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Holly Clarke Design

Quilter, pattern designer, maker, sharer

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Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to my little corner of the internet. My name is Holly Clarke. I’m a designer, quilter, fabric junkie, coffee drinker, and flower smeller. I live in Winnipeg, Canada and I love how the World Wide Web connects me with quilters from all over the world. If you want to reach out to me, email me here.

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holdmyseamripper

Here’s another block for week 11 of the 2020 #fu

Here’s another block for week 11 of the 2020 #fussycuttingsewalong hosted by @naomialicec. The theme for this week is “mystery sections” of the top part of an animal. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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If you saw my previous post you know what this is. If not, swipe to see which “mystery animal” I beheaded to create this block. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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#epp #eppfussycutting #quiltinprogress #slowstitching #handsewn #michaelmillerfabrics #englishpaperpiecing #quilting #lovesewing #fussycutting #hollysepphousequilt

This is my block for week 11 of the 2020 #fussycut

This is my block for week 11 of the 2020 #fussycuttingsewalong hosted by @naomialicec. The theme for this week is “mystery sections” of the top part of an animal. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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I’m convinced this #michaelmillerfabrics print was MADE for this week’s challenge. Swipe to see my “mystery animal”. Spoiler alert: My rotary cutter is coming for the raccoon next. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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#epp #eppfussycutting #quiltinprogress #slowstitching #handsewn #englishpaperpiecing #quilting #lovesewing #fussycutting #hollysepphousequilt

Here’s my second block for week 10 of the 2020 #

Here’s my second block for week 10 of the 2020 #fussycuttingsewalong hosted by @naomialicec. The theme for March is Animals. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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How sweet are these dancing mice? 🐭 🐭 🐭 🐭 ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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#epp #eppfussycutting #quiltinprogress #slowstitching #handsewn #englishpaperpiecing #quilting #lovesewing #fussycutting #hollysepphousequilt

This is my block for week 10 of the 2020 #fussycut

This is my block for week 10 of the 2020 #fussycuttingsewalong hosted by @naomialicec. The theme for March is Animals. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Here kitty, kitty! I am in love with how their stripes coordinate with my corner squares.⁣ 🐯 ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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#epp #eppfussycutting #quiltinprogress #slowstitching #handsewn #rubystarsociety #englishpaperpiecing #quilting #lovesewing #fussycutting #hollysepphousequilt

The Overlook Hotel quilt is finished and my husban

The Overlook Hotel quilt is finished and my husband is thrilled with it! We took it outside for a snowy photo shoot because what’s #theshining without mounds of snow? Swipe for close ups and check out my latest blog post for more details about how I made this iconic design into a cozy quilt.⁣
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Fabric is #confetticottons and backing is #texture in Barn Red by @rileyblakedesigns ⁣⁣⁣
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#rileyblakedesigns #rbdbasics #fabricismyfun #quiltdesign #showusyourmqg #modernquilt #quiltdesign #patchwork #canadianmqc #madeincanada #stanleykubrick #jacktorrence #allworkandnoplay #hickshexagon #overlookhotel #shiningquilt #overlookquilt

This is my block for week 9 of the 2020 #fussycutt

This is my block for week 9 of the 2020 #fussycuttingsewalong hosted by @naomialicec. The theme this week is “International Women’s Day”. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Here’s to strong women raising strong women. I fussy cut this block to include the names of strong women in my life: my mother-in-law, step mom, auntie, and one of my best friends. Unfortunately it doesn’t have my mom’s name (the strongest women I’ve ever known) and many other strong women that have inspired me and made me the woman I am today. ⁣
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#epp #eppfussycutting #quiltinprogress #slowstitching #handsewn #internationalwomensday #englishpaperpiecing #quilting #lovesewing #fussycutting #hollysepphousequilt @kmelkight

Ain’t no party like pin baste party cuz a pin ba

Ain’t no party like pin baste party cuz a pin baste party don’t stop. 🎶
In my excitement over finishing my quilt top I completely forgot to take an all-done photo. 🤦🏼‍♀️ So instead here are some close-ups of my pin basted quilt sammich.
I’m going to stitch-in-the-ditch quilt it because 1) I don’t want the quilting to interfere with the graphic nature of the design and 2) I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to do the cool Overlook Hotel-themed quilting ideas that I had in my head on my little domestic machine. 😭⁣
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Fabric is #confetticottons by @rileyblakedesigns ⁣⁣⁣
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#rileyblakedesigns #rbdbasics #fabricismyfun #quiltdesign #allworkandnoplay #hickshexagon #overlookhotel #shiningquilt #overlookquilt

For the in-betweener joiner bits I decided the onl

For the in-betweener joiner bits I decided the only way to achieve precision piecing of each colour would be to paper piece them as strips and trim them down to the correct height afterwards. It worked like a charm although the 6’ strip of paper/fabric was a little awkward to maneuver. I came up with a system where I’d roll up the ends and clip them with a wonder clip so they were much easier to move around.⁣
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Fabric is #confetticottons by @rileyblakedesigns ⁣⁣⁣
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#rileyblakedesigns #rbdbasics #fabricismyfun #quiltdesign #allworkandnoplay #overlookhotel #shiningquilt #overlookquilt

