At GE Designs, product design doesn’t begin in a boardroom. It starts at the cutting table, at a retreat, in the studio, or even on the road, wherever Gudrun is quilting. That’s because our approach to product development is deeply personal. If something slows her down or frustrates her while quilting, she doesn’t just work around it. She fixes it, and then she makes that solution available to everyone.

Gudrun Erla started GE Designs because she wanted to make patterns that were both beautiful and accessible. Over the years, that same drive has expanded to include tools, books, clubs, and classes, all built to make quilting simpler, more joyful, and more successful. She’s a designer, yes, but also a teacher, an inventor, and above all, a lifelong quilter. That’s why every product we release isn’t just clever or trendy. It’s thoughtful, tested, and truly helpful.

Today we want to share the story behind two of our most recent innovations, products we created to solve very real problems we saw again and again in the quilting world.

The GEasy Wool Pressing Mats

The idea for the GEasy Wool Pressing Mat started, as many of our best ideas do, at a quilting retreat. Gudrun watched quilters try to press half-yard cuts and fat quarters on pressing mats that were clearly designed for small patchwork only. Fabrics were being repositioned multiple times, seams were getting stretched, and people were frustrated. She’d seen this same issue crop up in classes, shows, and even in her own studio.

And then there was the second problem: slipping. Traditional wool mats would shift on tables during pressing, or worse, they’d let steam and moisture soak through, warping or even damaging the surface underneath.

Gudrun knew quilters needed a better solution.

So she designed one.

The GEasy Wool Pressing Mat is large enough to handle fat quarters and half-yard cuts—no repositioning required. That one change alone improves pressing accuracy dramatically. But then she added a second layer of innovation: a custom heat-resistant silicone base. The base not only prevents slipping but also acts as a moisture and heat barrier, protecting your surfaces and holding the wool mat firmly in place.

This is the kind of product that gets better the more you use it. And once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever quilted without it.

Goody’s Shades Club: Ending the Guesswork Around Background Fabrics

Color is one of Gudrun’s superpowers. But over the years, she’s heard the same worry from countless quilters:

“I just don’t know what background to use.”

Choosing background fabrics is trickier than it sounds. Too stark, and the quilt feels harsh. Too muddy, and the design gets lost. Quilters often settle for “safe” choices, or worse, put off finishing projects altogether because they’re afraid of choosing the wrong shade.

This struggle sparked an idea: what if we gave quilters a rotating library of tried-and-true neutrals, handpicked by Gudrun herself, delivered every quarter?

That idea became Goody’s Shades Club.

Each shipment includes three 1-yard cuts, light, medium, and dark, featuring curated neutrals with texture and tone. These aren’t just basics; they’re backgrounds with personality. Along with the fabric, members get a printed insert that showcases how to use each shade in real quilt projects, complete with pairing ideas and examples.

Over time, club members build a usable, confidence-boosting stash of backgrounds they can actually rely on, while learning to see value and color through Gudrun’s eyes.

It’s more than just fabric. It’s a teaching tool, a confidence booster, and a way to enjoy quilting without color anxiety.

Our Approach

This is how we approach all creative development. The Stripology Quilting Case didn’t start with a sketch. It started with frustration, years of lugging around rulers and cutting mats in makeshift bags, hoping nothing got damaged. Gudrun wanted a better way to travel with tools, and since no one else was making it, she made it herself. The result? The first hard-shell case made by quilters for quilters.

Or take the Panel Mash Up book. It came out of countless questions about what to do with panels, something many quilters have in their stash but struggle to use.

This is the common thread that runs through every product we bring to life:

If it solves a real problem, and makes quilting easier or more enjoyable, then it’s worth making.

Innovation That’s Personal

We don’t chase trends. We chase better experiences for quilters.

Whether it’s a background fabric club that eliminates decision fatigue, a pressing mat that finally fits your fabric, or a class that breaks down techniques step-by-step, our products always come from a place of empathy, experience, and love for the craft.

Because we believe quilting should be joyful.

And if there’s something standing in the way of that joy - we’ll do our best to fix it.