Landscapes with Family Photos

Karen shows you the secret of integrating photos of family into an Accidental Landscape. Beach and lake scenes are the easiest to make because the background layers are simple strips of blue and sand.

Layered Leaves

Gentle free-form cut curves are combined with easy topstiching to create these fun little leaves. Use them by themselves in a quilt or combine them with your choice of blocks, for example: my Rose Twirl blocks!

For detailed instructions and patterns for projects using these leaves, please refer to my book "Wiggles & Waves: Free-Form Curves."

Rose Twirls

Learn how to create a cute rose-like quilt block using free-form cutting of curves combined with easy topstitch piecing.

Use them in traditional and innovative design layouts. For instructions on how to use these blocks to make table runners and quilts refer to the Wiggles and Waves Book.

FREE PATTERN for the Desert Rose lap quilt

Wearable Waves Jacket

Karen Eckmeier is a guest of Sheryl Borden, the host and producer of the PBS KENW-tv3 show “Creative Living” Starting with a sweatshirt as your pattern piece Karen will show you how to create a beautiful fabric made with free-form cut curves and angles. The edges are turned under, topstiched and quilted to the pattern pieces. The result is wearable art!

Quilted Waves Vest - Part I

Companion video to the book Wearable Waves: Delightful Designs for Jackets and Vests

“That’s a sweatshirt?!” Learn how to cut apart a sweatshirt to create the pattern pieces for a vest or jacket adorned with one-of-kind Layered Waves fabric, created by you! Select and cut fabrics to be ready to use Karen’s free form topstitching technique to create curves and points in the next video, Quilted Waves Vest Part II.

Quilted Waves Vest - Part II

Companion video to the book Wearable Waves: Delightful Design for Jackets and Vests

Here are the basics of creating a beautiful Layered Waves fabrics with topstitched curves and points to fit the vest sweatshirt pattern pieces. This video concentrates on vests, however the same basic technique is used in Karen’s jackets. For detailed instructions, fabric requirements, fitting info and LOTS of design ideas please refer to her book.

Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes Demo

Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes Demo

Karen Eckmeier gives a 30 Minute introductory demonstration about her Happy Villages and Accidental Landscapes techniques as part of her solo exhibition at the Kent Memorial Library in Kent, CT

Happy Villages: Fabric Collage

Karen Eckmeier is a guest of Sheryl Borden, the host and producer of the PBS KENW-tv3 show “Creative Living” demonstrating how a village magically appears starting with basic shapes, the addition of roof tops and windows. A layer of netting (fine tulle) and quilting hold the raw edges of the fabric in place.

Accidental Landscape Magic

Experience the magic of traveling from the beach to the mountains and other mysterious destinations, with the simple change of the fabric strips.

Beach Scene in Layers

In this video Karen Eckmeier is a guest of Sheryl Borden, the host and producer of the PBS KENW-tv3 show “Creative Living” demonstrating her topstitch piecing technique of cutting, pressing and layering fabric strips to create a little beach scene “accidentally.”

Curved Bindings

No need to cut binding strips on the bias and waste fabric! Karen shows you how cutting the strips with the grain adapts easily to those curved edges.

Wiggles and Waves Trunk Show

Karen Eckmeier presents the quilts featured in her new book "Wiggles and Waves"...table runners, wall hangings, quilts, plus ribbon and wiggle borders.

6 Gore Skirt with Curves

Add topstitched curved seams to a 6 gore skirt pattern, using 12 fabrics instead of 6! Fun fabrics in lights and darks make this an eye-catching skirt for all seasons. Once you make one you will want to make another in different colors and lengths.

Architectural Quilting

Now that you have made a Happy Village how do you quilt it? Karen demonstrates some fun architectural details like stones and bricks to add interest to your collage.

Angelina Fibers

Embellish and add sparkle to your Accidental Landscapes with Angelina fibers.

Tuscan Landscape

Let's take a trip to Italy! This easy scene uses Karen's topstitched curves technique from her Accidental Landscapes series.

Sun Prints

Have fun with sun printing with color tissue paper. The results are amazing.

Rowdy Roosters Fusible Applique

In this video Karen Eckmeier is a guest of Sheryl Borden, the host and producer of the PBS KENW-tv3 show “Creative Living”. This kaleidoscope of fusible friends, flora and fauna features barnyard animals and fusible applique. Karen shows you the basic steps of fusible applique in this pattern, which is part of the “Circle of Friends” pattern series

Karen interviewed by Shannon Brinkley of the Meander Guild:

NOTE: Two of Karen's workshops (Happy Villages and Accidental Landscapes) are available online with the Meander Guild. Memberships is required, click below to join the Meander guild.

Join the Meander Guild

QuiltShow.com Trailer

Karen demonstrates for the QuiltShow.com hosts, Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims the secrets of creating a landscape accidentally and collaging Happy Villages.

How to quilt wave patterns

Karen shares techniques on how to quilt wave patterns. Learn how to draw quarter inch wavy strips freehand and how to incorporate decorative stitches to appliqué beautiful wavy lines.

The resulting quilt is perfect as a baby quilt, a wall-hanging or a lap quilt (36″ x 36″), this piece starts with a fun large scale print, bright colors, easy to piece rectangles and fused curvy waves. Here are step by step instructions how to create this quilt.

Project by BERNINA Ambassador Karen Eckmeier.

Bookmark Tutorial

Do you still enjoy reading a “real” book with paper pages you can touch? I do! Create this cute set of 5 one-of-a-kind bookmarks. Keep one for yourself and give the rest away inside a favorite book. The perfect thoughtful gift. Project by BERNINA Ambassador Karen Eckmeier.

NOTE: This is not a video but a step by step written tutorial

Recycled Towel Pocket Potholders

Re-cycle and re-purpose! I loved the idea of using what I had on hand for a practical new purpose. Old towels + 100% cotton batting scraps + my large stash of cotton fabrics = the perfect potholder to match my kitchen and even one of my aprons

FREE PATTERN for Potholders

Recycled Market Bag Tutorial

Re-purpose canvas bags with this tutorial by transforming the outside with waves of fresh fruit and vegetable fabrics for grocery shopping and keep the printed logo on the inside of the bag as a memento. This is a great introduction to my Layered Waves topstitching technique. Learn to go with the flow by cutting gentle curves to create a unique fabric to customize your market bag.

NOTE: This is not a video but a step by step written tutorial

Project by BERNINA Ambassador Karen Eckmeier.