CORI BLUNT
Where do you live and work?I live in one of
the most beautiful valleys in the world ... in the
mountaintops of Utah on the west side of Utah
Lake, USA. The view is awe-inspiring. I enjoy
every day I get to be here. I love the drive to
and from home and the feeling of this area, but
mostly the view. I live in a tiny little lake-house
cottage filled with white painted bead board,
light coloured furniture and pops of bright
quilty goodness wherever you look. My
workspace is currently downstairs, but because
of the portability of my craft, I’m found most
days sitting at the bench of my dining-room
table with pins and thread strewn about on
the tabletop, stitching the day away, glancing
up every now and then to see the beautiful
mountains and lake out my front window.
What’s your family structure? m the mother I’
to five children. My eldest is 19 and in culinary
school; my three middles are in high school and
soon to graduate; and my youngest is turning
11 this year. My years as a devoted mother are
about to come to an end, as I’m getting less
‘cool’ every day. I’m so grateful for a loving and
supportive husband who aff ords me the luxury
of being home with my kids ... annoying them
daily! I have such a close relationship with my
children, and it is so precious to me. I also have
a few friends that I couldn’t live without, and
it is because of that special man of mine I have
the opportunity to enjoy such freedom. I love
those close to me, and I’m happy just being
there for them when they need me.Why this particular craft?I love fabric.
Ilove handwork, and the best of both worlds
is appliqué. It’s thrilling to see your cute
characters and artwork come to life in colour
and fabric. I love the look of handmade pretties
surrounding me in my home, and it’s that much
more rewarding when it’s something I’ve
created with my own hands and mind.
Have you tried plenty of others?I’ve always
been crafty. As a young girl, I tried a new
craft every year. I’ve done so many things
with paper, canvas, paint, wood and yarn ...
but appliqué seems to be my passion. I am
always going back to it.
Who taught you your crafting skills?Ihave
always been surrounded by crafters; my
family is full of ladies with exceptional talent.
I patiently watched and admired all of them.
My aunt can do embroidery and crochet like
no one I’ve ever seen. My mother crochets and
is a master at hand quilting. She also does
painting, dollmaking, embroidery; oh ... there
are so many. My grandmother and great
grandmother were beautiful quilters. What
impressed me about my great grandmother as
a young girl is that she used to crochet doilies
using sewing thread, because that is all she
had – her doilies were as delicate as butterflies.
What does this craft mean to you? It means
the world to me. I don’t know where I’d be
without my stitching. I’m so thankful for its
portability, which allows me to go about my life
always having a project to stitch my thoughts
into and keeping my hands busy. I absolutely
love creating. It’s almost like a form of
meditation. I had a bit of trouble a while ago
with carpal tunnel. I couldn’t stitch for a few days
... I cried myself to sleep at night! I wasn’t aware
of my deep connection with stitching till then.
Is it hard to find time to do your stitching?
I always have time to stitch! It is as much a part
of my life as eating and drinking. As my kids
are growing older, I find that my time to fully
submerge myself in this passion is very near.
This profession of Appliqué Artist has taken
a backseat to being a mother, and I’m so
excited for the future when I can continue on
this journey with less responsibility at home.
Do you think of your craft as passion or a
spare-time-filler? It’s most definitely a passion.
I sincerely enjoy every minute I get to spend
making my creations. I find that, when you
create from your heart and have a connection
to your project, magical things happen and that
love and devotion show in your finished design.From where do you draw inspiration?My
inspiration generally comes from people I love.
If someone is interested in a certain subject,
activity or even a colour, I put my feelings for
them into images and designs along those
lines. Some of my most beautiful designs were
inspired as gifts for those I love.
Why this skill – and this style?I’m a light
hearted,giggly and happy person. I hope that
shows in my designs. I love the brighter side of
life and, if I can add a bit of humour to my day,
I am even happier. I love everything ‘cute’ –
including people. Having all of these ‘cute’
people around makes for a lot of cute inspiration.
Naturally, that shows through in my style ... and
I share my skill in the hope that it inspires others.
Do you ever see yourself stopping or
diversifying?No.I will do this craft until my
body refuses to allow me to. I love learning
new things, and as I build on my creative
skills, who knows where life will take me, but
I will tell you this ... I’ll have a piece of fabric,
needle and thread in tow!
How would you describe your style?
Light-hearted and whimsical, with a bit of
humour thrown in for good measure. I also
have to include ‘cute’ because that’s the word
most everyone uses to describe my quilts.
Any embarrassing botch-ups along the way?
Oh I have had so many ... you wouldn’t know
it, though because I have no reservation about
throwing it in the garbage! Once a project has
turned on me and all of my hope in it is lost,
I change course and go in a diff erent direction.
I’m a firm believer in the idea that, if bad things
keep happening, they’re happening for a reason- it’s because you’re doing it wrong. Challenges
are the only thing that keep us learning and
growing, so I have no reason to hang on to
bad projects – they only take up space I could
use for good ones!
What is your advice for beginners?
Beginners ... never start something that you
aren’t IN LOVE with. That connection to your
project is key to finishing or learning
necessary things to complete it and grow
as a crafter. Create things for those you love - you never know how your influence can
inspire others. Try new things, don’t be
scared to mess it up and always remember
to give yourself a break. Know that not
everything will turn out as expected and learn
to roll with the punches and be happy with
the outcome. AND don’t forget to LAUGH –
find a bit of humour in all of it.
Gett ing to know ...
FINISHING
30
Undo the zipper at least
halfway. With right sides
together, pin the cushion front and
back together, trimming the back
to match the front if needed. Sew all
the way around the edge just inside
the basting lines of the piping usingthe zipper foot. The corners will
be very slightly rounded, not sharp
angles. Trim the corners and neaten
the edges with zigzag stitch or
overlocking if desired. Turn the
cover right side out.31
Sew the brown buttons to
the centre of the appliquéddaisies on the cushion front, making
sure you don’t stitch through the
back. Press if needed.32
Open the zipper all the way
and push the insert inside,
ensuring it fi lls the corners well, then
fasten the zipper to fi nish. Sit back
and savour your favourite blend.48 HomespunHSP1902_p038-048_Coffee for Two PROJECT.indd 48 12/11/2017 12:12:13 PM