Carli The Quilter

I love making quilts with two sides of interest. There, I've said it and its a fact. I've made several of them. I like to be able to turn the quilt over and have a different look. This is not a new thing and many of us make two sided quilts. My start on this large Modern Crazy Quilt-Reversible was designed with out any over seam embellishment. Each of the center blocks started with 1 (12.5 inch square) for the back, 1 (12.5 in batting) and then forming the crazy free form topping of each square. I invisioned a center of darker colored fabrics surrounded by less crazy pieced modern design around it in a minimalist kinda way. Borders will come next, pre-quilted before assembly.  They will be measured to fit each side with a corner stone block in each cormer. Then I will have a look at that and decide if its going to be bigger. This throw quilt is going to be a house warming gift in December. I had decided to put one border around measuring 12.5 b...

 I began the work of completing "A Dresden Summer." Go to my tutorial on Freestyle Dresden Plate Fan here. here. I played around a bit with the creation of the Chevron braids that originally were to encircle the center portion with the 4 Dresden Plates. But when it was all said and done. This left me feeling like a bit overwhelmed with too much colour. I felt the outer border braids took all the love from the Dresden Plates. What do you think? So I decided to give A Dresden Summer a better presentation. I have so far added another inner border   I chose a deer scene print. I didn't have more of the lemon or the beige check print, so I improvised! Now, I'm setting it on the other side of my room to view while I work on other projects. Tell me, would you continue with the bright outer border of the Chevron Braid? Carli

Hello to all my faithful followers. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your following little old me.  As you may have learned else where, Google Reader is about to disappear. This means that if you want to continue following me and I certainly hope you do want to continue learning about  my various adventures!  So on my side  bar, you'll see an  "follow me via email" box, click on this and add your email address to it and soon you'll see my posts in your email address inbox. Do add your email address, I don't have any way of knowing those email addresses. You will have the opportunity to become engaged with the community's of Northern BC and and the women I'll be teaching. New friends of similar interests can be found. New ideas can be exchanged with friends new to quilting, sewing and embroidery. You'll see the various communities I visit from my blog postings. Classes online will be available to blog followers...

Yes, I know some of you may look at what I've got going on and can't believe that I'll take a respite from the Centennial Quilt. But I just had to, say I felt lucky! Whoo hoo a giveaway is at hand folks, so get on board and  join me? I'm entering the "A Passion for Applique" giveaway and these are the ones that I'll start and I'll finish one of them to enter. I know I'm crazy!!   If I can do this, so can you!! I know we all have something other to do and yes, we have lives to live, but its just a great excuse for me to leave the 'head down, against the wind approach of my deadlines" and just have some fun!!    These are my examples of what I'd like to finish off in my entry into this sweet little giveaway at "A Passion for Applique" Which one I finish is still up for guessing which one, but  here is my challenge to you, finish something and get an entry into this giveaway!

Sometimes a few words can say more. These are the words that will be on the top of the Smithers 2013 Centennial Quilt. Left alone, as is these words are quite  boring, so of course I had to play with them and I have these photos for you to see where or what could come of this 'play' The sketch above is par of the beginning of this quilt. Many parts have evolved and adapted into a different version as you'll see in the remaining two photos. I wanted a dark, maybe even black background, but as time went on, with numerous shifting and moving, I realised that black was just too  black. What I was really going for was a darker background to make all the artist scapes pop. This was taken a few months ago when I began playing with how to get acrylic paintings into the quilt. I've had some really positive comments and helpful tips on transferring artwork to fabric and I thank you all for those insightful comments. Learning new stuff is what q...

Dresden Plate fan blocks are one of my favorites! As you can see I have several in progress. I have grown though as a quilter and artist in the last year or two, more so than at any time of my life and blogging responses have fueled my fire. What I love about blogging is the instant responses you get as the world of readers scroll through interesting blogs. If your stuff is interesting to them, then they say so. Readers of blogs are "why" many of us keep working towards dreams, ideas and projects. Then sharing and engaging with our readers and the world. The Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild started back in June with this Challenge and have partnered with EZ Quilting/Simplicity and a host of other manufacturers to celebrate Darlene Zimmerman’s 20th Anniversary designing quilting tools for EZ Quilting. To help them celebrate they are hosting a challenge — Use the EZ Dresden Ruler to create a project, then enter it to win amazing priz...

I know that many of the blogs I follow have over 123,000 views but its a start! Wow, I  just realized my blog has reached a new peak of over 10,000 views!  And I wondered when I started this blog in Jan of 2011 would anyone want to read what I posted? If you are thinking about blogging, here are some tips for good content and making your blog grow. Don't wait, start reading other blogs that interest you. Start one with Typepad, Wordpress or Blogger, I'm using all the tools out there for free.  Don't waste your readers time with blather! Write good content that is interesting and timely. Always add photos. Start with a goal of one post a month or better yet, one post every two weeks and try to find what works for you. I love to add people in my photos, but make sure they know you are doing it and they approve. Adding in links to other sites adds interest and builds your following too! I am so happy that people find my stuff interesting enough to com...

I love to make crazy quilts as some of you  know already, so this special blog is part of my contribution to all the fun. Yes, I'm giving away a hand picked kit of fabrics, lace etc. for a 16 inch crazy square pillow. Deadline to enter ends March 31, 2012 Yep, its too much fun to hang around in my studio for long without learning that I love improvisational quilting and crazy quilting often fits the bill for me. This little green number is called "My Secret Garden" made in 2009.  My Purple Crazy 2008, in a private collection now. So as you are drooling over these lovely crazy quilts and thinking about if you are brave enough to play with fabric improvisational, then you must read further and decide. This is the size of crazy quilted pillow that you can make too! Your kit will include all the fine lace, embroidery threads, ribbon and fabrics to make a 16 inch. Just for fun, make an Oh, Canada Flag quilt! Like mine, soon you'll be throwi...

 In 1997 I began thinking about writing a book. By this time I'd had so many interesting experiences with quilting with recycled cotton harvested from shirts and dresses, I'd become quite good at it! This little pillow above is one and you can see the beginnings of a modern quilter with all that abstract negative space. But that darned addiction of mine to crazy quilting began sending me off in all directions! But still my need to express myself with different ideas about quilting took me back and forth for the most of the last decade! OMG I'm dating myself, but oh so what, anyone can find me on Google if they really have a burning desire to know more about me. My desire to express innovative ways to reuse kept me on track for becoming a modern quilter. I didn't even know what a blog was in 2003 when this Butterfly Ring took shape on a scrap of graph paper. I was deep into learning about blogs when in the summer of 2008, our little hamlet had two dev...

I make my own templates. Its quite simple, trust is involved and careful storage of similar sized templates are essential. As you know from reading my blog, I like to be frugal with supplies and tools. I used the cardboard above decades ago and I still have it. I didn't have a template in the beginning. So I made my own. You start with making a straight line on cereal board. Placing a quilting ruler with the 60 degree line on the drawn straight line. Then draw a line upwards away from the original line. Repeat on the other side. Its your decision to decide what size of fan template you want?  In this photo above, you can see that I used a fabric fan piece to assist you in your fan development.  Here I used a template from a magazine wedge that I modified to fit my size of fan. This is a simple way to use something already made. You can even take another dresdent fan apart to discover the size of a finished plate. Its up to you. This is my sto...