Lectures and Workshops

Contact me
email: sujatashah450@gmail.com
 
I am now offering virtual presentations for the guilds and quilt groups. Please send me an email if this might interest your guild.   

The Root Connection - My Journey as a Quilter

While growing up in India rich colors, hand woven textiles and hand-crafts were part of Sujata's daily life. She learned to appreciate the irregularities and imperfections of handmade crafts. Her instinctive ability to work with colors and textures combined with education in graphic design has helped her develop a unique style as a quilt designer. 

Inspired by the utilitarian quilts and handmade crafts from around the world, she developed an abstract form of traditional quilt blocks and subsequently published the book; Cultural Fusion Quilts.

Presentation includes a slide show of her travels in India as well as her journey as a quilter. Slide show is followed by the trunk show of original quilts. She will share how she connects the dots between the memories of the past, and today's creative process. 

Stories in Stitches - The Journey Continues

Through 30 years of quilting Sujata has realized that the art of stitching, the very thing she disliked growing up, has become her favorite way to write personal stories onto quilts. 

In this presentation Sujata will share her latest quilts in a slide show and the stories behind each quilt.


Workshops 

I am offering virtual workshops due to stay at home order. Please send me an email sujatashah450@gmail.com

Stories in Stitches - Siddi Quilt

Life is about one step at a time, one stitch at a time

A Kawandi is a utility quilt made by African Diaspora/Siddi community of India.  A spool of thread and a needle, few scraps, and mindful stitching combined with a simple technique are the only elements needed for this age old art of quilting.  

Learn the step by step process and unique way to make a small quilt. Through the experience of true improvisational process, you will discover how to harmonize your mind and body with the rhythm of stitching. Explore different ways of personalizing a quilt, to breathe easy, and write your own stories in stitches.

 


 

Understanding and learning Free-Form blocks

This class is designed to understand and construct free-form blocks of various size. My method of cutting in layers and organic piecing in unique, fast and fun. At the end of two days, students will take home multiple sets of at least six well constructed blocks to make a small sampler quilt. Although individual results vary, these two days are spent with learning about the origins of the blocks, stories behind the quilts and discussions of my theory of color and textures. 

Free-form blocks:
Rail Fence
Toran blocks
Tiger stripes
Lattice
Half Square triangles
Flying Geese  
 

    
 
Class Time - Two days  
 

Windmills/Winter





Class time: Full Day - 6 hours 

Inspired by the windmills of Pennsylvania farms and my childhood memories of paper pinwheels, Windmills is a beginner friendly project. This class is designed to focus on cutting curves through multiple layers of fabrics and sewing curved seams with ease. Participants will also explore various block setting and layouts for the quilt.


Peppermint Pinwheels



Class time: Full Day - 6 Hours 


Inspired by folk art applique flowers, Peppermint Pinwheels is a perfect spring or summer project. One might ask: is it possible to make a pieced block with curved flower petals without any patterns or template? The answer is, yes! This design focuses on cutting multiple curves through layers of fabrics and sewing the pieces into free-form flower blocks. Participants will follow instructions from the book Cultural Fusion Quilts and construct blocks resembling large appliqued flowers with appliqued centers. The process is easy to learn and quick to reproduce. I will share many tips on making free-form blocks and offer many suggestions for color combinations and layouts during the class.

 


Baskets on A Crazy Quilt







 
Within perfectly squared up blocks are the patches as individually shaped as they were in antique quilts. Make a crazy quilt with a full proof method, without using foundation fabric and minimum waste of fabrics. A beginner friendly block which can be useful for art quilters and intermediate quilters for many other applications with endless possibilities like shown below.

Class Time: Full Day - 6 Hours

Organized Chaos


Make an old favorite with a modern twist. Making a scrap quilt has never been so much fun. Learn about values and colors by observing everyday life. During the class I share how I see colors and interpret them into quilts. Creativity is not about having a lot to choose from but how to choose wisely. This quilts is a true scrap quilt. You will learn how sometimes self created limits provide the best results.

Class time: Full Day - 6 Hours  

 

 

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