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