It's been a month since my last blog post. In the past few weeks, I've been having fun making doll quilts and even trying to make a few accessories. I always love making small quilts and wondering what else I can use them besides the usual mug rugs or coasters. I started reading blogs and watching videos on doll quilt making. And decided to try it.
I started making mini patchwork pillows from scrap. Those are 1:12 scale pillows. So much fun to make. The best part is I can use my leftover batting for the insert.
I looked up on YouTube for a DIY doll bed. OMG, there are just so many of them with different ideas, from using ice cream sticks to using cardboard and twigs.
I tried making it from cardboard too but not as good as that on YouTube haha! Instead of painting or using fabric to cover the cardboard, I used leftover wallpaper. It did not stick properly tho! I hate working with glue. I try to avoid as much as I can. The bed was OK but it's not good as a photo prop I think.
DIY Doll Bed from Cardboard
Next, I tried making the armchair following this tutorial. I used an Amazon box and cut them into round shapes. I stacked around 5 pieces of cardboard and then added batting on the top before covering it with fabric. For the sides of the chair, I use double-fold binding to cover it. For the chair back, I used cardboard from the toilet tissue roll! Glueing the fabric is a bit tricky but I managed pretty OK. For the chair legs, I used the satay sticks! I am thinking of getting a thicker stick but have not found any. For the time being, this will do!
I made 2 more quilts in Blue. These are 12x12 inches and also come with 2 pillows. For the first one, I made a simple 8-patch using 2.5" squares and then added blue stripe borders. I did hand quilting here using cotton thread and it turned out very soft!
And for the second one, it's just a very simple quilt using 2 pieces of fabric. I used 2 FQ fabrics from block print fabrics bundle.
For the front and batting, I cut 12" x 12" and then cut 16" x 16" for the backing fabric. The faux binding is done by machine and then I hand quilt the rest. It's great experimenting. For the faux binding, depends on the finished width you desire, and then multiply that by 4. So if the quilt size is 12x12 inches and you want 1" wide binding, it means 12" + 4" = 16". So you need to cut the backing 16" x 16".
If you're wondering about the doll bed, I got them from Amazon India (search for Laddu Gopal bed). It's a real wood and comes intact with the mattress so it's pretty heavy. The size is just perfect.
I made this teal mug rug a couple of weeks ago. Still use the green and teal scraps from my scrap buckets and I cut them into my fave square 2.5" x 2.5". The size is rather biggish - the finished size is 7.5" x 11.5". I think it will be great as a mug rug or mat for smaller tables, side tables, etc
This scrappy mug rug is very easy to make. All you need is assorted 2.5" scraps and you are good to go. And if you prefer you can always machine quilt it but I love to hand quilt it in the kawandi style. That is quilting from the outside edge first and moving inwards in a circular way. The effect on the reverse side (if using solid backing) is just beautiful. Plus with hand quilting, the quilt always turns out softer.
I made many small quilts that I quilted this way and here's one that I recently did. I keep a bunch of ready-to-quilt small items near my computer table and I can easily pick them up and quilt away as I am catching up on the Kdrama or Cdrama!
For the scrappy mug rug, I used Indian mul mul fabrics for the patchwork and poplin cotton for the back. I added a thin fleece batting, sometimes I used cotton batting too. I made placemats in the same color hues earlier.
Don't you love the effect of this big stitch quilting style on the back? This can easily become a reversible mug rug!
If you've been thinking to start learning about hand quilting, you may want to start with this kind of big stitch quilting and you don't have to start with a big quilt! I wrote and uploaded the video about what needle I used and the process in THIS POST
I started this skinny table runner a few months ago, but I only finish hand quilt it yesterday. Well, as usual, a lot of distractions along the way. The day before yesterday after I finished my wallet's orders I thought I'll start another Kawandi pillow but then I saw this runner and thought " let's get this done first!"
Still in my favorite design from Suzuko Koseki's book and quilted it in kawandi style. I want to make a bigger one but not sure if I can do the hand quilting. And I'd love to hand quilt it. For now, it will be on my bucket list. I will practice more now.
By the way, if you watch Margareth Fabrizio's video that I mentioned in the previous blog post, I saw that she was holding a small pillow when she was quilting and I also saw the Siddi ladies were doing the same. I thought maybe that will make my hand /palm less painful (I have a CTS problem). So I decided to make one and have been practicing when I was working on this table runner. And yes, my hand feels more comfortable. It takes a little time to get used to it but I liked it.
Now that is done, I can start the Kawandi Pillow that I want to start. Somehow doing Kawandi is relaxing and I can sit and just sew without worrying about anything else.
Ah, today I learned a new saying from one of the dramas "sometimes we have to walk slow, to let our body catch up with our soul". I did some googling and found this article by Beth Bruno "Be Still; Your Soul is Trying to Catch Up With You" on Medium. Here are a few lines that I can totally relate to:
"Sometimes life comes at us so fast and furious we have no time to sit with our souls and check-in." Beth Bruno
"Remember that your list will still be there tomorrow. And many of the things on it can wait. In fact, some things on that list don’t matter at all, when you really examine them. But your soul needs you. And you need it. Take time to reconnect as often as you can. You will be glad you did. - Beth Bruno"
When the stars aligned, I can finish the Kawandi pillow in 2 days! LOL. I bought the lumbar pillow form sometimes in November and keep thinking to make a quilted pillow cover for it. So a few days ago, I was like why not make the kawandi pillow cover? So I took out these purple and emerald/teal scraps which I keep near my cutting table. As usual, many ideas played at the back of my mind, I thought I will just cut the scraps in 5" charm size and will just go along. But after I cut the charm pieces, I left with different sizes of leftovers and decided to use some of those too.
