There are three reasons why I quilt:
- Beauty -
I love the colors and textures of quilts. You want to touch them and explore them with your hands. Quilts speak to your soul.
- Usefulness -
The quilts for beds or sofas are warm, soft and cozy. The quilts hanging on the walls are textile works of art. Quilts become a part of your home.
- Wonder -
Creating feels wonderful. For me, it’s pure bliss. I love bringing something into the world that wasn’t there before.
Clara Stoikow is a German architect, maker, and self-taught quilter. After studying and working as an architect in Berlin for many years, Clara and her family moved abroad. They lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, from 2015 to 2020 and in a small town near New York City, USA, from 2020 to 2024. They will return to Berlin, Germany, in the summer of 2024.
Clara’s first exposure to quilting was in 2012 when a friend showed her the English Paper Piecing technique. Over the years, she has expanded her knowledge and techniques through self-study and working with others on group projects. With the exception of collaborations and one quilt based on a painting, Clara creates and realizes her own quilt designs.
Quilts by Clara Stoikow have been exhibited in Russia, the USA and Germany and have won awards at QuiltCon 2022, 2023 and 2024. Clara’s current works in progress are documented on Instagram @bimbambuki_blog. Members of the Modern Quilt Guild can find Clara’s video "Quilting Improvisationally" in the MQG’s resource library.
If you're wondering where the name "bimbambuki" comes from: It’s a line from a Bulgarian children's song about Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf.