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Sunday, November 27, 2016

Quilting Chronicles... continued

When I told you I will be speaking at QuitCon, I did not know that the topic that I had taken up would consume me with a wanderlust like never before!

So this year, as we headed to Goa for our annual holiday, we decided to take an extra day to visit the humble settlements of the Siddi Community in the Ghats of North West Karnataka.

My journey took me to places I would have never even thought of going to! They were not even on the Google map!!!

After spending a lot of time searching for these settlements, we finally spotted some Siddi kids walking on the street. They gave us the names of the places and then we proceeded to look for them.

The first village we visited was Uginkeri... A small town with little houses. The verandah was usually open and the floor smoothened with a mixture of cowdung, mud and water!

We met Meera here.  She is a school teacher at the local primary school. She did not make quilts hersefl, but promptly took us to her neighbor - Dhumri, who did.


We were greeted by this little chicken tied to a hook in the wall with a string! We were later told that he kept getting in trouble with the street dogs!


The sight and the story of the chicken sure made this guy very happy!



Meet Dhumri - the first Siddi Quilt Maker I met. She was a lovely warm woman who was totally at ease not only showing me her quilts, but also talking about her life. The best part??? I had been dreading going to the place because I had heard that people had difficulty getting to understand their language. I had been looking for someone who spoke Kannada (the state language) to come with me. But these people spoke Marathi (my mother tongue)!!!
That came as a pleasant surprise. And then the conversations started flowing more freely!


Dhumri not only showed me her quilt, Kawandi - as they call it, but also showed me how to make it. This was her reaction when she saw pictures of some of the quilts that I made!


Next up, we visited Clara, Meera's grandmother. She had visitors from the other quilting town of Mainalli. So we chatted with them while Clara brought her quilts to us.


I loved Clara's house as well as her super impressive and rich detailed quilt!


That's the lovely ,albeit shy Clara and her super gorgeous quilt.



After spending some time here, we went off to Mainalli. This town is more popular, because the local church and the missionaries have organized the sales of quilts made by these people. I found the quilts here to be lighter in weight and better finished than Uginkeri.

The people were also more open when it came to showing their quilts (not how to make them) and putting a price on them.

Here is Paskin with her wonderful quilt.


Our next stop was at Marianne's house. Once again, the verandah, made with brick and concrete this time, was our favorite spot.
Her husband was very vocal about the fact that it takes ages to complete a single quilt - about 3 months - and they manage to make only Rs 3000 (about US$ 45) for it.


Marianne showed us a quilt in progress. I once again got a chance to try my hand at making it.



After I came home about a week later, (we went on to Goa for our annual holiday!) I was totally inspired to make a quilt using the same technique.

So here's my first version of a Siddi Quilt - Indian Terrain #1

A small 19" x 23" version, I used the same process that the Siddis use to make theirs, except that I used a sewing machine instead of hand stitching the layers together.


I even added the small corner bits! I used scraps from 7 years of quilting along with some lovely Khann fabric borders! My next attempt is definitely going to be using some lovely Aurifil floss and hand sewing!



Quilt stats :

Name : Indian Terrain # 1
Size : 19" x 23"
Materials used : Cotton fabric scraps, Khann borders, Batting, Aurifil Thread
Experience : Priceless, inspiring!

I am looking forward to explore my local town and the nearby areas in search of some more Godharis. If you're coming for QuiltCon 2017 to Savannah, make sure to attend my lecture (LE03) "Quilting in India : A review of Siddi Quilts of Karnataka, Godharis of Maharashtra and Contemporary Quilt Making"

Will I be seeing you at QuiltCon?




www.fatquartershop.com





Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Super Easy Wallet Tutorial!!!


I said it, this is a tutorial for a SUPER easy wallet!!! I have used Faux leather to make these. The edges are raw. If you want to use fabric, you will have to finish the edges before you can use. Other options could be Pure leather, Suede, Vinyl or Felt





You will need
1. Faux Leather - In two contrasting colors of your choice. 
Cut - From the outer faux leather : ONE piece 9" x 9" & TWO pieces 2.25" x 7.5"
        From the lining faux leather : ONE piece 9" x 9", TWO pieces 1.75" x 7.5" & TWO pieces 2.75" x 7.5"

2. Interfacing - Thin but stiff. I used what is locally called the "Dhoti Canvas" or "Buckram" Its as thick as a card paper and can be ironed on to fabric. I like to cut the interfacing about 11" x 11". Make sure you cover the ironing board with a piece of fabric that you can throw away if you do that!
Cut TWO pieces 9" x 9"

3. Thread - Use a thread to match the lining faux leather. I used 40 wt Aurifil  cotton thread. It is bold enough to show off on the outer side!

4. You will also need a temporary marking pen. I used Frixion to mark my wallets. 

That's all you need! Lets get started!

Step 1 : Iron the 9" Interfacing squares to the wrong side of the Faux Leather. I lay down the leather piece RIGHT SIDE DOWN and follow by the interfacing and iron it.

