In The Spotlight!
At Create Whimsy, we share the stories of makers. Learn about their creative journeys, inspirations and more! Browse all of our Spotlight Stories.

Spotlight: Giovanna Zara, Crafter and Designer
Giovanna Zara has been creating since she was a young child. Over the years, she has dabbled in a variety of techniques. Right now, she has a self-proclaimed obsession for…
Spotlight: Kaitlyn Howell, Pattern Designer and Longarm Quilter
Kaitlyn Howell designs patterns, offers longarm services, and manages an online shop. Her favorite? Designing patterns, dreaming up new ideas, and seeing others bring them to life. How long have…
Spotlight: Kelsey Howard, Painter
Kelsey Howard loved her art classes more than her science classes in college. She went on to become a nurse, taking the time to paint every day to help manage…
Spotlight: Kristine Berg, Fiber and Costume Artist
Kristine Berg became a crafts artisan, which led her to a career of travel and living around the world to create costumes and props for movies, theatre, and film. Now,…
Spotlight: Saar Snoek, Wearable Artist
Saar Snoek discovered felting and never looked back. She creates intricate contemporary wearable art pieces with wet felting techniques. Studio photo from the book Hat Couture, credit Elly Stemerdink How…
Spotlight: Emily Chen, Knitter and Pattern Designer
Emily Chen has been creative since a young child, dabbling across many techniques. It was when she couldn't find the perfect polo pattern, that she began designing knitwear patterns. How…
Spotlight: Lynn van Wyk, Fiber Artist
Lynn van Wyk has always found creating to be her happy place. During Covid, she explored using fabric to make art. Now she creates detailed fiber art pieces inspired by…
Spotlight: Rhonda Denney, Fiber Artist
Rhonda Denney creates fiber art inspired by her life experiences and travels. She uses hand-held pigments to color on fabric and stitching to add dimension and refers to these creations…
Spotlight: Lina Owen, Sewing Teacher and Quilt Designer
Lina Owen was hooked on sewing with her first stitch. She teaches children to sew while helping them build confidence, patience, and problem-solving skills. How long have you been sewing…
Spotlight: Cat Chiu, Public Artist
Cat Chiu creates public art inspired by lived experiences, conversations, overlooked histories, and communities with whom she has collaborated. The overarching theme that connects her work is transformation, whether it…
Spotlight: Irene Koroluk, Textile Artist
Irene Koroluk creates intricate fiber and textile art inspired by the sights and experiences around her in Australia. She enjoys experimenting with new techniques to translate her visions into 2D…
Spotlight: Heather Akerberg, Modern Quilter
Heather Akerberg loves puzzles, and designing quilts is very much about solving puzzles! Many of her projects start with a concept or question that she is grappling with and how…
Spotlight: Karen Hewer, Fiber Artist
Karen Hewer started sewing garments before discovering quilting. She made traditional quilts for about ten years. A bronze statue of a girl sparked an idea for an art quilt. Now,…Trending Now

Learn How to Make Fabric Yo-Yos: Free Quilt Tutorial
Yo-yos are the perfect portable project to use up scrap fabrics! They can be made any size and are perfect for beginners and seasoned sewers. Learn how to make fabric…
Broderie Perse Appliqué, How To Tutorial by Machine or Hand
Looking for another reason to take a perfectly good piece of fabric and cut it up to make something new? Broderie perse is an appliqué technique where motifs, such as…
How to Sashiko Stitch: A Step-by-Step Guide
Sometimes I want to get a project done really fast, but lately I have picked up a hand stitching project when I want to unwind. The slow, meditative process of…
Finish the Edge of Fabric Quilted Postcards
You've got some ideas to be creative and make some fabric quilted postcards. Now what? How can you finish the edges? Here are some great ideas to finish the edge…
How to Make a Jelly Roll Rug
I had seen and admired the beautiful and colorful pictures of jelly roll rugs and wanted to try to make one for myself! Spoiler alert - it is a lot…
How to Whipstitch, Beginners Hand Sewing Tutorial
The whipstitch is a hand-sewing stitch that is used for English Paper piecing and to join fabrics for appliqué and closing openings, like sewing the opening to a stuffed animal.…Latest Stories on Create Whimsy

Spotlight: Diana Li Fitzgerald, Patchwork Sashiko and Pattern Designer
Diana Fitzgerald has always enjoyed tinkering, experimenting, and creating things. She loves trying different techniques and using her scraps to see what she can create. Now she designs patterns for…
Spotlight: Giovanna Zara, Crafter and Designer
Giovanna Zara has been creating since she was a young child. Over the years, she has dabbled in a variety of techniques. Right now, she has a self-proclaimed obsession for…
Spotlight: Kaitlyn Howell, Pattern Designer and Longarm Quilter
Kaitlyn Howell designs patterns, offers longarm services, and manages an online shop. Her favorite? Designing patterns, dreaming up new ideas, and seeing others bring them to life. How long have…
Spotlight: Yosi Anaya, Fiber Artist
Yosi Anaya has been creative from a young age. She considers herself as a constant student, always learning new techniques and processes to grow and evolve her art. How would…
Spotlight: Kristine Berg, Fiber and Costume Artist
Kristine Berg became a crafts artisan, which led her to a career of travel and living around the world to create costumes and props for movies, theatre, and film. Now,…
How to Make a Waxed Bread Bag: Easy Sewing Tutorial
Have you joined the sourdough makers? Or do you just pick up some yummy bread at the bakery or farmers market? If so, you need a waxed bread bag to…
Spotlight: Kelsey Howard, Painter
Kelsey Howard loved her art classes more than her science classes in college. She went on to become a nurse, taking the time to paint every day to help manage…
Spotlight: Emily Chen, Knitter and Pattern Designer
Emily Chen has been creative since a young child, dabbling across many techniques. It was when she couldn't find the perfect polo pattern, that she began designing knitwear patterns. How…
Spotlight: Saar Snoek, Wearable Artist
Saar Snoek discovered felting and never looked back. She creates intricate contemporary wearable art pieces with wet felting techniques. Studio photo from the book Hat Couture, credit Elly Stemerdink How…
Spotlight: Rhonda Denney, Fiber Artist
Rhonda Denney creates fiber art inspired by her life experiences and travels. She uses hand-held pigments to color on fabric and stitching to add dimension and refers to these creations…
Spotlight: Lynn van Wyk, Fiber Artist
Lynn van Wyk has always found creating to be her happy place. During Covid, she explored using fabric to make art. Now she creates detailed fiber art pieces inspired by…
Spotlight: Lina Owen, Sewing Teacher and Quilt Designer
Lina Owen was hooked on sewing with her first stitch. She teaches children to sew while helping them build confidence, patience, and problem-solving skills. How long have you been sewing…
DIY Coiled Rope Baskets and Bowls: Sewing Tutorial
There are so many uses for DIY coiled rope baskets and bowls! From holding your thread, pins and needles for a hand stitching project, to making a larger one to…
Lady of the Lake Quilt Block Pattern: Free Tutorial
The Lady of the Lake quilt block pattern is traditionally made with two fabrics and looks lovely with a solid or small print fabric with scraps for the second fabric.…
Spotlight: Irene Koroluk, Textile Artist
Irene Koroluk creates intricate fiber and textile art inspired by the sights and experiences around her in Australia. She enjoys experimenting with new techniques to translate her visions into 2D…
Spotlight: Heather Akerberg, Modern Quilter
Heather Akerberg loves puzzles, and designing quilts is very much about solving puzzles! Many of her projects start with a concept or question that she is grappling with and how…
Spotlight: Karen Bolan, Quilt Designer and Teacher
Karen Bolan took an improv quilting class that changed her career from engineering to quilt designer and teacher. She finds inspiration for her designs in her everyday life - everywhere!…
Spotlight: Kirsten Miller, Natural Dyer and Sewist
Kirsten Miller has been a maker and crafter since she was a young child. She grows or forages for plant material to use for natural dyes, then transforms the fabrics…
Spotlight: Karen Hewer, Fiber Artist
Karen Hewer started sewing garments before discovering quilting. She made traditional quilts for about ten years. A bronze statue of a girl sparked an idea for an art quilt. Now,…