Karen is one of our new educators and I have not had the pleasure of meeting her yet. We have spoken on the phone because we are doing an event together in March. I can’t wait to meet her in real life.
Artist’s Statement
“Thread in Motion”
The inspiration for the Black and White Challenge Quilt came from the challenge’s theme: Motion
Picture. Motion is represented in several ways throughout this piece. I portrayed motion through fabric
choice, piecing, and quilting design. I was drawn to the Drunkard’s Path quilt pattern because of the
way the curves in the pattern depict movement. I was inspired by my choice of fabric for similar reasons.
The black fabric depicts motion through its motifs of needle, thread and stitching pattern. The white
fabric, with its circle motifs, is arranged in an offset column of half circles that draw the viewers eye
down an uneven path. The green highlight fabric and thread are bright and help to move the viewer’s
eye around the quilt. I used the feathery quilting design throughout the quilt because it represents
movement in several ways.
I hope that the viewer has fun exploring the different patterns and techniques that I have used to create
a sense of motion throughout this quilt.
Thread used: Superior Masterpiece, Magnifico and Bottomline
Quilt Design: Quiltable – Feathery Drunkards Path Frame
Pattern Design: Variation of Drunkard’s Path inspired from the book: “Crazy Curves” by Elisa
Wilson
To see more quilts in this challenge, click here!
Karen has been quilting for over 30 years. She started quilting her quilts by hand but soon became proficient at quilting on a stationary sewing machine. She enjoyed learning different quilting styles and techniques from the various books she borrowed from her local library as well as from a group of local quilters. She was welcomed into a small group of experienced quilters who met at a local quilt store. These women have given Karen inspiration and encouragement throughout her quilting journey.
She discovered Handi Quilter longarm quilting machines at a quilt show and soon she was hooked on longarm quilting. She started to quilt for others and soon started her own longarm quilting business. She enjoys combining free motion quilting and ruler work with Pro-Stitcher® designs.
Karen finds that teaching students machine quilting builds confidence and develops artistic skills her students did not know they possessed. She is looking forward to reaching a wider audience of students through the Handi Quilter Educator Program and increasing the number confident and artistic quilters.
Karen’s two passions are quilting and traveling. She combines the two by visiting a quilt store in every town, city, or country she visits. She gets inspired by talking to and interacting with the local quilters about their quilting projects.
When Karen is not quilting, she and her husband enjoy exploring sandy beaches and
hiking trails near her home in Saint James, New York.