Time sure travels fast when you are not looking. It's been almost two weeks, I thought I would give an update before I travel again.
On the quilting front -
Hand stitching on "Mom and I" quilt is coming along. I am inching towards a finish at a snail's speed but as I have always said, I am in no hurry. Eventually I will get there.
Each stitch has a place of its own, rainbow of threads have been quite entertaining to see how they react to the background.
Initially I had thought of adding meandering lines with just enough stitching to bind the layers.
But it didn't seem enough, so I continued adding more texture to it.
Was it a right decision?
I will know once I bind this quilt.
In other news -
My husband and I are leaving for India in a few days. I am excited to be able to see my mom again but this time around I will also be hitting the markets to shop for the wedding. We will also be traveling to visit extended family and some friends. Last couple of weeks we will be spending in Thailand before returning home. This will be our first ever trip to one of the eastern countries and I can hardly wait! Look for the #traveldiary on IG and FB @therootconnection
I will be coming back to a busy schedule for 2017
April
Class
South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild Santa Cruz, CA
Lecture
Monterey Peninsula Quilters Guild, Pacific Grove, CA
Workshops and Presentation
Tompkins County Quilters Guild, Ithaca, NY
Presentation
San Francisco Quilters Guild San Francisco, CA
May
Presentation and Workshops My first time teaching at Quilted Straight! I have heard great things about the shop and excited to be teaching two day classes.
Quilted Straight Port Gamble, WA
http://quiltedstrait.com/classes
June:
Presentation and Workshop
Napa Valley Quilters Napa, CA
Napa Valley Quilters
July: So excited about teaching at Sisters again! I will also be presenting this year and sharing my story. Will I see you there?
Classes and Lecture
Sisters, OR
http://www.quiltersaffair.com/
September:
Lecture and Workshop
EBHQ Berkeley, CA
Mount Vernon
Quilting Retreat - Details coming soon
November: YES! I am going on a quilting cruise right after International Quilt Show in Houston.
November 5-12
Quilt Cruise to the Caribbean
http://iqacruise.com/
Yes, it is going to be a busy year but all I want to focus on right now is my trip!
A New Friend
This past December I met an incredible quilter in my home town, India. She visited her family here in late 90s. During her visit, she came across some quilt shows on TV and got inspired to make one! Her brother bought her basic rotary cutting tools and gifted her with a book on quilting. Almost 20 years later, she has quite a few quilts in her collection and she is still making them as we speak!
All of them are mostly hand sewn and hand quilted.
Her quilts are just like any other quilts in India, made with materials on hand and using fewer tools. She uses all kinds of material and the results are stunning. Blades dull out faster than she can keep up so she gave up on the rotary cutting and started using her cutting mat as a guide to cut her squares and triangles. She also used hand cut cardboard templates for her quilts.
I absolutely fell in love with her. Can you blame me?
When I asked if she ever gets tired of hand piecing such large quilts, she responded, "Not really, I pray as I sew these pieces and somehow it all works in harmony."
It was a humbling experience to see her soulful quilts.
And what does she do with all these quilts, you ask?
She gives them away as gifts.
I can not wait to meet her again and continue this friendship for years to come.
Happy Quilting!
Sujata
On the quilting front -
Hand stitching on "Mom and I" quilt is coming along. I am inching towards a finish at a snail's speed but as I have always said, I am in no hurry. Eventually I will get there.
Each stitch has a place of its own, rainbow of threads have been quite entertaining to see how they react to the background.
Initially I had thought of adding meandering lines with just enough stitching to bind the layers.
But it didn't seem enough, so I continued adding more texture to it.
Was it a right decision?
In other news -
I will be coming back to a busy schedule for 2017
April
Class
South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild Santa Cruz, CA
Lecture
Monterey Peninsula Quilters Guild, Pacific Grove, CA
Workshops and Presentation
Tompkins County Quilters Guild, Ithaca, NY
Presentation
San Francisco Quilters Guild San Francisco, CA
May
Presentation and Workshops My first time teaching at Quilted Straight! I have heard great things about the shop and excited to be teaching two day classes.
Quilted Straight Port Gamble, WA
http://quiltedstrait.com/classes
June:
Presentation and Workshop
Napa Valley Quilters Napa, CA
Napa Valley Quilters
July: So excited about teaching at Sisters again! I will also be presenting this year and sharing my story. Will I see you there?
Classes and Lecture
Sisters, OR
http://www.quiltersaffair.com/
September:
Lecture and Workshop
EBHQ Berkeley, CA
Mount Vernon
Quilting Retreat - Details coming soon
November: YES! I am going on a quilting cruise right after International Quilt Show in Houston.
November 5-12
Quilt Cruise to the Caribbean
http://iqacruise.com/
Yes, it is going to be a busy year but all I want to focus on right now is my trip!
A New Friend
This past December I met an incredible quilter in my home town, India. She visited her family here in late 90s. During her visit, she came across some quilt shows on TV and got inspired to make one! Her brother bought her basic rotary cutting tools and gifted her with a book on quilting. Almost 20 years later, she has quite a few quilts in her collection and she is still making them as we speak!
All of them are mostly hand sewn and hand quilted.
Her quilts are just like any other quilts in India, made with materials on hand and using fewer tools. She uses all kinds of material and the results are stunning. Blades dull out faster than she can keep up so she gave up on the rotary cutting and started using her cutting mat as a guide to cut her squares and triangles. She also used hand cut cardboard templates for her quilts.
I absolutely fell in love with her. Can you blame me?
When I asked if she ever gets tired of hand piecing such large quilts, she responded, "Not really, I pray as I sew these pieces and somehow it all works in harmony."
It was a humbling experience to see her soulful quilts.
 |
| Cotton and Polyester |
 |
| cotton and blend |
 |
| The ones on the couch behind her are also bed size quilts |
 |
| Hand stitched all the way |
 |
| and the front |
And what does she do with all these quilts, you ask?
She gives them away as gifts.
I can not wait to meet her again and continue this friendship for years to come.
Sujata
Love the texture your stitching is creating on your quilt. And your friend in India's quilts बहुत सुंदर हैं!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilts! all of them!!! Which town in India are you from?
ReplyDeleteShruti,
DeleteThank you! I will be in Mumbai. Grew up there and lived there until I moved here.
Love all the stitching. Great texture.
ReplyDeleteYour friend is a woman after my heart.
I love your stitching- changes the quilt fabric entirely. I am crazy to see you are coming to Ithaca- I will get a hold of the guild and make the trip! Your friend is certainly bitten by the quilting bug! Is there anything I can do to send her a care package of things she needs? I have been so blessed to have the supplies I need and more.
ReplyDeleteLovely post. I think the additional texture and color is just right for your quilt. Safe & wonderful travel wishes for you and your family. Your schedule looks fun, challenging & do-able. I can see why you have a new friend!
ReplyDeleteA wonderful overview of the upcoming time. I really like the additional quilting for both texture & subtle color. The schedule looks fun & exciting, challenging yet doable. I can see why you are excited about. Your new friend. Safe & inspiring travel wishes ahead to pack in your suitcase as well.
ReplyDeletethe dense quilting on your "Mom and I" quilt is perfect! your friend's use of whatever fabric she has available and whatever techniques work best for her is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laurie
DeleteI think when it is done, I will not regret all this heavy quilting at all.
My friend also uses non cotton fabrics and the blades dull faster while cutting those. She also has no way of replacing them so that made imperfect cutting, trying to fit them and made quilts pucker from all over, I love the life these quilts have! Definitely works for her!
Enjoy the hand quilting you do. Ever so lovely. Your friend has a real talent with putting together her quilts. The colors are fabulous and the quilts so large when it comes to hand quilting.
ReplyDeleteLove your attitude "In no hurry. Eventually I will get there".
Yes, I think you were right to add more stitching to your quilt!! And the quilts you shared by your friend in India - oh, my goodness - they are GORGEOUS! Safe travels and I'll be watching your IG feed for photos!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to meet a kindred spirit in your native land. Her quilts are remarkable. Thank you so much for sharing. And, yes, I think the added quilting really enhances the texture of "Mom and I". Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour friend sounds wonderful. I love the quilts that are made with "what's on hand". I'm going to try to do more of that with my own quilts.
