Years ago, Karla, her husband, their two kids, and their dog relocated to Kodiak Island, Alaska. The dark, nearly sunless days seemed endless. With a two-year-old in tow and no family around, one by one, Karla emptied boxes as they arrived. It was a nice surprise when she opened a box and rediscovered a quilt her Mom had made for her when she was a teenager. She'd always loved the quilt, and even in its torn and tattered condition, she realized it was the next best thing to a hug! She wrapped herself up in it, and it was right then that she decided to make a quilt. Rediscovering this quilt sparked her quilting journey. At the Kodiak library, the only two quilt books available were on paper piecing and a book on art quilts. Surprisingly, she found harmony between the two of them and ended up enjoying both. Once she figured out paper piecing methods, she was amazed and immediately began re-drafting blocks smaller and smaller. She studied the art quilt book, taking in tips on color and piecing. It was an unlikely mix, but it established her style. Before long, she was making teeny tiny blocks and sneaking them into larger improv quilts. At the time, improv art quilts weren't mainstream, but she'd found her niche and hasn't stopped to this day. Before long, her family moved to Salem, Oregon, where she found an abundance of quilt shops and guilds. In no time at all, her quilting life took over. It all happened rather quickly, and to this day, ideas continue to bubble up. After writing 8 quilt books, she still designs in her dreams, does math as she drives, and checks out colors from the forest to the coast, even sketching tiled floors into quilt blocks! https://www.saginawstreetquilts.com/