Step 2 : Mark on the lining Faux leather. 
Use the dimensions from the picture to mark on the lining faux leather. 
Hint : I have made templates from card paper - 4" x 8" and 2.75" x 7.5" and use them to mark. Its super fast that way!
Mark the centers of at least one of the 7.5" side. I marked both in this case, but I am going to use just one of those.



Step 3 : Place the pocket pieces in the order - 2.75" wide, 2.25" wide & 1.75" wide on both the 2.75" x 7.5" rectangles that you have drawn. Use painter's tape or masking tape to secure it.










































Step 4 : Stitch them down. Starting at one corner stitch down the OUTER 3 sides of the first pocket. Backstitch at the start and the end. 


At the corner, take the needle down and pivot. Just lift the tape to let the presser foot pass. 







































When stitching the other pocket, you will also have to stitch down the middle to make credit card pockets. That's what we marked the center of the 7.5" side for.

To make these pockets, start like you did earlier. Remember to backstitch when you start. And stitch along the edge. Pivot at the corner and stitch till you reach near the center mark. Now take a piece of card paper and align it with the two points you have marked. Stitch right up to the edge of the paper. 





Pivot holding the paper in place. Stitch along the paper till you reach the edge of the pocket. Remove the paper and backstich. 

Pivot and turn around and stick back along the line. Till you reach the original line. Now pivot again and continue like you did for the first pocket.





Your lining piece is ready. 



Cut away the excess interfacing (if any) and remove the painter's tape.

Step 5 : Layer and tape the Outer leather Right Side Down and the Lining piece with the pockets Right Side Up. This is why I like to leave the interfacing a little larger, so I can just tape them together. You can also use wonder clips instead.






































Starting at the intersection of the center line and the outer square, Start stitching along the outer square. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning. When you reach the corner, put the needle down and pivot.


After you have stitched all around, pivot and stitch along the center line. This is the line where the wallet will be folded. When you reach the other end, once again, pivot and stitch to reach the starting point. Doing this helps in keeping the wallet folded! Backstich at the end and you're done!!!



Remove all the painters tape and trim your wallet. Cut at about 1/8" from the outer stitch lines


Take your wallet to the ironing board and cover it with a fabric and iron to remove the Frixion markings. Fold along the center line and iron again. 






































Your wallet is ready to use!!!






































Keep it under a book for a while so that it retains the fold. Even keeping it bound by a rubber band helps.






































Use a sharpie or a permanent marker to color the edges to match one of the two colors you have used. There are more detailed methods used to finish edges, but remember this is the SUPER EASY Wallet!!! So I will use what I have on hand!


Carry it around and flaunt it!!! I attached my new wooden label to it. I DID NOT SEW IT ON. I just used the thread I used to stitch the wallet to sew through the holes a few times and then hot glued it on!


If you make one of these, please share them with the hashtag #ShrutiDandekar so that I can see them! I would love to share them too!!! Go on, I just made 50 in 3 days! How many can you make?


www.fatquartershop.com






Thursday, July 14, 2016

My new Website!!!

I had purchased the domain name in January! And it was on my list of to-do things for quite some time.

Last week was horrible! First I was sick in bed for a week.

As soon as I felt better, I woke up to a dead phone (which will be replaced/repaired on this coming Sunday)

I had only come to terms with it when I went to my studio, to find that during the record breaking rains in Sangli, my Studio roof was leaking and had dripped water right on my sewing machine(s).

While I did not see any dampness/water on Emily (my Bernina 330), I did find traces of water on Ross (my Bernina 710).

I opened it up and used a hair dryer to dry it out. But am keeping it in a well ventilated place for a week (probably more) to dry out completely. I am scared for my life that Ross might need some severe damage repair!

So, the point is, my life right now sucks... But you know, when life throws you lemons...

Make lemonade!

While I was on a forced vacation, I decided to tackle the monumental task of getting my website up and running! And i'm so happy with how it turned out!

I had originally intended to make it using Wordpress.org, but I just could not get my head around doing that. So I ended up making it in Wordpress.com. So basically it is a blog that is disguised as a website.

I will  continue blogging here, but my main hub will be my website

www.shrutidandekar.com



Do drop by and say hello!!!

Cheers!!!
www.fatquartershop.com





Wednesday, July 13, 2016

52 Prompts to Blog Every Week : Week 28

This month on the 52 prompts series, we are talking about Notions. Our favorite ones, the ones that we hate, the ones we desire...




Today, we are talking about Rulers and Templates!

I'm not a person who lives by the 'rules' and that applies to my quilting approach too!

When I started out I bought the 6" x 24" Omnigrid ruler and a set of 4.5", 6.5", 9.5" & 12.5" square Omnigrid rulers!

I must say that the only one that is used the most is my 6"x 24"

Unless I am cutting something that is (a lot)  smaller than 24" do I use the other rulers.

So yes, the basic 6" x 24" ruler is my most favorite quilting ruler EVER!



