Carli The Quilter

I couldn't really wrap anything up until I finished them, so here are the project that I've pulled out of special boxes to begin finishing them and while I'm finishing these lovelies, I'll prepare a bunch of tutorials which I'll link up to from my blog. First up is the "Summer on the Range" quilt with 4 large 21 petalled Dresden Plate quilt that I started in late 2011 and then began organizing the mega project in early 2012. What was I thinking? There was absolutely no way I could do a quilt along and sincerely, my readers knew this, right? Thankfully, my loyal and faithful followers have continued to listen to my ramblings as I took on the Smithers Centennial Quilt. What did you think of that particular quilt, I'd love to hear your thoughts? Then onto my little project on hand applique tiny Dresden Plates from my favourite quilting magazine "Quilt Mania" Unfortunately, I cannot find this magazine now to comment...

Our local community of Smithers , B.C. is a busy, energetic place in the summer. Our local BV Farmer's Market opens on the Saturday before Mother's Day each year. Families, locals and tourists enjoy the Highway 16 location rain or shine! Once every two years, our local Smithers Art Gallery hosts a local quilt show. Locals this year will gather to drop off, help out and celebrate in the wonder of local talented quilters on June 30th with meeting and handing over families heirlooms and recent completes.  No one really cares what your level of quilting competency, just so long as you've made a quilt, we're good. We're a lively and laid back group of people who inhabit this region. Multicultural and first nations live side by side. We're miners, loggers, business people, artists and sport enthusiast alike.  We don't hold too many airs of our thriving community in the midst of changing environments, threats to  habitat, sluggish economy or glo...

I made a comment recently on Debra's blog . I highly recommend it, she is "most def" an addict to crazy quilting. Talent beyond the door for sure and a pleasure to read her posts on my favorite theme. I made a comment about how much I love to use black and very bold colors.   Most of my work in crazy quilting has been reaching back in time and finding those colors that make a quilt pop and I think black is one those colors that makes a quilt pop. Its like this crazy quilt below, its yet unnamed ? As of earlier in 2012, I didn't have a name, but its now its called "Tropical Sunset" Working on this crazy quilt blocks keeps my fingers well used for the hand embroidery involved with the Smithers 2013 Centennial Quilt. I don't like boredom in any way, shape or form. I like to have changing colors, textures and highlights that make my mind reel with more ideas! In fact, upon reflection of my photo collection, I can see my Mexac...

Victoria of Bumble Beans Inc. from New York City lists this lovely tutorial of a star block paper piecing called Triangles Galore! on her blog. I fell in love at first site! I was inspired to paper piece again, just like that, I was busy photocopying again. Victoria is a very generous person, as she inspires quilters new and experienced to embrace our inner voice to find peace and calm. She teaches others to quilt that need a comfort hobby to sooth their tangled nerves.  I can relate to this philosophy, stitching after all was my literal salvation as a child. My mother was often away at hospital. I grew up for many years thinking hospital was a holiday place for "Mommies"! My mother was always happy again after a visit to the hospital. She taught me to sew by hand. I grew into embroidery and started with making doll dresses. I was intrigued from the beginning of sewing and have never left it. Playing with fabric was and remains to be an important c...

 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...

Last year I was invited to a "Ladies Luncheon" and of course, I went. Well it was truly the most fun I've had in years! We laughed so much some of us had to run to the bathroom! It was definately not a luncheon, but rather a sleep over party till you drop. The silly antics that happened still make me giggle, but it was all good clean fun "girls style."   This shop is located in Prince George, B.C. This year, the luncheon included a road trip and we had to stop at some thrift stores, right? I was looking for some awesome fabric and I found some awesome clothes. But the manager wasn't around and I couldn't take any photos. I've since cleared this up with the Manager who was very sweet and totally understood how wonderful thrift stores are for the variety of fabric in clothing.  Sometimes in thrift stores, you'll find a quilt top, made perhaps in BC goldrush years and is fine shape, It was found and purchased for $5 in the tren...

Yep, it was just one of those darn things that I should have done several years ago, but procrastinated on it! Our laundry hamper had seen better days for sure. But what to use for it, I really wanted something open weave cotton, but then I came across the fine set of table cloths made from linen. Perfect! Yes, that's my Oh! Canada quilt in the background. Here it is, the offending Grey colored crappy tire version of a laundry hamper. I think this fabric is something that would have gone inside auto seats or something! Really ugly and didn't let anything breathe. You  know what I mean?  I had a major seam which I sewed 5/8 in. wide and then sewn the inside of the seam down with a simple zig zag stitch. The important thing here is to conserve what you have, not buy new, just because its ugly or not totally functional, redo it! Reuse whatever you can, otherwise its such a waste of energy. You know so many researchers talk about the reuse problem facing our nat...

"Bless me as a free man" Nelo Case's voice flits across my studio. I love her single "I wish I was the moon tonight" off her "Blacklisted" Album and its helping me combine my thinking for the quilt I'm working on.  I started this quilt back in the summer with asking for your help to decide on backgrounds. I gave four choices, got some excellent feedback from all of you.  You can see I didn't go with any of the previous choices given this summer!! Thanks so much my loyal followers,you helped me find the right combination.  Now, I told you that I was so indecisive during the summer, my dresden plates came together and then they waited for a home for several months. I just couldn't figure out which way to go with the background color. This is what always happens, I change my mind after the first initial drawing.  This new design "Summer on the Range" is my experience in a quilt of my childhood summer at home...