#500- A Crazy Quilting Give Away!


I upcycled all sorts of fabric into my "Beach House Crazy Quilt" and it was selected for the 2013 Quilt Market "Oh, Canada" exhibition in Houston and LA.
When I began this blog back in 2007, I wanted to educate about reusing cloth, now called "Upcycling" of all types of fabrics that we didn't normally see in quilts. I love the to play with color, texture and style. But believe it or not, but in 2007, I struggled to have anyone see anything I wrote about upcycling and I did have to make the concession to including more new fabric.



This gorgeous table runner sports Dresden Plates handmade from scraps of all ages of printing, some as far back as 1980. These scrappy Dresden Plates sit on a light blue background which is new organic 100% cotton while the backing is upcycled curtain material.


Myrtle and I made matching bags from a pattern she purchased and it was so much fun!

And so as you read this most auspicious post, start thinking about the color pallet you'd choose and if you are the winner of this giveaway, I will do my best to make your 4 crazy blocks in your choice.

Most of the fabrics of a vintage age was gifted to me by someone who knew I loved to upcycle on more than one occasion I'd come home to find a bag on my doorstep of vintage scraps and fabric from days long gone. I am grateful for these gifts.

I even made a legal sized flag of our Canadian Flag. I made it according the legal size of a true blue Canadian Flag.

And then I gave it away to Nathan Cullen, our favorite politician and it sits inside his office at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Ontario.


I didn't realize that the quilt below that I named "Round Lake Cabin Quilt" was actually bordering on a thing called Modern Quilts.



I used the labels of clothing in this award winning quilt of mine from 2004. Its entitled "Silver Linings Crazy Quilt" I won the lap frame for hand quilting that I treasure to this day.




The blue plaid and brown plaid fabrics that are going into my new bedroom quilt are reused from shirts gifted to me. These quilt blocks have gone into my newest king size quilt for our bed. Read about it here.



Which over time evolved into the quilt layout below. Slowly but surely, I am finishing up projects and after moving back and forth and now permanently, I am allowed the comfort to take my time.


I made my first crazy quilt back in 1994.


But found that I was a little before my time. I had no idea of Modern Quilts and was far too busy with my business and home schooling to notice. I moved along.


I do love hand embroidery, so making crazy quilts became my first love of quilting.



I began a process of making my crazy quilts in a totally different way.


Stretching your boundaries gives flight to your dreams. This photo above is one of the many that I'm assembling for an actual real art gallery showing. More on that later.




I like to grow my own veggies and was always a closet writer, so blogging was a convenient way to express one's views, ideas and join others in this beautiful textile conversation.

What have I learned by this blogging anyway?

I am pushed to become a better blogger and quilter by sharing what is important to me as I while away the days of my life. I have become more interested in thread painting as you can see from my portrait of Sir Alfred Smithers below. If you are really interested to know more about this process, please click here.


And the finished Smithers Centennial Quilt 2013. This quilt had a deadline that pushed my back to extremes and it had to be done.


And moving right along, I got really excited in 2015, having decided to write a book! I am still writing this book. Who know when it will be finished. But its happening.

I set off like I usually do with the enthusiasm of a teenager, with the mind of a 40's something and a body of a 57 year old who's already had one total knee replacement. But two years ago, I decided that getting more exercise and watching what I ate are simply a more practical way to get healthier!

More on this little weight loss topic later, but you might like to read the actual post that included my Crazy Quilting Tutorial.

As you'll see by following this blog, I am a completely-over-the-top CrAzY QuIlTeR!

I love the freeform style of crazy quilting and because I love to USE UP what I have around, these minute pieces eventually find a home in one of my numerous crazy quilts.




I don't prefer to use rotary cutters in my cutting my fabric chunks for crazy quilts, but I love the various styles immerging online, so who knows maybe I'll adapt and find a use for a rotary cutter chunks in my new collection of crazy quilts?



I have grown up as my nimble fingers find a path towards peace and contentment. 

My soul is simply soothed by the act of stitching.



I am stretching my comfort zone. I listen to my heart and go where it wants to and I just smile. I wish people who have stress in their life, picked up stitching of some sort. Its simply so good for a person, never mind that you don't become as experienced as I am, its simply a great idea to play with fabric and thread.

In 2016, I made this commission for a client in Alberta who sent me their own photo and emailed me "Can you make this photo into a quilt?" I was honoured and thrilled to have take this next step toward my progress as a Quilt Instructor.



And as I grew and stretched my wings, I became aware of a sweet stitcher from Saskatchewan who stitches Prairie Art in yarn. I'm pretty tickled to be a friend of Monika Kinner Whalen.

And when you visit don't be stingy with your time, she is well worth the extra minute to follow her on Pinterest.

Spreaking of Pinterest!

Please tell me you've begun following my board called Crazy Quilts from the World.

