If you've ever wondered how to turn a love for crafting into a thriving business, Jennifer Sanderson’s story of Pigskins & Pigtails is the perfect inspiration. Jennifer, a lifelong DIY enthusiast, started with simple birthday party crafts for her children and has since grown into a successful screen-printing educator and content creator. Let’s dive into her journey and explore how she turned her passion into an inspiring and profitable venture.
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FROM VINYL TO SCREEN PRINTING
Like many great ideas, Pigskins & Pigtails started with something personal. Jennifer's husband was a high school football coach, and she would create custom shirts for her daughters to wear to games. With a vinyl cutter in hand, Jennifer began making T-shirts—just for fun. What she didn’t realize at the time was that this would later change into teaching screen printing.
Years later, she found herself wanting more than what vinyl provided. The feel of vinyl on a shirt didn’t satisfy her. She preferred the soft, professional feel of screen printing. So, in true DIY fashion, she picked up a basic screen-printing frame at a craft store and decided to experiment.
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Her first attempt—filmed and shared online—was a huge success! The next morning, she was stunned to see her video gaining tons of views, comments, and questions. And just like that, Jennifer had found a new path: teaching screen printing to a growing community of DIYers.
TURNING PASSION INTO BUSINESS
Jennifer didn’t start with the idea of turning her blog and YouTube videos into a business. At first, she was simply sharing her creations—no grand strategy or business model, just a passion for crafting and a desire to share her journey.
However, as her videos grew in popularity, brands started to notice. Hobby Lobby, a store Jennifer had shopped at for years, reached out, and that was her first big brand partnership. Then came collaborations with other industry names like Speedball. With these partnerships, Jennifer realized that what started as a creative outlet had the potential to become something more: a full-time business.
But the key to her success? Authenticity. Jennifer stays true to herself by only promoting products she actually uses. This authenticity has built trust with her audience, making her more than just another influencer—she’s a go-to resource for honest advice on screen printing from a home setup.
LESSONS FOR ASPIRING CREATORS
Jennifer’s advice for others wanting to grow a community or start a business? Love what you do. She emphasizes that to stay consistent, you must genuinely enjoy the process. It’s not enough to want views or followers. The drive comes from the passion behind creating and sharing content. She believes that if you're having fun, your audience will feel that excitement too.
Another essential tip is trial and error. Not every video is a hit, but instead of seeing low-engagement posts as failures, Jennifer uses them as learning opportunities. By analyzing what works and what doesn’t, she continually refines her content to resonate with her audience.
TEACHING SCREEN PRINTING TO THE WORLD
One of Jennifer’s most exciting collaborations is with Ryonet, where she helped develop the Pigskins & Pigtails Starter Press. This compact press is a game-changer for home-based screen printers who don’t have the space for large commercial equipment. It’s the perfect tool for anyone looking to print multi-color designs from their kitchen table.
Jennifer’s mission is clear: to make screen printing accessible to everyone. Whether she’s sharing tutorials on YouTube or taking her portable press to community events, her goal is to inspire others to create, learn, and even start their own screen-printing businesses.
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THE JOY OF COMMUNITY
Jennifer’s journey is about more than just business. It’s about building a community of people who share a love for creating. Whether through her videos, courses, or in-person workshops, Jennifer has helped thousands of people discover the joy of screen printing.
So, if you’re thinking about starting a creative project or turning your hobby into something bigger, take a page from Jennifer Sanderson’s book: start with what you love, stay authentic, and build a community around your passion.