Quilt Designer Case Study

Quilt Designer is a modern organization and sketching app designed to empower quilters by addressing common challenges, enhancing creativity, and supporting project completion. Through an intuitive and aesthetic interface, the app aims to:

Organize quilting supplies effectively.
Educate and inspire quilters with design ideas.
Streamline project planning.
Provide accountability to complete quilt projects.

Role and Responsibilities

I served as the lead UX designer, managing end-to-end processes including user research, wireframing, prototyping, and interface design. Collaborating with developers and a branding specialist, I ensured the final design aligned with user needs and brand identity.

The Painpoints

Unfinished Projects
Many quilters cited a lack of motivation and accountability, leading to incomplete quilts. They often began projects with enthusiasm but struggled to sustain momentum, especially when projects became complex or time-consuming. In a survey, 61% of respondents stated that they run out of steam midway through a project

Indecision on Colors/Designs/Fabrics
Users reported difficulty in choosing colors, block designs, and fabrics. In a survey, 87% of respondents stated that they struggle to select a quilt pattenThis indecision stemmed from an overwhelming number of choices, lack of confidence in their artistic judgment, and fear of making mistakes that would waste materials or result in an unattractive quilt.

Poor Organization
In a survey, only 12.5% of respondents stated that their supplies were organized. Quilters frequently struggled with keeping track of their materials. Fabrics, threads, and tools were often stored in disorganized ways, making it hard to locate items and assess inventory. This inefficiency caused frustration and hindered the creative process and led to unnecessary purchases.

“Only 12.5% of respondents stated that their supplies were organized.”

The Solution

1. Supplies Organization

Upload photos of their supplies.
Add custom tags (e.g., “winter quilt”).
Filter items by type, color, or project.

2. Design Education and Inspiration

A library of traditional quilt block designs with history and tutorials.
Daily inspiration through curated designs and user-submitted projects.
A color-matching tool to test fabric combinations.

3. Streamlined Planning

Create a project plan with steps and deadlines.
Use pre-designed templates or start from scratch.
Generate printable instructions for offline use.

4. Project Accountability

Users set personal goals and receive reminders.
Gamification elements (e.g., badges for milestones) incentivize progress.
A community feature allows users to share progress and seek feedback.

Competitive Analysis & Wireframe Sketches

Michael’s Arts and Crafts App

Strengths: Broad product catalog, loyalty program, and in-app tutorials.
Weaknesses: General focus lacks quilting-specific tools or inspiration.

Quilter two App

Strengths: Offers block design tools and quilt planning features.
Weaknesses: Outdated interface and limited supply management options.

JoAnn Fabrics App

Strengths: Discounts, coupons, and in-store inventory management.
Weaknesses: Primarily retail-focused with minimal project planning tools.

Sketches

User Journey Maps

Next, I created user journey maps for key app features, such as the quilt block designer and the supplies library.

“87% of respondents stated that they would love a place to share their quilts with other quilters.”