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When Utah mom of three Chelsie Porter scored floor tickets to see Benson Boone in Salt Lake City, she wanted to make the night unforgettable. What she didn’t expect was that the singer himself would turn her handmade gift into a viral moment — right in the middle of his show.
“I knew I wouldn’t have another opportunity like it,” Porter tells PEOPLE. “I wanted to make something special for Benson and to share my love of sewing and quilting with him and the world!”
Originally, Porter planned to create a full quilt for Boone. But realizing security might not let her bring one into the venue, she pivoted — and that’s when inspiration struck. “I realized I needed to make him a vest — because he loves himself a vest!” she says with a laugh. “But it couldn’t be just any vest.”
Drawing from Boone’s American Heart Tour theme, Porter designed a red, white and blue vest with a big heart quilted on the back — and one detail even superfans might have missed. “The entire piece is quilted with music note stitching,” she reveals. “I’m just so pleased with it.”
It took Porter about two weeks to complete the project, often sewing late into the night or during her kids’ nap times. “Whenever I could get my niece to babysit, I’d sew,” she says. “I even livestreamed for 8–10 hours with my followers, asking their opinions and getting support.”
When concert night arrived, Porter decided to take a leap of faith. As Boone performed, she tossed the custom vest toward the stage — and the singer immediately took notice.
“You handmade… you quilted this? You’re a quilter. I like it,” Boone said, inspecting the piece in admiration. Moments later, he slipped it on — and wore it for the rest of his set.
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“I nearly passed out from excitement and lack of oxygen I was screaming so much!” Porter says. “Knowing he might see it is one thing, but experiencing it? I was on cloud nine and higher. He modeled it for the crowd, checked himself out on the big screen, and chatted with me about it in front of everyone. The ‘You’re a quilter!’ moment has absolutely shaken the quilting world!”
The exchange, captured on TikTok, quickly went viral — racking up hundreds of thousands of views and turning Porter’s creative passion into something much bigger.
“I’ve gotten a lot of attention and it’s been both amazing and overwhelming,” she says. “So many incredible brands are reaching out to partner with me. I even launched a limited-edition preorder for a ‘You’re a Quilter’ shirt, and it’s been so well received.”
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Now, Porter hopes her story inspires others to take creative risks. “If you want something, don’t let fear or embarrassment stop you,” she says. “You’re capable of amazing things, and the only way to get better is to practice and push yourself.”
As for Boone, his spontaneous show of appreciation gave one fan — and one handmade vest — a moment in the spotlight that no one will forget. “Benson Boone and I made quilting history,” Porter says with a laugh. “And honestly? I don’t think I’ll ever recover.”
