My Favorite AI Tools and How I Use AI in My Quilting Business (And Why It’s Not as Scary as You Think)

Tori McElwain
Apr 23
6 min read

If you're feeling a little unsure about AI - or maybe even downright suspicious - you're not alone.

When AI first hit the mainstream, it felt like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. But here’s the truth: AI isn’t here to take over your sewing machine. In fact, for small business owners like us, especially in the quilting and crafting world, it can be a fun, useful, and even empowering tool.

Today, I want to share how I use AI in my business, why I trust it (with the right settings in place), and how it might just become your favorite creative assistant too.

So… What Is AI, Really?

Let’s demystify this: AI stands for artificial intelligence, but what most of us are interacting with - like ChatGPT - is just a very smart writing assistant. It’s trained to recognize patterns in how people speak, write, and communicate, and then generate responses based on those patterns.

One of the easiest ways to think about it? It's like predictive text on steroids, like when your phone guesses the next word in a text message, except way more helpful.

You ask it a question, give it some context, and it gives you suggestions, summaries, outlines, captions, or ideas in return.

Why I Started Using AI (And How I Eased Into It)

When I first started dabbling with ChatGPT, I wasn’t trying to overhaul my business, I just wanted to make sense of some technical jargon from my day job. I asked it to explain something to me, “like I’m a fifth grader,” and it worked! Then I tried “like I’m in eighth grade,” and again - it delivered.

That’s when I realized AI could be useful. And kind of fun.

From there, I started using it to brainstorm blog posts, write outlines, and clarify my marketing messages. Slowly but surely, it became a helpful sidekick. And now? I use it weekly inside my quilting business and coaching program.

Let’s Talk Safety: Is AI Secure?

Great question, and honestly, it’s one of the biggest concerns I hear from crafters.

I take privacy seriously, and the good news is: most reputable platforms (like OpenAI, Canva, and Adobe) offer built-in protections.

Here’s what I do to keep things safe:

Turn off AI training in ChatGPT (so your chats don’t teach future versions).
Use private sessions when working on sensitive material.
Avoid uploading personal customer data or proprietary patterns.

Companies like OpenAI have clear privacy settings you can adjust in your account. And tools like Adobe Firefly and Canva AI use closed datasets or curated libraries, meaning they’re not pulling random images or data from the internet.

In short, you have control, and when used thoughtfully, AI is as safe as any tool we use in business today.

How I Use AI in My Quilting & Coaching Business

Here’s a peek into my favorite tools - and how I actually use them every week:

Grammarly: My Secret Writing Buddy

I don’t talk about this often, but I have dyslexia, which means grammar rules and spelling don’t always register for me the way they do for others. Sometimes I literally don’t see the mistake on the page. So when I sit down to write, my words might feel just a little off, or my sentence structure might wander a bit.

Enter: Grammarly.

This tool helps me clean up my writing and communicate clearly. It catches the things my brain skips, like small spelling errors, punctuation mistakes, or awkward phrasing, and gives me suggestions I can accept or ignore.

Honestly, it reminds me of that old paperclip guy from Microsoft Word - remember him? Grammarly is like that, but way more helpful. Just a quiet, encouraging sidekick that wants you to sound like your best self.

And here’s the best part: I still sound like me. Grammarly doesn’t rewrite my voice. It just helps me say what I want to say, more clearly and confidently.

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

This is my main assistant. I use it for:

Writing newsletter drafts
Outlining blog posts
Brainstorming course ideas
Creating email subject line options
Translating “brain fog” into clear marketing messages

It doesn’t replace me- it helps me work faster and think more clearly when I'm juggling a lot.

Custom AI Tools (Built by Me!)

I have one for the Public: Creatives SEO Clarity Report GPT – Audits your website through Google’s lens and tells you how to show up more clearly in search results.

These next two are part of the Digital Marketing Magic Coaching (DMMC) program and they’re designed specifically for creative entrepreneurs like us.

Email Launch Assistant – Helps you write a full email sequence using my launch framework, with just a few prompts.
Barb the Builder (Landing Page GPT) – Organizes your offer and content into a beautifully structured landing page layout.

