Graffiti Quilting with Karlee Porter – Podcast Episode #24

Helly My Quilting Friends! I have a terrific interview for you today with Karlee Porter, the creator of Graffiti Quilting. Click Here to find Karlee’s website.

I also have a super exciting announcement – all the podcast episodes are now live on YouTube! I’ve put the episodes together in a playlist so you just have to click once and the videos will play automatically so you can binge listen / watch to all the episodes shared so far.

Also I’ve pushed myself to start recording the introduction section live. I pulled out a quilt, turned on the camera, and shared the updates from around the house while stitching on James’s puff quilt. The rest of the video will be a still image, but it’s one small step to making the entire podcast live video (which is a big leap forward!)

Watch this week’s episode here:

Click Here to check out No Sewing Until You Quilt It, an awesome form of applique that allows you to create turned edge applique without taking a single stitch before you’re ready to quilt! And yes, I do use affiliate links below to help support this podcast.

Now for links from the interview with Karlee Porter:

In 2014 Karlee published her first book Graffiti Quilting and has also followed up with Graffiti Quilting Volume 2. Graffiti Quilting is basically a method for taking lots of different designs and squishing them together to form a unique texture for your quilts.

Graffiti Quilting from KarleePorter.com

Karlee considers herself an artist first and had been drawing graffiti style art for years. When she learned free motion quilting she simply decided to quilt what she already knew how to draw.

Karlee has traveled around the world teaching Graffiti Quilting. We both agree quilting is an awesome industry because quilt guilds and shops help connect us together. Her favorite moment of a class is when the lightbulb clicks for a student and they suddenly understand how Graffiti Quilting works.

We both agree teaching online is very helpful for both teachers and students. Authenticity and interaction is very important to Karlee and she’s interested in using technology to make beautiful quilts and teach new techniques.

Karlee also designs custom printed fabrics for quilters to practice machine quilting. Spoonflower.com is my favorite website for printing fabric easily and on demand.

Don’t forget to check out Karlee’s website and learn more about Graffiti Quilting!

Now for a few updates from around the house:

In the video I was working on James’s puff quilt while I chatted about this week’s news. I’ve been working on this quilt for several months first folding the fabric squares to create individual little pillows, then I stitched them together into blocks, then stitched the quilt together.

Now I’ve sliced very small holes in the back of the quilt and I’m puffing each little pillow with exactly 5 grams of fiberfill (yes, I’m weighing each puff!) I decided to go back over the quilt and stitch each hole closed so the fiberfill won’t leak out after the quilt is complete.

Whew! It’s already been several months and I still need to finish puffing, stitching, then sandwich and figure out how to quilt between each puff. It’s been a crazy fun project to create and yes, one of these days I will get around to making a video tutorial so you can see how I made it.

I’ve also been working on my walking foot quilting book this week and we have a potential date for when it will be finished! That’s super exciting, but also scary because I still need to find a photographer, plan the photos, and finish three of the quilts.

It’s been an interesting process to create this book and I’ve learned a bit more about how to stay better organized and how I can write my next book better and with less stress. Yes, self publishing is a lot more work, but the payoff is definitely worth it. Click Here to find Podcast Episode #1 about publishing.

While I’ve been finishing the text and diagrams for the book, our full-time piecer and step-outter has been having fun making Wonky Christmas trees downstairs. I’m a bit jealous – these are so cheerful and fun!

Click Here to find the free Wonky Christmas Tree Pattern. I’m planning to create a simple, skinny wall hanging version of this quilt to give as Christmas gifts. Maybe if we start in July we’ll have them done in time!

I’ve also been working on little tree art quilts with scrap velvet and silk fabrics. I also turned the hanging rod in the wood shop and plan to make beaded accents for each quilt.

Sometimes I get stuck on projects and fearful of ruining it with ugly stitching. I plan to make several more trees then force myself to start quilting them. Mostly the issue these days is TIME – where does it go and how do I get more of it?! Lol! I think I need to listen to Vicki Holloway’s podcast episode again and remember her tips for working efficiently.

So that’s it for this week! I hope you like the new video podcast and seeing what I’m stitching on. Let me know what you think and if you have suggestions for quilters to be on the show. I’m always looking for more quilting friends!

Let’s go quilt,

Leah Day