This monthly report highlights social media platform changes that rolled out or surfaced in December 2025, to help quilt pattern designers, quilt teachers, and longarm service providers prepare their marketing strategies for January. Social platforms often test features quietly at the end of the year, then expand or adjust them in the new year. This post breaks down what changed in December, why it matters for creative businesses, and what you can thoughtfully test or plan f

There is a lot of information right now. A lot of predictions. A lot of noise about how you should be showing up everywhere, doing everything, adapting instantly, and keeping up at all costs. And I want to start by saying this clearly: You do not need to do all the things and definitely not all the things at once. Online marketing is shifting. Trends are shifting. Search is shifting.

If you’re a quilt business owner running things mostly on your own - a pattern designer, teacher, or service provider - YouTube can feel like the most sustainable place to show up. And it is! The Quilters Survey, presented every year at h+h Americas, showed that YouTube was the number 1 platform quilters turn to when looking up information about quilting in 2024. You can teach, explain, model, inspire, connect, and you can build trust without dancing for an algorithm.

If you’ve ever poured your heart into writing a blog post and then thought, “Okay… now what?” You’re not alone. Many creative business owners write a blog, hit publish, and let it sit there like a beautiful quilt folded up in a closet. It exists, but it’s not doing any of the work it could be doing for your marketing.

When I first started teaching quilting workshops and designing patterns, every day felt like drowning. I’d wake up, care for my then 1-year-old, and the moment nap time began, I’d sit at my desk and…freeze. I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t have a plan. I was piecing my business together sporadically - like an improv quilt, but without the fun.

If keeping up with social media changes feels like trying to piece a king-size quilt from a scrap bin… you’re not alone. Each month I pull together the biggest platform updates through a quilting business lens  so you can spend less time doom-scrolling and more time quilting, teaching, or longarming. You’ll find: 5 quick platform updates (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube) A Trend Watch  section A summary table A short monthly action plan 1. Instagram: Recaps, R

Tori McElwain This update covers the platform changes we saw in October,  so you can use them as guideposts while planning your content and promotions for November and beyond . It’s written especially for quilting business owners - pattern designers, teachers, and longarm service providers - to help you make sense of the noise and pick one or two things to try next month. A lot is going on, so let’s dive in! Whether you’re sharing a new quilt pattern, teaching a live workshop