Carli The Quilter

Progress on my book "Artisan Crazy Quilting" is going well, with so much behind the scenes that I cannot share just yet. I'm so glad to be back to a new Crazy Quilt project. A gift of handmade art for a special lady. I incorporated some favorite colors and was given the freedom to design. This little gem is soon be making its way across the ocean. I had to complete it in very  little time, you can see my special approach to crazy quilting is totally moving towards a different kind of voice within the world of crazy quilting. I am totally smitten with circles, they are finding their way into my dreams. Last night it was a Ferris wheel against a sunset! I was having such fun and in my dreams, I simply don't feel vertigo that I do in real life!! I will be place something on the corners, its all an experience every time I make a crazy quilt of any kind. I reused a luscious graduation gown into this piece. But the champagne color le

My little wee project of 365 Circles is becoming like a tiny dynamo sumo wrestler! Its pushing me farther into more hand stitching and its singing me songs of inspiration. When I first heard about 365 Circles. I was  more  curious than excited about appliqueing on that many circles! But then, I started playing and soon, I was sewing and appliqueing away with the best of them. I discovered I really like circles. I discovered that circles are more inspiring because of simplicity of the shape. I really love the spin off tiny circles. This is only about one third of the circles I have ready to go into my new quilt. Truth be told, I was more than I need for a king size quilt so I can pick and choose. I have decided that a plan is required for this group of beauties. I found these bundles above for $25 from a seller on Usedvic. And a thrift shop had yardage for around 3.99 a bundle. Each bundle is at least 2 m. Two ch

Many of you out there online are just discovering crazy quilting . Some of you though are just as experienced as I am with this form of art. So do add your own spin in a comment at the end. I've been asked at workshops what makes my crazy quilted pieces look old fashioned. This was not an intentional act on my part, simply a happy accident. But from all the comments at workshops and this blog, its made me rethink what it is that I do. The following are my own thoughts on what makes a crazy quilt look 'old fashioned.' I rarely use only 100% cotton. I love slippery fabric with some stretch to it. I often include bits and pieces of used clothing into my work. I mix and sort through shades and I do use a color chart occasionally. I often don't really "THINK" about it. I believe that this thinking about is what turns people off. I also don't believe in calling a quilt "crazy quilting" just because you may have done some embroidery on th

I'm so tickled to finally be nearing the half-way point of My 365 Circles quilt. A few years ago I made my husband a quilt of his own. This is a really special quilt because I used my favorite method of the Slice and Dice Dresden Plates from the fabric using all Canadian Birds that are going extinct. My husband is a bit of  birder, not a complete addict or anything, but he fell in love with the fabric and the project began there. I took a class with my good friend Louisa Robertson from the Okanagan. Anyway, this  Canadian Birds  quilt is really warm for those cold winter nights when a wool lined quilt is the best comfort going. But it's a little warm for other parts of the year. We needed a new king size quilt. I have fallen in love with circles. I love crazy quilting, but this simple circle, yet complex set of circle shapes make things happen. You know? Take the following "circles" google search and you'll likely stumble on a who

This is a fast table runner and getting to machine quilting it this weekend. Prepare 38 hexies in 2 in. EPP using a variety of scraps. Arrange and hand piece these scrappy little hexies  onto the two solid colored 12 .5 in. blocks like this in the photo below. Using a pleasing stitch on your sewing machine, sew around the outside edge to secure the hexie block to the background. I used black thread machine blanket stitch. Turn your 12.5 in. square red color for my version. Tie off stitches on the backside. With small but sharp scissors, cut away the red fabric from the shape of your Hexie Block. This is one for my table! Playing with fabric postcards for friends, maybe sell some at Sooke Craft Sale. Playing is the name of the game. That's all for now, work of writing and editing is still going on. Happy Quilting!

Everyone has a different slant on traditional foundation stitches. In this photo, you can see that the yellow ribbon is actually yellow fine gauze type of fabric. I liked it so in it went into this piece. Machine embroidery is another way that you can embellish your cq's with and many it have done professionally or do it themselves. It falls into "machine embroidery embellishment." I don't use a lot of machine embroidery of this a large design, but I think it looks really funky in the right setting. My fish-mates found solace in books on this rainy day of fishing. I turned to my stitching projects. I think this is "true" embellishment in the purchased netting of orange and beige, bottom right. In the center of this cq piece, I've used some sparkly braid from my upholstering materials. It fits right in and with crazy quilting, I do not believe in boundaries. The freedom to create is what I think crazy quilting is all abo

Sometimes a new commission starts here, with a pile of clothing and some new FQ's for spice in the creation. Often an email is received and we get together to chat over the final details of the project. Clarity in this conversation is critical if you are going to actually make a handmade project for money. Making things for friends and family is one thing, a fun thing. It doesn't have to be square even and family will love it. When getting into the 'business so to speak' you are responsible for making the project that your customer has in mind.  Sometimes a simple project is brought to you and  agreement is met with quickly. Did you ask the right questions? Has your customer flown off to Africa now and can't be reached. Did they want a blue background or a brown background for their Mother's hand made Dresden Plates?  Even if all you are doing is the hand applique, you must have a realistic hourly rate to quote to a potentia