Carli The Quilter

Its turned out to be 112 inches square. I'm really pleased with and so glad to got to make another one of Sujata's patterns from her book Cultural Fusion Quilts by Sujata Shaw. I must admit, it was a behemoth to negotiate through my Janome HD9. But totally impressed with thus heavy duty machine. For machine quilting for straight lines,  at least it's awesome. I do like ths wide mouth area, perfect God big bulky things like quilts. As you might notice, my blocks went a wee bit wonky, but I don't live with quilt police so I'm moving on. I even combined different blocks and do like the idea. Anyway, folks, I'm working away on gifts as I write, so I'm off to carry on.    Stay safe and take care of each other over the next year. We all need to stay vigilant and continue social distancing. Caroline  

Hi my merry quilter friends, I apologise its been a very busy fall and now into December, its even busier than Santa's workshop over here. My husband is all about the fit and this croch is too low for my man! He likes that they are upcycled jeans, but he's got a paticular fit in mind. I cut most of the seams out of the jeans first, then began laying my pattern piece overtop of pieced jean material to find just the right amount, drape is important, don't cross your grain with upcycled jeans and expect that they are going to work, NOT!  My new Christmas Crazy Quilt is about done, hand quilting around the border and tacking inside the embroidered part of this quilt and hanging sleeve and binding and label to do. I have been working on building crumb blocks and I eventually have enough to make a quilt, this one sewed up in a matter of days, a lovely border is going on to this Dog Bone quilt which is intended for a gift. And of course, I had to take several days and dung out my ...

Memory Lane Trip here! This young girl is me, I was sitting beside my Dad on the Safari train that goes around Stanley Park. This park located in the heart of Vancouver city was an icon at the the time. This photo was taken 1971, back when the park enjoyed popularity and I loved it. Seeing so many wild and exotic animals was a thrill. I remember the moment well. I had been afraid to go on the train alone. My parents didn't have a lot of money and my Mom was upset after she had paid for my ticket, I whined about wanting her to come with me. She was upset and wanted to yank me off the train in disgust, when my Dad settled it all with his ticket.  It was one of the happiest time I had with my Dad.  But the other exciting reason I share this photo is because I'm wearing a white and gold poncho made by me. Thinking back on it, making the poncho must have taken quite a bit of yarn. Money was always tight, but my parents bought that yarn for me.  It's nice to look ba...

My cazy quilting has come to pass by me again, like a muse, the crazies are alwasy present and watching me like a crone would do. (If you wish to see a closer photo of this work, click on the image) Have you read anything about crones my friend? I stumbled upon the work of Barbara G. Walker about a decade ago. Women's spirituality is the main thrust of her work and its wonderful to learn more about being a crone yourself.  A lot of my character is based on giving, improving their lives in some way and encouraging women. I used stitching to help teens become more confident and women to aspire to a different calling via stitching.  In all the workshops I've taught, I have enjoyed a group of 5 - 7 women, its seems to be a good amount of voices. I am a women who lives with a man, has raised 2 male children to adulthood and have only a few female friends, but of those few, these women are proud, sensitive, worldly yet a little naive and love nature. Upcycling, gardening, hiking, wa...

Alberta Blue quilt is ongoing and without a goal for a finished date. Not much to talk about, just applique and machine sewing and more applique. But having fun anyway! Happy Stitching everyone! Carli  

I gotta tell you I purchased this from an online shop in Australia. I love Welsh Quilts! This is my dresden plate template crazy quilt. I know, what was I thinking? But I'm liking it so far and the lime green is a maybe, what do you think of the green color?  Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment below? Hope you are  having a great week and feeling refreshed from a little down time on the Long Weekend. I have also been harvesting like crazy in my garden and freezing stuff. Happy Stitching folks! Carli

 It seemed to make sense earlier this year, when I just gave up on goals for stitching. With working full time, I just don't have time to actually make a deadline, so that went out the window and suddenly I felt a lot better once I knew that the 37 quilts I have in various stages of completion were never getting done it lit a flame under me like no other.  First up is what is now called 2020 Christmas Crazy Quilt and I'm almost finished a flimsy! Finally these beautiful blocks are put together and a border has begun taking shape. I finished these blocks back in about 2015, but with moving 2016 they were in storage and then we bought our home in Duncan, they also went into a drawer. So now, we are making progress. I'll have an improved finish as soon as I can, but I'd say before the end of September this flimsy will be a finished quilt for Christmas Decorating. Happy Stitching everyone!  Hope your Long weekend in Canada is going well and you are sticking to your bubble o...

I often get an idea at bedtime. Well, mostly I try hard to tell myself to remember it, but rarely do. I've been practicing getting out of bed and write it down, but then I'd have to disturb my sweetie and that's not a good idea at bedtime. So basically, I rely on my memory. But recently a friend texted to ask if I was interested in a bag of fabric scraps. Well, at first I tried not to think about it and her offer to drop it off at my house. Weeks went by as they do in the COVID19 fog as it is, and she texted again, 'Its at the house, front porch, can you pick it up?' So my hubby and I took our dog to the park for a good gander around and on the way home, we stopped, my hubby got out and immediately whined it was heavy. And it was. But you know when see the beautiful silk, raw silk too, linen, viscose and rayon scraps I was in love. And this little piece came to my mind right away and so I did go ahead and make it and look. What do you think? I was only in love with ...

I am not sure about this jumble of colors in my recent County Clair handpiecing project, something inside me is  conflicting with this project  that I must figure out soon.   I started this Kawandi quilt last Saturday. I took the whole day off and stitched to my heart's content. I have been following @margaretfabrizio and her work in the Kwandi style is stunning! Simply put, her art pieces are beautiful and the are all made in this Kawandi style. From the Fidi people of Africa who have Indian roots apparantly?  This is all consuming and fun to take a total break from all you are dealing with right now in self isolation and avoiding going anywhere unnecessarily. What are you up to in your quilting projects? I see people already working on Christmas projects? I can't even think that far ahead. I've been very happy with my gardening this year. And making a cold frame for winter fesh veggies. Happy Quilting everyone! Thanks so much for continuing to follow my progress. W...

I made this quilt back in 2002. Made from men's pant material harvested lovingly. And some plain men's work style shirts. I tied and it would still be around if someone hadn't taken in on  date and spilled coke all over it. It was thrown into a lake to 'clean'it and no one thought to ask about wool pant materials or the best way to wash it. Sour faces brought it home and with heavy hearts they handed it to me without too much crying. Shit happens and I learned a fair thing. Don't make and then call quilts Camper Quilts then others think they are hardy and can be washed like another other cotton material. I'm sure you've got some stories like that, if it hadn't been for my inexperienced upcycler habits that I included teh red/black tartan, it would still be in use. Instead the wool tartan shrunk and everthing around it came too. Rumples, canyons and wired twisting occured after the lake experience. I was ahead of the MODERN quilting curve back in 2002...