Immerse yourself in the vibrant quilting traditions of the Siddi community of India as you hand-stitch unique house motifs using found fabrics and scraps. 

Kawandi quilting involves stitching layers of fabric together in intricate patterns, often using recycled textiles and vibrant colors to create remarkable quilts. Each piece tells a story, reflecting the quilter’s personal experiences and cultural heritage, making Kawandi not just a craft, but a form of storytelling.

In this workshop, you’ll explore the Kawandi technique to create a dynamic background for a small quilt. Then, let your creativity shine as you construct a house as unique as your own imagination. Add personal stories and texture with meditative hand-stitching, resulting in a meaningful piece that reflects your own experiences and artistic expression.

Date
Friday, December 13th, 2024

Time
12 – 2:30 pm ET

Location
Zoom, a link will be sent to participants the day before class

Cost
$65 for the individual class, $300 for the series

*All sessions will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all those who register following the live session. This link is live for one month after the end of the series for you to watch at your convenience.

Class Materials:

• 15” x 40” medium weight cotton fabric for backing
• Fabric scraps – squares and rectangles of various sizes for the back ground, cotton preferred
• Square scraps in contrasting colors measuring 5” to 10” squares for house, roof, windows and door
• 14” x 40” 100% cotton batting (Sujata recommends Quilter’s Dream)
• #7 embroidery needles (Sujata recommends Bohin)
• 12 Weight Cotton thread (Sujata recommends Wonderfil Spaghetti)
• For basting: Utility thread and needle
• Fabric scissors
• Optional: Thimble
  

Our Teacher

Sujata Shah, a graphic designer and textile artist, is originally from Mumbai, India.

She has won awards for her quilts in local and national quilt shows and designed quilt patterns under the name of Rangoli Designs. Her teaching experiences include workshops inspired by the quilts of Gee’s Bend, needle-turn applique based on her original designs and color and design workshops in Seattle area and Philadelphia. Her quilts have been shown at AQS in Lancaster and Padukah and the Pacific Northwest Quilt-Fest.

In 2003, she found an instant connection between the abstract utilitarian quilts of Gee’s bend and Godharis from India. Her instinctive ability to work with colors and textures combined with education in graphic design has helped her develop a unique style as a designer.

She draws her inspirations from imperfections and irregularities of free-spirited folk art and crafts from around the world. As a calligraphy major, she believes that each handmade craft has a stamp of the maker. In 2014 she wrote the book, Cultural Fusion Quilts – A Melting Pot of Piecing Traditions. In which she introduced free-form blocks, an abstract interpretations of traditional quilt blocks to reflect her theory.      

Talking about the process of finishing quilts, she says, ”I find hand stitching therapeutic and nourishing to the soul. Through my quilts I remain connected to my past, my culture and heritage. More I hand stitch, stories of my daily life get stitched into my quilts. I rarely have a plan before the start of a quilt. Designing a quilt is an evolving process. I believe as the quilt evolves, I simply become the instrument in the making of that quilt.”