Carli The Quilter

When I started Mr. Rooster he was supposed to be a fast made Fall Fair themed decor art for my booth at the 2011 Bulkley Valley Fall Fair . It was a really fun event and one that I'd sure like to do again. I was busy trying my interest at selling organic 100% cotton. And it does contain some awesome photo's of the whole booth for your interest by going to the post published back in 2011. This summer Rooster I See You gained more attention and I decided that I didn't like it that this poor rooster had no neck and background. I began fusing feathers of all free form simply hand-drawn feather shapes onto various similarly colored prints. This is where I've got so far today. I think he looks a lot better and I'm dreaming up a Fall Fair themed background maybe. I'm not sure so if you have ideas, please share them in a comment. Happy Quilting everyone.

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...

We were at first stumbling around trying to figure out what went where. How to design a booth is a very important step. You need to consider that people will want to come and take a look at whatever you sell or make or both. In the photo  below, Nola and I set up the Bulkley Tweedsmuir Women's Institute's BV Fall Fair Display area. Then we rushed back to our booth and continued. We tried to consider space for movement, selling area for payment and cutting of organic cotton at the booth. 8x16 ft. might look big at the beginning, but you know how quilters are, we take everything but the kitchen sink.   We were happy with how it eventually turned out, but little things like the uneven rough wood flooring, even though rustic, was a challenge to prevent my shelves from falling over, spilling new organic cotton bolts all over the place. My Rooster was made the night before, just the top was on display. I have another blog posting on its continued progress. ...

 We started here on Wed Morning August 24th. We had to sweep and vacuum the whole booth. Unloaded and moved around several times as cleaned. We really like the booth we had this year and will secure it for next year. On Tuesday night, I was inspired to make "Mr. Rooster" and determined that the back of the Bulkley Valley Fall Fair Guide Book was just right for me to start.  I began with free hand drawing the chicken's head parts on the paper side of fusible interfacing. I had turned it over from the side you iron it on with.  As I began cutting, the shapes of his comb and wattles took shape. This photo was really a hen, but I went with gusto into a larger, more prociding kind of demeanor, he who rules the kitchen  house wins, kind of thinking to really get into the head becoming transformed onto the background. This comb and wattles shape on the red fabric "Nature" collection from Cloud 9 Fabrics . He's coming along nicely.

We're having such a great time at the Bulkley Valley Fall Fair where we have set up our booth. Organic quilting cotton is offered for the first time in the valley. Dr. Suess's The Lorax is poignant and timely for all of us. We just had to share with you this awesome glossy paper dress made by Jessie of Barb's Bodacious Boutique. Nola, my partner in crime is showing off Dr. Suess panels that would make an awesome fast quilt or soft book for your little ones. Lennie, another local quilter came by the booth to share us her new block, really cute and we're going to try it out! Free motion machine quilting is offered as a demo today at the fair. Come on down!