Thirty years after Stitchin’ Heaven began in a roughly 1,000-square-foot space, the Quitman business has grown into something Clay Luttrell never expected to run.
Growing up, taking over his mother’s quilt shop was not part of his plan.
Today, Luttrell is at the helm of a business that includes a large retail operation, quilting retreats, cottages, events and an international quilting cruise program that sends travelers and sewing machines around the world.
His mother, Deb Luttrell, founded Stitchin’ Heaven 30 years ago, opening the business on Luttrell’s 10th birthday. The shop later operated in Mineola before moving to its current Quitman location in 2018. The retreat center and cottages were added a few years later.
For much of the company’s history, mother and son had separate roles. His mother ran the shop while Luttrell concentrated on other areas of the growing business.
After his mother retired, the company employed a CEO for a time. When the CEO left about a year ago, Luttrell stepped fully into the leadership role.
For the first time, he said, he feels he has control of the company and its direction.
“I think I enjoy building things,” Luttrell said.
That instinct helped create what has become one of Stitchin’ Heaven’s most distinctive offerings.

TAKING QUILTING TO SEA
Luttrell’s involvement in the family business began in earnest around 2010 after his mother told him about a quilting cruise she had hosted.
The cruise filled quickly and was profitable. Luttrell immediately saw the potential to do more.
At first, the pair considered becoming travel agents specializing in cruises for other quilt shops. They soon discovered Stitchin’ Heaven had an advantage in marketing and filling the trips itself.
The company began expanding its own cruise program.
“We went from one cruise pretty quick. I think we jumped to six a year, and then we went from six to 10 to 15,” Luttrell said.
Stitchin’ Heaven now generally has around 17 cruises on its schedule, with destinations extending far beyond East Texas. The company recently completed a cruise departing from Barcelona and also hosts trips to destinations such as Alaska.
Depending on the ship, groups generally range from about 50 to 100 quilters. Some trips accommodate more than 100.
Many passengers return again and again. Luttrell said some customers have traveled with Stitchin’ Heaven on dozens of cruises.
“It’s a good community, and they really enjoy the community aspect of it,” he said.
Cruise planning can begin up to two years before departure. Stitchin’ Heaven books the trip, finds instructors, develops marketing materials and begins taking reservations. A few months before sailing, employees begin preparing kits, goodie bags and other supplies.
The company also provides sewing machines, which are shipped between ports as cruises move around the world.
That operation has become considerably more sophisticated since the company’s first cruise, when approximately 60 sewing machines went through cruise terminal security as regular luggage.
“You learn a lot about logistics along the way,” Luttrell said.
Space aboard a cruise ship also helped lead Stitchin’ Heaven into another area of business.
Fabric for quilting classes needs to be precut because there is limited room aboard the ships. Employees initially cut the fabric by hand before the company began sending it to California for laser cutting.
Eventually, Stitchin’ Heaven purchased its own laser machine. That led to producing precut and appliqué kits and eventually to Luttrell’s business Thunder Laser USA.
The cruise business was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 shutdown.
“It decimated us because so much of our business is events and travel and cruises,” Luttrell said.
He said the cruise business has taken several years to fully recover, but it is now approaching its previous pace.

BRINGING QUILTERS TO QUITMAN
While the cruises take Stitchin’ Heaven customers around the world, the company has also built a destination for quilters in Quitman.
The retreat operation grew from a log cabin Luttrell’s parents built on family property. Known as the Bunkhouse, it served as the company’s original retreat center.
Luttrell eventually wanted visiting quilters closer to the store.
The current retreat center and cottages can accommodate about 50 guests. Stitchin’ Heaven offers instructor-led retreats and free-sew retreats, while private groups can also rent the facilities.
The cottages have also recently been opened to the general public through Airbnb, attracting visitors such as anglers traveling to Wood County.
Events play a major role in the company’s retail business. Luttrell estimates about 80% of its retail sales are connected in some way to an event or activity bringing customers to the property.
Stitchin’ Heaven is also becoming more involved in the Quitman community, including working with the Wood County Arboretum and the Wood County Old Settlers Reunion on an upcoming outdoor quilt show on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

BUILDING WHAT COMES NEXT
As Luttrell settles into leading Stitchin’ Heaven, he has increasingly turned his attention toward technology.
During the past several months, he has immersed himself in artificial intelligence and coding. He is now developing software and AI-assisted processes designed to make the company more efficient and improve its communication with customers.
“I’ve always wanted to learn how to code, but I’ve never had the patience to sit down and do it,” Luttrell said.
The project grew after Luttrell began looking at ways to bring information from different areas of the company into one system.
Stitchin’ Heaven has about 60,000 people on its mailing list. Luttrell wants to use customer data to better tailor information to individual interests rather than sending the same marketing emails to everyone.
Someone interested in quilting cruises, for example, could receive different information from a customer interested in a block-of-the-month program.
The company has also introduced a loyalty program and birthday rewards. Luttrell is working on text messaging that could improve communication with cruise passengers once they board their ships.
For Luttrell, the new technology offers another opportunity to do what he enjoys most.
Build something.
After spending much of his career alongside the family business rather than directly at its helm, he is now determining where Stitchin’ Heaven goes next.
Thirty years after his mother opened a small quilt shop on his 10th birthday, Luttrell may not have ended up where he once expected.
But he has found something new to build.
For more information about cruises or other events at Stitchin’ Heaven, please visit their website at stitchinheaven.com.