From Corporate Cubicles to Creative Retreats: My Journey to Authentic Quilting
Hi, I’m Donna—quilter, educator, retreat host, and creative business coach. I help makers turn their passion into purpose (and maybe even profit), one confident stitch at a time.
But I didn’t start in the sewing room.
From there, I moved into small business coaching with the Small Business Development Center, helping entrepreneurs—many facing job loss or life pivots—start and grow businesses rooted in their skills and passions. It was here I fell in love with helping everyday people realize they could build something real.
That work led me to higher education, where I became the founding director of the competency-based bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Texas A&M University-Commerce. After retiring from that role, I finally gave myself permission to do what had always been my creative joy: quilting.
What began as teaching classes at a local quilt shop quickly turned into something more. Students asked how to use longarm machines—especially the Pro-Stitcher robotics system—and I realized:
No one was teaching this in a clear, empowering way.
So my husband Chip and I launched what became Fox Country Quilts—a business focused first on education, and eventually expanded into a full quilt shop and retreat center. Three years later, we moved into our current building, which now draws makers and longarm quilters from across the country.
Today, our retreats and classes cover free-motion, rulers, Pro-Stitcher, and more—including sewing, serging, quilting, crafting and creative business development.
At the heart of it all, I’m still doing what I love most:
Teaching makers how to step into their confidence
Helping creatives turn their hobby into a business
Creating a space where people feel encouraged, equipped, and inspired
Whether you’re just picking up a rotary cutter or dreaming of building a business, you’re welcome here.
Let’s quilt boldly,