I've been developing workshops to teach my style of crazy quilting and would love to meet up with any other quilters. 

If you are a member of a quilting guild on Vancouver Island, please leave a comment and I'll contact you.

It was a breath of fresh air to leave hand embroidery behind for a nice break and focus on hand applique of the 365 Circles Project.



And then thanks to Quilty Folk who is the orginator of Quilty 365 came into my life and I've loved hand appliquing circles ever since.


As you can see, I simply love the busy-ness of contrast and freeform flow.

I've been stitching away on numerous 6 inch blocks with circles on them, now I have over 367 the last time I counted. They are going into a new quilt, of course.

And most recently I've begun to Upcycle My Clothing.




I hope that you've enjoyed a little look at my progress over writing 500 Good Earth Quilting Blog posts.

And what is even more special, is that I'm giving away Crazy Quilting Blocks.

1. You must agree to a follow up photo of the completed quilt via your blog or in an email to me.

2. If you win, tell me your color pallet and I'll make you "A set of (4) 12" Pre-Sewn Crazy Quilting Blocks" These are the sweetest blocks and all you have to do is sew them into a finished quilt of your own. 

3. You can do hand embroidery or not, but the deal is that must agree to become a follower of mine if you are already not a follower and you must leave me a comment in the color pallette of your choice. Come on be wild, subdued or dark! Just don't leave without telling me your choice in a comment here.

Plus, you know I'll throw in all sorts of special trims I love to use in a crazy quilting block.

 On April 1,  I will pick a winner and it won't be a joke! If you are a no-reply blogger, leave your email address!

Best of Luck, thank you for following me, continuing to support the crazy work I do and be assured I am grateful to share with all of you.




Comments

  1. Hello Caroline, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your journey in fabric and thread and how you up-cycle even before it became popular. I enjoyed your circles, they made me smile and made me think of my friends embroidered circles of prayer. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity, I've just started my journey into crazy quilting but have been embroidering for a long time. My favourite colour scheme would be oranges, yellows, reds of autumn. I am already a follower of your blog and will be going back and reading older posts. My email address is mandycurrie@googlemail.com. I have been thinking of starting a blog but wonder if I have enough to say that would be interesting lol. Looking forward to your next post. Regards Mandy

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    1. Hi Mandy,
      Wonderful you are starting your journey in Crazy Quilting.Really nice color selection you've chosen. I have a yummy selection of those colors. yes please do go back and read over my 500 posts! Your name has gone into the hat. Thank you for this comment.

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  2. What fun to revisit some of the pieces I remember seeing since I've been following you. And I must say that I can definitely identify with the bags of 'goodies' that friends passed over for use in my crazy quilting (did the same with our flower gardens in our last house - often came home to bags filled with unidentified plants). Thank you for a fun giveaway, but don't include my name in your 'hat' - I have enough to keep me busy for awhile.

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    1. Hi Mary Anne. We could do an exchange of crazy quilt bundles and then you've not increased your stash.Thank you for being a crazy quilter.

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  3. what an awesome idea for a giveawaay!!!! im a passionate purple and blue person!! i love your Canadian flag - totally cool!

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    1. Right on. Thank you for enjoying my journey. I too love blue and purple. Thanks for joining my blog. Done, you are entered!

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  4. Hi Caroline. I have been following your blog, since the first time, I saw you were doing crazy quilts. I had just started to collect fabrics and trims , as I was wanting to make a crazy quilt, also. My collection seems to be divided between lights and darks, both in prints and solids. So anything added would be good. Thank you for the chance to add to my stash for crazy quilt.

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    1. Hi Jean. Really glad to hear you are saving for making crazy quilts. I will be posting a crazy crazy quilt along with link ups soon.

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  5. Blue. Any shade and hue but my all-time favourite is turquoise. Thanks for showing us what you do. I have seen some of the quilts but was pleasantly surprised at the new ones I haven't seen.

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    1. Hi Delores, good to hear from you. Lovr your Christmas knomes. You are entered and color noted for my giveaway!

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  6. It looks like you really were ahead of the times when you began quilting/blogging. How cool that the rest of the world is catching up with you. I've really enjoyed seeing so much of your work in one post, and following your development as a quilter. Don't enter me for the giveaway - postage between the UK and your side of the world is horrendous. :-)

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    1. Hi Kaja,

      I hear you with mailing cost to the UK. Thank you for comments and support.

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  7. Hi Caroline, loved following your journey in crazy quilts. I’ve been saving up silk and satin ties, velvets and other fancy fabrics. I was inspired by a 1800’s quilt my mom has. I was always fascinated by all the wonderful and intricate hand stitching as I see in yours as well. I’m a random color kind of girl but if I had to be pinned down to one color palette it would be green. ❤️🌳🌿🍃

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    1. Hi Karen,
      Thank you for popping in to visit. Yeah for ties, velvet etc. Thanks this is a great color chohce!

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