ReplyDeleteI find it is more exciting than choosing perfect set of fabrics. She does an incredible job with her contrast. I think that is the key.. No matter what the colors are , if the contrast is right, quilt sparkles.
DeleteWhat an inspiring friend! So glad you'll get to see her and her beautiful quilts again soon. I like her approach--praying as she stitches. Your quilt is looking better and better. I think there's never too much hand-stitching. Have a great trip!!!
ReplyDeleteOH my goodness what a wonderful quilter she is thank you for sharing I love to see things like this and other quilters from all over this great world of ours. My grandmother always used cardboard templates and fabric from anywhere clothes sheets etc.
ReplyDeleteShe uses all sorts of fabrics. I think that's why her quilts look so lively. Her daughter also helps her with colors and selection of fabrics. I this she also has a great eye for colors. I am fortunate to have met them both!
DeleteOh, My goodness...Please tell your new friend that I want to be her friend too..great post!! Have fun india...I am kind of jealous When I was a flight attendant for Pan Am...like 100 years ago..Going to Dehli was my favorite thing..Exhausted from working a plane trip around the world, the minute I hit he hotel, I was no longer tired. I would jump into one of those scooters and off I would go to the market..bargaining away at all the fabric...Heaven.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely you were right to add more lines of quilting to your quilt, it was begging for it :) I really love all the quilts your friend has made, perfect scrap quilts.
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt, it is going to be very beautiful, I think there is never too much hand stitching. I like how the different colors of threads are making harmony with the fabric. Your new friend is amazing! All those colorful quilts are so beautiful, she must be very nice person with pure soul. I wish you to have a great trip! x Anneli
ReplyDeleteI loved hearing about your friend and seeing her beautiful quilts. Your quilt is coming along beautifully. You sure do have a busy but fun year ahead. Your trip to India sounds as though it will be extra fun, shopping for the wedding and visiting extended family. Happy travels.
ReplyDeleteThailand! What an adventure! I hope you will share your impressions and photos in blog posts. Can't wait to hear all about your travels. Be safe and enjoy every minute.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes! The quilting is the right decision and it's going to be wonderful. Your adventures sound like they will be amazing. Safe travels to you and I do hope you will share photos of your travels.
ReplyDeleteSafe travels Sujata - and definitely keep stitching!
ReplyDeleteI love your stitching and the quilt itself is so bright and vibrant. The meandering hand stitching is perfect, it complements the quilt beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Isabella!
DeleteThat meandering stitching is my favorite way to quilt a quilt. it keeps me free of having to follow a line. makes my quilts more utilitarian looking than they already are.
Sujata! I'm happy to report that finally I can leave comments on blogs I follow. I've been reading all the lovely trips and meeting so many wonderful people. Your new friend is a real treasure! I agree with making quilts with what you have on hand as it was the way of many wonderful quilters who came before us. Before books and patterns and before we walked this earth.
ReplyDeleteTake care and I plan on making another quilt from your book Cultural Fusion.
Caroline
Brilliantly colourful post Sujata! I love your hand stitching with the different coloured threads, adds such a lot of depth. Enjoy your holiday in India and Thailand and hope your Mom is getting better day by day, she's going to be pleased to see you again. Oh those quilts from your friend - just glorious, hope we see more of her quilts in posts to come.
ReplyDeleteSujata, love your quilts and the stitching that you are doing. My word what a treasure your new friend is, to make such gorgeous quilts with so little supplies at hand. Love to read about your travels and see what exciting new ideas you come home with.
ReplyDeleteLove the quilts your friend made, they are lovely. And the quilt you are quilting looks lovely. greetings
ReplyDeleteThank you! She is an incredible quilter with the right attitude towards creating quilts. I am looking forward to meeting her again.
DeleteI agree with all the commenters who said your stitching on the Mom & Me quilt is perfect! Keep going, you will get there eventually. What a treasurer your new friend is! Enjoy your visit home.
ReplyDelete3 great stories here, and many great Quilts.
ReplyDeleteBon Voyage:)
Safe travels Sujata - and definitely keep stitching!
ReplyDelete^^
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