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: 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,…
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: Ann Johnston, Textile Artist
Ann Johnston began exploring dyeing fabric from a need for fabric in specific colors. She continues to challenge herself to create new textures and patterns for original fiber art. How…
Spotlight: Hillary Goodwin, Textile Artist
Hillary Goodwin balances her life as an Emergency Medicine Physician and makes time to create textile art. Look closely at her work for the details and hand stitching. How long…
Spotlight: Soile Hovila, Tapestry Artist
Soile Hovila began drawing and painting as a young child. She creates detailed tapestries in her workspace, with a window that opens onto a garden with the forest beyond. Soile…
Spotlight: Susan Callahan, Textile Artist
Susan Callahan combines her experiences and passion for food while working in a commercial kitchen, with her love of working with textiles to create her art. Fiber art and food.…
Spotlight: Marita Wai, Cyanotype Artist
During the pandemic, Marita Wai remembered the fun she'd had as a child and bought a Cyanotype kit to do with her children. She opened it up and used the…
Spotlight: Mirka Knaster, Fiber Artist
Mirka Knaster creates fiber art, both inspired by the world around her and to tell visual stories. Creating is central to her life. She enjoys playing and seeing what evolves.…
Spotlight: Émilie Trahan, Fiber Artist
Émilie Trahan creates award-winning fiber art inspired by nature and the world around her. Working improvisationally, she starts by selecting a color palette and setting minimal boundaries for the finished…
Spotlight: Laurie Fagen, Visual Artist, Author and Musician
Laurie Fagen is creative across multiple media. Music and theatre have been a big part of her life, both as a child and now as an adult. She enjoys writing…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: 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,…Spotlight: Ann Johnston, Textile Artist
Ann Johnston began exploring dyeing fabric from a need for fabric in specific colors. She continues to challenge herself to create new textures and patterns for original fiber art. How…
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: Hillary Goodwin, Textile Artist
Hillary Goodwin balances her life as an Emergency Medicine Physician and makes time to create textile art. Look closely at her work for the details and hand stitching. How long…Spotlight: Soile Hovila, Tapestry Artist
Soile Hovila began drawing and painting as a young child. She creates detailed tapestries in her workspace, with a window that opens onto a garden with the forest beyond. Soile…Spotlight: Susan Callahan, Textile Artist
Susan Callahan combines her experiences and passion for food while working in a commercial kitchen, with her love of working with textiles to create her art. Fiber art and food.…Spotlight: Marita Wai, Cyanotype Artist
During the pandemic, Marita Wai remembered the fun she'd had as a child and bought a Cyanotype kit to do with her children. She opened it up and used the…Spotlight: Mirka Knaster, Fiber Artist
Mirka Knaster creates fiber art, both inspired by the world around her and to tell visual stories. Creating is central to her life. She enjoys playing and seeing what evolves.…Spotlight: Laurie Fagen, Visual Artist, Author and Musician
Laurie Fagen is creative across multiple media. Music and theatre have been a big part of her life, both as a child and now as an adult. She enjoys writing…
Spotlight: Patricia Pérez-Canto Caffrey, Textile Artist
When Patricia Caffrey first saw a quilt hanging on a wall, displayed as a piece of art, she knew that was what she wanted to do. She creates textile art…
Spotlight: Peachy Kaua’i, Mixed Media Artist
Peachy Kaua'i finds inspiration for her mixed-media art on beach walks, snorkeling, hiking, and surfing around the island of Kaua'i! You'll find her drawing, painting, crocheting, working with clay, and…Spotlight: Émilie Trahan, Fiber Artist
Émilie Trahan creates award-winning fiber art inspired by nature and the world around her. Working improvisationally, she starts by selecting a color palette and setting minimal boundaries for the finished…
Spotlight: Sandra Mollon, Textile Artist
Sandra Mollon spent over 25 years making traditional quilts and was ready to try something new. She already drew inspiration for her appliqué quilts from photographs, so it was natural…
Spotlight Michelle Cain, Modern Quilt Designer
Michelle Cain made her first quilt and was hooked! She now designs modern quilt patterns and has written her first book. When did you first realize you are a creative…
Spotlight: Samantha Wong, Asian Felt Food Designer
For Samantha Wong, sewing was a creative outlet for her while working in a demanding full-time job. She quit her job and started to find herself as she explored designing…