Progress made and my first #overlookquilt rows are

Progress made and my first #overlookquilt rows are up on my design wall (a.k.a. taped to my studio wall so I could snap a pic before the tape came away from the wall). It’s starting to look like a quilt - or carpet as the case may be - and I’m starting to get excited.⁣
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Fabric is #confetticottons by @rileyblakedesigns ⁣⁣⁣
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#rileyblakedesigns #rbdbasics #fabricismyfun #quiltdesign #allworkandnoplay #overlookhotel #hickshexagon #theshining #shiningquilt #overlookquilt

More progress on my #overlookquilt. These are the

More progress on my #overlookquilt. These are the “taller” rows (feet shown for scale). See the brown piece in the middle? It’s all 👏 one 👏 piece 👏! I was nervous af to sew that all-bias edge monster. ⁣⁣
Fabric is #confetticottons by @rileyblakedesigns ⁣⁣
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#rileyblakedesigns #rbdbasics #fabricismyfun #quiltdesign #allworkandnoplay #overlookhotel #hickshexagon #theshining #shiningquilt #overlookquilt

Last year while in Nashville for #quiltcon I purch

Last year while in Nashville for #quiltcon I purchased a print for my husband that depicted the unique carpet pattern from the movie The Shining. ⁣It’s one of his favourite movies and I’ve always been fascinated by the carpet design myself. I looked at that print every day and eventually it occurred to me that it would make a fun quilt. My husband was all in on that and excited for me to make him a Shining quilt. ⁣
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I assumed that because the design is built on hexagons that it would be super easy to make a pattern for it. But as soon as I got started in Illustrator I realized that the intricacy of the design would be a challenge to recreate with “typical” quilt shapes. ⁣
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Over the past year I took a stab at it a number of times trying to come up with an “easy” solution. Eventually I came to the conclusion there was no easy solution. Meanwhile my husband was anxiously (but patiently) waiting for his quilt. At one point I told him it probably wasn’t going to happen. He was so disheartened that I decided there MUST be a way. There’s always a way. It just isn’t always easy. ⁣
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More determined than ever I decided that to make it happen I needed to stop trying to do it with a traditional method. I broke the shapes down into rows and talked myself into figuring out how to do inset seams. ⁣
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Et violà, I came up with a row-based pattern and the inset seams (or as I’ve dubbed them “v-seams”) are not as tricky as I thought they’d be once I got the hang of it. ⁣(Nothing ever is.)
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Fabric is #confetticottons by @rileyblakedesigns ⁣⁣
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#rileyblakedesigns #rbdbasics #fabricismyfun #quiltdesign #allworkandnoplay #overlookhotel #theshining #shiningquilt #overlookquilt

Next up is a fun project that’s been living in m

Next up is a fun project that’s been living in my head for a year. Any guesses what it’s going to be? ⁣
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These colours are so ‘70s I think I need to dig through my tickle trunk to find some corduroy and channel my inner Shelly Duvall while I work. ⁣
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Fabric is #confetticottons by @rileyblakedesigns ⁣
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#rileyblakedesigns #rbdbasics #fabricpull #fabricismyfun #quiltingfabric #allworkandnoplay #overlookhotel #theshining #shiningquilt #overlookquilt

Well, QuiltCon has been a slice! Here is a selecti

Well, QuiltCon has been a slice! Here is a selection of some of my favourite quilts in the show. Makers are tagged.

We started our day with an embroidery workshop wit

We started our day with an embroidery workshop with @xostitches. I learned so much, I can’t wait to try more and flex my new skillz! Swipe to see pics of Niku’s incredible work.

We also took a Half Square Triangle Skill Builder

We also took a Half Square Triangle Skill Builder workshop with @satterwhitequilts and learned a bunch of new techniques for making HSTs including this magical “accordion method”. I am excited to put some of Stefanie’s tips and tricks into action. She did a fabulous job going through all the basics, as well as some more challenging methods and walking us through all her favourite tools and best practices. Her HST flow chart blew my mind!

Well this was a fun way to play with design! I too

Well this was a fun way to play with design! I took @quiltachusetts Designing Modern Quilts class and we (literally) played with shape, colour, lines, balance and all the design principals. Do you see my “negative space S-curve”?

We took a fun workshop called Choose your EPP Adve

We took a fun workshop called Choose your EPP Adventure this evening, designing and creating our own EPP blocks with @kustomkwilts.

Doing my part to help support the American quiltin

Doing my part to help support the American quilting industry. #quiltcon2020

Me, at QuiltCon. ➡️

Me, at QuiltCon. ➡️

#helloquiltcon My name is Holly and I’m so excit

#helloquiltcon My name is Holly and I’m so excited to be heading to #quiltcon2020 in Austin, TX tomorrow. My quilting bestie @kb_quilts and I have a jam packed schedule full of workshops, lectures, shopping, and eating tacos and BBQ. I’m also looking forward to meeting some of my Instagram friends and of course being inspired by all the amazing quilts. One more sleep!

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Did you know…

I'm also a graphic designer by trade. You can check out my website here Waterloo Design House.
And my other business is Small Potatoes where I make handmade baby clothing and gifts. Small Potatoes

Holly Clarke Design

Quilt making, quilt design, fabric appreciation, sewing tips and tricks, and all-around crafty inspiration.

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I’d love to collaborate. To share photos, please email me here for permission. All photos © Holly Clarke, 2019.

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