These tools were created by a quilter, for quilters. So they understand our audience, our offers, and our need for both heart and strategy.

And funny story—after I built these tools, I called my sister and jokingly said, “I am a Tech Master! I am a Master of Tech!” She laughed and agreed... and then a few weeks later, she handed me a surprise gift: a beanie that literally says “Tech Master” across the front. I wear it now as a little reminder that yes, even someone from the quilting world can lean into tech and own it. Because when we embrace the tools that support us, we’re not just keeping up—we’re stepping into something powerful.

Spotify DJ – AI, But Make It Musical

Okay, this one’s just for fun, but I love it.

Spotify’s AI-powered DJ learns your music preferences and curates a personalized mix just for you. Mine is an unpredictable (but totally me) blend of The Greatest Showman, Eminem, Taylor Swift, Metallica, and Rob Zombie, which honestly says everything about my personality.

It pulls in longtime favorites, throws in new discoveries, and keeps me company while I quilt, write, or brainstorm. It’s a great example of how AI can recognize your patterns without being invasive, and just make your day a little better.

WIX SEO Blog Assistant – Real-Time Support While You Write

If you’ve ever stared at your blog post wondering, “Is anyone even going to find this?”- WIX has a built-in AI tool that might surprise you.

When you're writing a blog post, WIX’s SEO Assistant offers an interactive checklist that updates as you write. It gives suggestions like:

“Add your keyword to the first paragraph.”
“Include at least one internal link.”
“Write alt text for images.”

It’s like having a gentle coach in the sidebar, helping you improve your chances of showing up on Google - without having to be an SEO expert.

For someone like me who juggles a lot of content, it’s been such a helpful feature. It takes the guesswork out of SEO and lets me focus on what I really want to do: teach, share, and connect.

Real Talk About Images

Image generation with AI? It's still...iffy.

While I’ve played with tools like Adobe Firefly and Canva’s AI features (and they’re getting better!), most AI image generators still struggle with details. Ever seen a six-fingered hand or a quilt block that makes zero construction sense? Yeah, that’s where we are right now.

Instead, I:

Take real photos of my work
Use Canva for graphics
Avoid using AI images on anything I plan to sell

(If you're curious about how to make your photos stand out as authentically you, I wrote a blog post about that too.)

I asked Canva's AI to help me create a "disorganized" landing page for this image for Instagram - notice that it didn't write real words.

What AI Can’t Replace

It can’t feel.

It doesn't understand connatation and context (unless you give it context).

It can’t tell stories from your life, using your wisdom and experience.

It can’t connect with your audience the way you do.

But it can record your ideas and help you:

Build momentum
Organize your ideas
Write faster
Make more consistent content
Get unstuck when you're staring at a blank screen

Think of AI like a rotary cutter. You could cut every piece with scissors, but a rotary cutter helps your hands and your efficiency.

Quilt generated by ChatGPT to represent what it knows about me.

My Advice? Try It. With Curiosity.

Start small. Open a free ChatGPT account. Ask it to rewrite a class description, summarize a blog post, or brainstorm title options for your next pattern.

Play with it like you would a new tool in your sewing room. Try it. Adjust it. Make it your own.

And if you're still unsure? Come chat with me on Patreon with the Quilting on the Side Podcast Community or join the DMMC - where we don’t just talk about AI, we use it to build better, smarter, calmer creative businesses.

AI doesn’t take the creativity out of your business. It just helps you get your ideas into the world - with more clarity and less stress.

Let’s stitch together something amazing, with the right tools by our side.

Links (no sponsors or affiliates) :

Want to try out ChatGPT? Visit https://openai.com/

Grammarly can be found here: https://www.grammarly.com/

Spotify can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/

Get your own Wix Website: https://wix.com/

My Custom GPTs

Find the Creative's SEO Clarity Report here!

Want to join the DMMC and use the Custom AI Tools for your next launch or landing page? Join us here.

Listen more on the Quilting on the Side Podcast: