Meet Emily Hollingsworth

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Hollingsworth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
It shouldn’t come as any surprise that I’m inspired by fabrics! A traditional method when planning your quilt is to pick your design or pattern, plan your color theory and then find the fabric you want to use to portray your vision. For me, the process is almost in reverse where I will come across this one fabric that just resonates with me and provides that jolt of a creative spark and call to action. Then the quilt seemingly creates itself and I’m whisked away on a process of discovery. My office walls are filled with my favorite artists’ gouache landscapes, neo-traditional tattoo design, and photos of cool, misty mountain lakes which also provide a great deal of inspiration and, I would say, encapsulates my point of view as an artist.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Woven Spark Quilt Co. is not your grandma’s fabric store! We pride ourselves on our extensive selection of modern quilting cotton and handpicked fabric bundles that are curated by yours truly so you won’t find them anywhere else! We are e-commerce only which helps keep our costs down so we can give you the highest quality fabric available on the market at affordable prices! At the beginning of 2020, I was working part time as a banker while simultaneously running a not-too-successful Etsy shop selling hand sewn home goods. Like so many Americans, I lost my job due to the pandemic in March and turned to sewing fabric face masks with scores of other makers who rose to the challenge as the paper mask supply chain failed. I have never worked so long on so little sleep in my life and employed friends and family to help as we were overwhelmed with orders. It only took a few weeks for me to realize that this was the volume of business I had always dreamed of having at my handmade shop…and it was quite miserable! My lovely relaxing hobby had deadlines and I lost the joy of creating through the process. I had quite a few epiphanies that spring and in July we obtained our first wholesale contracts and started transitioning our handmade shop to a full blown fabric store. We rebranded to Woven Spark in January of 2021 and have had record numbers and expansive growth ever since! Needless to say, I’m not going back to my part time job at the bank and in hindsight I’m actually very grateful for the way 2020 shook up my life. I took a huge risk that I’m not sure I ever would’ve been brave enough to take if I was still comfortable in a monotonous day job.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love living in Houston! We relocated here from Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2012 with the intention of moving back after a few years. It’s been 9 years so far and I don’t see how we could ever go back! We love to be outdoors so when we family and friends visit, we inevitably end up going hiking and fishing at either Brazos Bend or Lake Livingston State Park. Nothing is more satisfying than going for a good southern meal at Floyd’s Seafood or Ramble Creek Grill and having an ice cold beer after a sticky day in the Houston heat. Memberships to the Houston Zoo, Children’s Museum and the Museum of Natural Science are an absolute must for cool indoor activities, especially with kiddos! We also enjoy local eateries like Jupiter Pizza and Waffles in Sugar Land’s incredible Town Center. It’s a great place to meet for dinner, take an evening shop and stroll afterwards and then top everyone off with an ice cream cone before heading home on an warm summer evening. .

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Without a doubt, the person that most deserves this shoutout is my husband, Sean! He is my best friend in the world and is my backbone when it comes to taking big risks and trusting in my skill as an entrepreneur and my brand. When things get tough and I tell him my insecurities, he reminds me of how far I’ve come and helps me find a way out if I’m in too deep. He works tirelessly day and night as an RN for our family and gifts me the time and opportunity to grow my brand and go for my biggest, craziest, unfiltered dreams.

Website: www.wovenspark.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wovenspark/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wovensparkquiltco

Image Credits
Melissa Walker Photography