Later I bought the Hex-n-more ruler designed by Julie from Jaybird Quilts

I LOVE THIS RULER!

Can I say enough about it? NEVER!

It takes the confusion out of cutting hexagons (or half-hexagons) (or triangles)


image credit : www.jaybirdquilts.com

This ruler is my favorite one apart from the 6" x 24" basic one! I love making hexagon quilts (made of half-hexagons or triangles). And this is the next best thing I have come across EVER!

About templates, I normally do not buy them. If I need one, I just make one with either a piece of template plastic (thats just a fancy name for the plastic sheet I have cut out of some old file or folder lying around).

If I want to be able to print out templates directly, I iron a layer (or two) of freezer paper to the printed paper (on the wrong side, of course) and cut it out with a pair of scissors!

Which is your favorite ruler? And do you have some templates that you love? Or some other easy method to make a template? I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Cheers!!!


www.fatquartershop.com





Tuesday, July 12, 2016

What to expect...

I have mustered all the courage I have and sent off emails to a lot of people telling them that I am interested in teaching at their guild/retreat/shop... actually anywhere that people (if any) are ready to come and learn from me!!!

So, I thought it would be good to write a post about what you can expect if you invite me to teach.

I do teach a number of classes locally (in India), but for the international ones, I have chosen two that I feel reflect my best works! 

So first up, ABSTRACT Expressions



This quilt is inspired by the work of the Canadian artist Martina Shapiro. The process of making this quilt was just so much fun that I had to share it with others!

The plus point

This is a GREAT workshop for beginners!!! If you can sew a straight line, you can do it!
You DO NOT need to be an artist!!! No sketching/drawing/painting experience necessary!!!


I conduct this workshops in two formats.
First is the TWO day format. Here is how it goes :

This workshop is divided into four quarters. In the first quarter, we will be talking about basics of Expressionism and Fauvism. We will also discuss the basics of portraiture and the effects of light on the faces. 


We will then spend some time getting acquainted with the process of portraits by Martina Shapiro. Playing with acrylic paints comes next before lunch time!

By the end of the first quarter the students will have made an abstract portrait in paint.


This is the time when people start having a little confidence in themselves (and me). 

In the second quarter, we will begin working with fabric. And by the end of the first day, we will be done creating the outline of the face the students will make into a quilt.


On the second day, students start working on the colors of the face. This is the most interesting process, as they think about colors and the way they blend. It is absolutely fascinating to see how faces and their expressions evolve! And this part of the workshop gives me pure joy!!! 


At the end of the two days, the class  leaves with  completed portrait quilts. Each quilt is unique and I find that more often than not, you can find a glimpse of the maker in their quilt! By this time, the fears of making a 'portrait' are all gone and people are already wondering what their next portrait will look like.


I also have a shorter version of this class that I conduct. I do prefer the TWO day format though. It makes it fun for the beginners as well as the experienced quilters!

In the ONE day class, We skip the painting part. The students just sketch the portraits in their notebooks and get started on the fabric portrait. Also, we discuss the details about Expressionism and Fauvism while the students work on their portraits instead of keeping dedicated time for it.

This class might feel a little rushed for some people, but they can always get in touch with me via email if they have any doubts.

In both the classes, I have also (now) prepared handouts that I give to the students for them to understand the process better.

Click here to download the supply list for this class.

Now we come to my second class ABOUT face


This class is based on the REVERSE Applique technique that I teach in my eBook ABOUT face.

It is my claim that this is the fastest method one can use to make a portrait quilt. You DO NOT have to be an artist. You DO NOT need to know how to draw.


How fast, you want to know - It took me 3 months of working 3-4 hours of work everyday (it amounts to about 270 hours) to make the portrait of Dada Ajoba. But the iQuilt, which has 3 shades, took me just 7 days with 1-2 hours of work everyday (about 10-14 hours) and the Alex Veronelli quilt, with 5 shades, took me 3 weeks with 5-6 hours every WEEK (15-18 hours). Can you make a portrait quilt faster than that?

If you know how to do 'follow the lines' Free Motion Quilting, and you wish to make a portrait quilt. This is definitely the class for you. 

The first quarter will be all about taking/ selecting  photographs, editing and printing them. By the end of the first quarter we will finish copying the image onto the base fabric.


In the second quarter, we will be stitching the design and we will start cutting away unwanted fabric, revealing the design underneath.


This is a class where the students are much more busy than I am!!! As they cut away layer(s) of fabric, they are simply overjoyed to see their portraits taking shape! By the end of the third quarter the design will be all cut away!!! And the quilt top will be ready!


In the last quarter, the students will learn how to quilt the face so that they can enhance their work even further.


At the end of the TWO day workshop, the students will leave with a finished portrait quilt of about 24" x 30" in 2-3 colors.

I guarantee that you will finish the quilt if you make it in 2 colors. But if you want to make a  quilt  in 3 colors, you might have to go home with just the quilt top (finished) and you can continue doing the FMQ at home.


If you need any more information about my workshops, please feel free to email me.


www.fatquartershop.com