If you know me,
you know that I can get quite competitive when it comes to quilting
…and art in general.
I am fully aware of this attribute
and I am really trying harder to not be that way.
(Of course competition has it’s place
and I am actually working on a couple competition quilts,
but it shouldn’t be the main event in my career.)
Every so often I am blessed with opportunities
that remind me why I fell in love with quilting
and what really makes it truly important
not only in my own life
but in the lives of MOST quilter’s across the planet.
As artists, we are constantly attempting
to express ourselves through visual languages.
And this happens in soooo many different ways.
I love that.
For me as an artist,
my most fulfilling and beautiful pieces of art
are ones that have deep conceptual meanings within them.
While I like to create art that is aesthetically beautiful,
I LOVE to create art that is conceptually beautiful and meaningful.
I have a dear childhood friend named Kaelyn.
We go way back.
WE EVEN HAVE THE SAME MIDDLE NAME!!! <3
Look how little we look!
This was taken in high school but we actually
became friends around the age of 12.
We both grew up,
didn’t get to see each other as often
but knew we would always be friends.
After High School,
She and her boyfriend both served Missions
for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Then they came home and got married!
So cute.
Unfortunately, less than a year after their wedding,
Nainoa was diagnosed with cancer.
Things got tough, very quickly
but they never lost their love and devotion for each other.
When I heard the sad news,
I wrote Kaelyn a note
(even though there is really nothing you can say)
But I just let her know that I was thinking about her
and that we were there for them if there was anything we could do for them.
After many months of treatment,
Nainoa was put on hospice.
Shortly after,
Kaelyn called me and asked me a favor.
She said,
“Will you make a quilt for me and Nai?”
And I said,
“YES! ABSOLUTELY YES! That is one of the few things
that I can actually do for you!”
She mentioned that she had some T-shirts and clothes of Nainoa’s
that we could make into a quilt.
But if anyone has ever made a T-Shirt quilt,
you will know that it is much more intense than a simple weekend project.
We came up with the idea to do something
a little more modern, but also a lot more meaningful.
I said to her,
“Email a list of everything you can think of that the two of you love.
Inside jokes…
Movie Quotes…
Meaningful words and phrases…
and I will design a quilt based on those things.”
This was on a Friday.
By Saturday morning I had gotten the email from her.
By Sunday evening the design was finished.
The fabric was ordered from a wonderful,
local fabric printing company here in Utah
called Modern Yardage.
The fabric was on my doorstep by Tuesday Afternoon.
The fabric was quilted and bound by the following Friday!
I know I have said this before,
but I love sooooo much how technology
has allowed me to express myself in the best ways I know how!
Here is a little more detail on the process…
Here is the actual design that we had printed onto the fabric
(I also added a nice white border to give the words some breathing room):
This design was created completely digitally
using an app on my iPad Pro
called Procreate, and I of course couldn’t have done
lettering this good without my trusty Apple Pencil.
One thing I LOVE about this app is that it records what you do
and then you can export a time-lapse video to show the process.
Here is the process video for the design:
Once the fabric was printed,
I loaded it onto my longarm quilting frame
and went to town with the quilting.
The biggest goal was to make sure that the lettering was the main focus of the quilt.
So, I simply used monofilament thread that would just add texture
and not detract from the lettering itself.
If I had used white thread,
I think it might have washed out the black lettering.
But if I used black thread,
it would clutter up the nice white background.
So using monofilament was the perfect choice.
Kaelyn asked for the quilt to be light,
because Nai would get too hot when he slept.
So we just used one layer of Warm & Natural Batting
and then some nice, black satin for the backing.
Super soft, but not too warm.
I did opt to use white thread in the bobbin for a couple reasons:
A) I didn’t want to risk even the smallest tension snafoo
and have any black dots of thread show up on the front of the quilt
(which is definitely a risk when working with a thinner quilt)
and
B) I still wanted them to be able to see the quilting designs.
Finally, I bound it with solid black to keep things classy.
Andrew and I were able to have a fun little double date with them
and give them this quilt.
They loved it!
We watched a movie together while they snuggled in their newly made quilt.
I had all kinds of warm fuzzies going on inside a me!
It was such a tender mercy and an honor to be the one
to make something that would be so meaningful to these lovers.
Unfortunately,
a few months later Nainao returned home to his Heavenly Father.
Kaelyn decided that she wanted to display the quilt at his viewing, next to his casket.
Quilters-
THIS IS WHY WE MAKE QUILTS!
We make quilts to warm the hearts of others
(and sometimes their toes while we’re at it.)
This craft is our love language.
Quilting can best be described as a “labor of love”.
We do it to remind our people that they are loved,
even if we are not physically close.
We do it because God has blessed us with this amazing talent
of turning fibers into tangible actions of love and adoration.
I am honored to be a quilter.
If you want to see more custom printed quilt tops
check out this page.
Be great to each other.
-Karlee
26 thoughts on “Why we REALLY make quilts.”
Karlee,
I am in the middle of writing an article for our guild newsletter “Why We Quilt” and I discovered your post! Not sure how to express how your words have moved me. This quilt for your friends is so lovely and a true gift from the heart! I have gone on the read your blog for hours tonight – I have been in tears several times. What a truly talented young lady you are. Winning at the Houston is beyond most people’s wildest dreams and your award is so well deserved. Reading about the process was intriguing and beautifully done. I look forward to reading about your process for next year.
I am 71 years old and have been quilting for about 20 years. I am so far from perfect but LOVE the process. This year I decided NO more difficult patterns, matching points and perfect 1/4″ seams! My family loves every quilt they receive and all is good in this crazy world. My quilts are given with love and received in love!
I am adding your blog to my BLOGLOVIN and look forward to reading more about your journey. Barbara
Wow Barbara! Thank you so much for all the kind words! It means so much to me! I am just trying to do my best to uplift others through the stories I share. It means so much to me that you took time to read my blog. 🙂
-Karlee
I love your quilt! You have inspired me to create the back of my son’s quilt with lyrics from one of his songs! Thank you for sharing and inspiring. Your friend is blessed to have you.
I’m so deeply touched by this posting. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read it, Martie. 🙂
Wow, I was really very touched and so enjoyed this blog! You are so very talented and my quilts have always been a way to give back. Thank you for sharing your talent, what an inspiration you will be to many. God has surely blessed you with a talent! Patfrontuto2@aol.com
What a beautiful story.
Yes, that is why we make quilts! Simply lovely. Hug to you both! I just blogged about how I am quilting to stay focused through my cancer journey. Your post brought tears ro my eyes. Kwiltzbystephanie.blogspot
So beautiful! I read your latest blog post and I am astounded at your strength and hope! <3
Mahalo for sharing your story and passion with us. I was at Nainoa’s services and remembered how impressed I was with the quilt. It’s simply beautiful! There are lots of quilters on nainoa’s side of the family and we were so touched by the work you did. Wonderful!
What a wonderful expression of Love for your friends Kaylee. You do excellent work. I too make quilts for my friends who are going through an illness or others trials and because of my wilting they are Covered in Prayers that I quilt in the project.
Like your gifted quilt to a special couple – only one word ” BEAUTIFUL”
Sad, but wonderful quilt and tribute! She is blessed to have you in her life!
You are so talented, I wish I New how to do this kind of quilt and you were a big blessing to your friend.
Amen. Thank you.
Yes, indeed. A beautiful quilt for a beautiful friendship.
Thanks, Brenda. 🙂
Karlee,
This is so inspiring and your creative heart makes it so much more than the traditional memory quilts.
I have just finished 5 memory projects for a family to give at Christmas. I did not know the family before the process, but became so emotionally involved.
That truly is a one of a kind and will be so comforting to your friend. Thank you for sharing your creative process!
I love your last paragraph explaining why we make quilts. Can I use this quote in a presentation I am making with my quilts in May?
Of course I would acknowledge it is your quote/words.
Keep on creating and sharing, you are inspiring so many!!
Donna KG , Ontario, Canada
Permission Granted! 🙂
That is awesome. I think our best work as an artist shines through most brightly on quilts we are emotionally involved in. You brought some joy to their lives at a time when they needed it most.
What a beautiful gift!! She will be able to crawl under it and feel the love from you who made it and the memory and love of her husband.
What a wonderful gift you have, and you freely share it with others. This story really touched my heart. I am LDS too, and families are forever. God bless you for being such a caring, beautiful spirit. Your friend will cherish this quilt because of the beautiful memories you both share.
Thank you for sharing this deeply personal story. It touches my heart. I want to always be mindful of why I quilt.
A beautiful tribute.
Beautiful , personal, one of a kind, lasting gift. So clever.
I just spent the evening rereading your book Graffiti Quilting, then found your email.
Love that story. I am amazed when I go to the Utah State Fair and see all the intricate work on those quilts. As a Kayak builder I understand making something that takes tons of work and then having something so useful to use.