting and quilting, including the Ultimate 3-in-1 Color Tool, Essential Color Wheel Companion, Essential Color Card Deck, and Palette-Builder Color Tool.
- Leisure Arts Imprint Books Craft book imprint featuring books on crochet, knitting, sewing, home decor, and holiday crafts, serving hobbyists seeking pattern and project how-to guides.
- Stash Books Imprint Craft book imprint focusing on quilting, sewing, and fiber arts titles for hobbyists seeking specialized project how-to content.
- FunStitch Studio Imprint Craft book imprint focused on kids' crafts, sewing projects, and beginner-friendly craft instructions for families and educators seeking age-appropriate crafting activities.
- Kansas City Star Quilts Imprint Quilting imprint publishing books and patterns inspired by historical quilt designs, serving quilters interested in traditional and heritage quilt patterns.
Companies that use C&T Publishing
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
C&T Publishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
C&T Publishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Simon & SchustercoreWarehouse and fulfillment partnership where Simon & Schuster handles order processing and shipping from their Jackson, Tennessee distribution center. Orders ship with tracking information provided via email.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
C&T Publishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fox Chapel Publishing: Fox Chapel Publishing is an independent publisher specializing in woodworking, crafts, and hobby books with a strong DTC catalog. It directly competes with C&T Publishing in the craft how-to book space, operating multiple imprints and a similar print-on-demand-driven e-commerce model.
- Storey Publishing: Storey Publishing publishes practical how-to books on crafts, gardening, cooking, and homesteading. It directly overlaps with C&T Publishing in craft instructional content and serves a similar hobbyist and DIY customer base.
- Kalmbach Media: Kalmbach Media publishes enthusiast magazines, books, and digital content for hobbyist communities including quilting and beadwork. It is a direct peer in craft hobby publishing with overlapping audience of dedicated hobbyists and similar publishing + digital learning strategy.
- Martingale & Company: Martingale & Company is a craft book publisher focused on quilting and sewing titles. It is a direct peer to C&T Publishing, competing in the same quilt and soft craft publishing space with comparable products and customer base.
- Landauer Publishing: Landauer Publishing is an independent craft book publisher with titles spanning quilting, sewing, and fiber arts. It is a direct peer to C&T Publishing in niche craft publishing with overlapping product categories.
- Quarry Books: Quarry Books (part of Quayside Publishing Group) publishes craft, design, and DIY instructional books. It directly competes with C&T Publishing in the craft how-to publishing segment with overlapping customer interests.
- Annie's: Annie's is a craft publisher and pattern company producing books, patterns, and kits for crochet, knitting, and other needle crafts. It is a direct peer to C&T Publishing in the craft book and pattern segment with overlapping customer segments and similar product categories.
Broad incumbents
- Sterling Publishing: Sterling Publishing is a general-interest trade publisher (owned by Barnes & Noble) with craft, hobby, and DIY titles. It is a broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities but as part of a wider trade publishing portfolio rather than specializing in the craft niche.
Emerging players
- American Quilter's Society: American Quilter's Society publishes quilting books, patterns, and operates a network of quilting events. It is an emerging player with meaningful but partial overlap with C&T Publishing, focused specifically on the quilting niche.
Regional players
- Quiltmania: Quiltmania is a France-based publisher of quilting magazines, books, and patterns. It is a regional player with comparable craft publishing offerings but primarily serves European markets rather than directly competing with C&T's US-centric base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
C&T Publishing social profiles
Digital presenceC&T Publishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
C&T Publishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
C&T Publishing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
C&T Publishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
C&T Publishing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about C&T Publishing
What does C&T Publishing do?
C&T Publishing is a craft and hobby book publisher that sells physical and digital books, patterns, tools, and online courses across quilting, sewing, crochet, knitting, embroidery, fiber arts, and related disciplines. The company operates 7 imprints and the Creative Spark online learning platform, fulfilling orders through print-on-demand and a Simon & Schuster warehouse partnership while distributing globally from its ctpub.com storefront.
Is C&T Publishing a public or private company?
C&T Publishing is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was C&T Publishing founded?
C&T Publishing was founded in 1983. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is C&T Publishing based?
C&T Publishing is headquartered in Concord, United States, in the North America region.
How does C&T Publishing make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are eBook/Digital Downloads, online Courses and patterns and Tools.
Who are C&T Publishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fox Chapel Publishing, Storey Publishing, Kalmbach Media, Martingale & Company, Landauer Publishing, Quarry Books and Annie's. Sterling Publishing is listed as a broad incumbent. American Quilter's Society is listed as an emerging player. Quiltmania is listed as a regional player.
Does C&T Publishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for C&T Publishing.
What industry is C&T Publishing in?
C&T Publishing's product category is Craft and Hobby Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAB, Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.), with a secondary code of BPAMAJAK, eBook & Digital Reading Platforms. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.