The Heartful Quilter by Kari’s Creations

Let’s learn about quilting together! Making quilts brings blessings to the creator and warms the hearts of loved ones.

The Heartful Quilter

Artful Collaboration

The art of quilting is built on the collaboration of quilters as they learn from each other and chart their own journey in the quilting community. I strongly believe we are better when we come together to collaborate, share our quilt interests, develop our own quilt styles and experience new ways to create quilt art. Let me share my vision of the collaborative quilting community with your quilt guild.

Heartful Passion

There is no better way to build a quilt community than to share the passion of this wonderful art form. Quilting communities offer quilters a way to explore, to be inspired and to feel motivated to make unique and exceptional quilts. Let me share my passion for all things quilty with you as we learn to be better quilters together.

Quilting is a Lifestyle

  • Award Winning Quilter

    National and Local Quilt Shows

  • 35+ Years of Quilting Experience

    Master of Quilting Techniques

  • Quilt Community Leader

    Guild Leader, Teacher, Blogger

Kari's Quilting Resume

What Makes Me Tick? (Or Who Am I?)

My quilting journey began soon after I married my husband in 1988. I was a cross-stitcher at the time, and my new mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law were quilters. It was no time before I, too, was a quilter! They taught me lots of fun things about being a quilter and the rest is history. I joined Heritage Quilters of Huntsville in 1989, the year after the organization was formed. In the years since, I’ve been a very involved volunteer, serving in several guild positions to include membership chair, hospitality chair, retreat chair, quilt show chair, vice president of programs (four times!) and president. I have also coordinated two different stitch groups through the years, with the current one including 50-plus members! Stitchers Etc. meets once a month to hand stitch, and its members also enjoy Sew Days, twice-a-year retreats and other fun get togethers.

During most of my 35-plus quilting years, I have had to balance quilt making with being a wife and mother to two children, holding down a full-time job as a journalist, public relations manager and a public affairs specialist for the Department of Defense, and being involved with church, community and family activities. I retired as a U.S. Army federal employee in 2023 to pursue my hobbies and interests full-time (especially quilting). Since then, I’ve taught quilt classes at a local shop, spoken at various guild meetings and conducted guild workshops, and written a blog. I live in Huntsville, Alabama, with my husband, who works as a contract software engineer for NASA, and our dog Penny. Our daughter is a writer/editor living in Houston, Texas, with her husband, and our son is a police officer with the Huntsville Police Department.

Programs

  • Quilting with Passion — Kari will share how to infuse quilts with character and whimsy.

  • What Did You Say? Quilts That Talk — Kari will share her quilting journey through quilts that tell her story.

  • Challenge Me! — Years of participating in guild Challenges have created quite a collection of quilts to share.

  • Seasons of Quilts — Christmas isn’t the only holiday that deserves its own quilts. Kari will share quilts she has made to honor several holidays and seasons.

  • Stretching Your Quilty Boundaries — Kari will share new things to spur on your guild member’s creativity.

What I Offer

Workshops

  • Let’s Get Sporty! — This one-of-a-kind quilt combines mascots with the modern-day versions of various fans. Lots of foundation piecing and curved piecing, and machine applique.

  • Collaborative Quilting (based on the book by Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston) – This highly creative workshop combines basket blocks, a floral border, flying geese and square-in-a-square blocks for a one-of-a-kind quilt.

  • Dazzling NY Beauties — (based on the book Dazzling New York Beauty Sampler, Cinzia White) Foundation and curved piecing along with a variety of points make these blocks bounce with sass. Students will learn a much simpler way to make these blocks based on newly designed patterns.

  • Bloomin’ Beauties (based on the book Flower Festival, Kim Schafer) – Learn machine applique with flowers full of personality.

  • Five-Patch Cross (based on the book Bright Quilts from Down Under) – For those of us who love piecing scrappy quilts, this one is very rewarding. The blocks are simple but fun to make and students can swap for more variety. Students will also learn how to make the triangle border and Ohio Stars.

  • Stitch Book – Students learn how to make their own stitch pages and then fill them with fancy stitches from their sewing machine!

    Note: Photos of the above workshop quilts will be provided on request.

    All classes are six hours.

Other Services

  • Guild Management

  • Retreat Coordinator

  • Quilt Show Planner

  • Quilt Show Judge

  • Event Planner

  • Writer/Editor

Gallery of Quilts

  • Let's Get Sporty! -- Bama Fans

  • Blooming

  • Hen House

  • Amazing Grace

  • Friendship Baskets

  • Blooming Beauties

  • Stitch Book

  • Love Blooms

  • Friends Stick Together

  • Flying Home

Let’s Get Together!

I would love to bring my brand of quilting passion to your guild. My programs and workshops are designed to help us fall in love all over again with quilting! Quilting is always more fun when we share, laugh and sew together!

You can learn more about me by checking me out on my Facebook pages (Kari Hawkins or The Heartful Quilter) or my blog (Kari’s Creations and Musings). You can reach me by email at karihawk@knology.net, or by calling/texting at 256-508-9409.

FAQ

  • The best way to contact me is by email at karihawk@knology.net. I can also be reached through my Facebook Pages, just look up Kari Hawkins or The Heartful Quilter. Or, you can reach me by phone at 256-508-9409, call or text.

  • The Program Fee is $150. The Workshop Fee is $300. Travel and lodging expenses are the responsibility of the guild.

  • Prices are negotiable for guild management and promotion services.

  • Wool applique! I’ve been working on a couple different projects that I would love to share with you. I follow the Sue Spargo style of wool applique quilting.