Heather Kojan on Quilting, Fearless Hustle, and Bringing Textiles to Willa Workshops

Host Wendy Solganik interviews quilting instructor Heather Kojan, a modern quilter with traditional roots, founder of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild, and Willa Workshops instructor behind Threaded and Sewn, The Modern Improv Pillow, and the upcoming in-person retreat Fodder School Live (sold out; August 2026). Heather recounts growing up crafty (crochet, sewing), studying business, working in radio, restaurants, and a small catering business, then making her first quilt in late-80s colors and quilting casually while raising kids. She describes discovering modern quilting through blogs/Flickr, starting a guild to build community in Baltimore, and “faking it till you make it” into lecturing and national teaching, patterns, publications, and retreats (including a large Lancaster retreat). Heather explains her income streams, extensive travel, and plans to reduce travel while creating more Willa Workshops content that merges mixed media and textiles, including future collaborations and a planned co-taught Fodder School 7 lesson.  00:00 Meet Heather Kojan 02:05 Podcast Premise and Intro 03:39 Why Heather Now 04:44 From New York to Virginia 10:02 Early Craft Obsessions 12:46 College and Career Detours 16:26 Radio Restaurants and Catering 19:48 First Quilt and Family Life 23:03 Modern Quilting Awakening 25:06 Starting a Quilt Guild 28:23 First Lectures to Full Time 30:56 Income Streams and Recognition 33:35 How She Booked Teaching Gigs 34:32 Cold Email Breakthrough 35:53 Applying and Getting Noticed 37:04 Taking Over the Retreat 38:55 What Happens at Retreats 41:14 Finding Fodder School 46:13 From Student to Collaborator 50:57 Building Online Courses 59:08 Planning the Next Chapter 01:01:38 Travel Burnout and Ego 01:06:15 Slowing Down and New Hybrids 01:11:34 Recruiting Teachers and FS7 01:14:24 Wrap Up and Thanks