Handquilting and Catching up on my Kdrama
I documented the process in the videos below. In the first part, I talked about the thread and needles that I use. Hopefully will help those who are in India and wondering what materials to use and where to get them. Really you do not need much to start a kawandi quilt.
Materials:
The Kawandi Quilt Top should finish approximately at 12" x 18"
For the Kawandi you need assorted scraps of your choice.
Quilt Backing: 2 layers of cotton fabrics approx. 12.5" x 18.5", I cut bigger because it shrunk after the quilting is done.
The PILLOW backing has 2 parts:
The top part is 12" x 5.5"
The Bottom Part: 12" x 12"
All-purpose zipper #3 - 12" long or so.
Note: In the video, I cut the pillow backing longer but in a way it's good. Make sure the backing after putting the zipper is the same size as the top.
In the second part, I showed how to make the pillow. It's super-duper easy! The pillow closes with an exposed zipper in contrast color. I am so obsessed with this color combo!
I hope you find the tutorial helpful. If you have any questions, just leave a comment and I will be glad to help you.
The year 2021 is certainly a learning and experimenting year for me, I am looking forward to more learning adventures in 2022. And kawandi and kantha is definately on my top list to explore more.
Finally, I finished the Kawandi QAL! I said that I am not good at following QAL but this time I did it and I am pretty proud of myself. Even though the quilt is not big, but this is the first bigger quilt that I pieced and quilted by hand. The finished size is about 19" x 42".
If you're on Instagram, you can see all the progress I put up in my Instagram Stories. Especially when I do the motif. I really love the motif and upon seeing Brinda Ma'am's kawandi, I really want to learn more about making the motif.
I learn a lot of things while working on this Kawandi table runner.
1. Batting or no batting?
Well, if you following the Kawandi Quilt hashtag on Instagram, you can see the Kawandi are making a comeback in a big way this past year! Many that I saw are using batting and so I wanted to try. But the problem is I ended up with a bulky batting in the center as I am finishing it. I thought I should not have a problem as I've done many small quilts which I quilt the Kawandi Style, including this Batik quilt.
For this table runner, as it is done in the quilt as you go style, I found that the batting - or least the needle punched batting that I used, is stretched in the process. Which did not occur in the quilts that I made using pieced top. So, I carefully cut the batting and overlap it. This solves the problem!
So, my vote will be no batting! Also, working without batting like in the first Kawandi I did during the workshop is so much easier on my fingers. Also, it will be a perfect summer quilt!
2. Don't worry too much!
Brinda Ma'am keeps reminding us to let go. Let go of the urge to do perfectly matched colors, the even stitches, perfectly straight lines. The Kawandi is about embracing imperfections and being proud of them! In the end, your quilt will reflect your personality. Your mood while you're making the quilt, your state of mind. I did unpick lines of stitches in the beginning, as I go along, slowly I was able to accept that it is OK if the stitch length is not even, it is OK to reinforce the stitches even if it looks odd.
Imperfectly Perfect
Learning Kawandi, first, we must unlearn all about quilt making, be it the color theory, the matching seam, the quarter-inch seam, etc. Don't worry, it will turn out unique and beautiful!
In this table runner, I mostly use leftover fabrics from making fabric bundles in the shop and also, a few pieces from my kurtas' sleeves. During summer, I usually cut off the sleeves of my quarter or long sleeve kurtas and keep the cut pieces.
I recorded a video as I was working on this quilt for my own record as well as a reference. In the video, you will see how I bury the tread in different ways. Do check out the video and let me know if you have any questions. If you want to learn to make Kawandi Quilt, you can contact Brinda Ma'am via her Facebook Page.
Now, I have one small Kawandi WIP and thinking of starting a bigger one, maybe a single-size quilt. It's going to be a long-term project. I really enjoy doing the hand quilting and wonder why took me so long to try it.
Time flies when you have fun. For the past 2 weeks, I have been busy with a few quilt projects and wallet making for my Etsy Shop. And I also working on my Kawandi QAL which sadly I have not been able to work on it so much. I really enjoy doing this hand quilting and want to start quilting on bigger quilts when I have enough confidence. Right now I have a few smaller projects going on, I'll do it one at a time as time permits. Now both my sons are going to have board exam for grade 10 and 12 and that really make me nervous, though they seem to relax, this hand quilting projects help me to calm down a bit. My DH keeps telling me not to get anxious and he keeps sending me to my sewing room hahaha.
On the (small) business side, yesterday I finally got the dust bags for my wallets from Canvas2Craft. I ordered the bags a couple of weeks ago and Poonam is very helpful and lovely to work with. She updates me about the progress and makes sure everything was per my requirements.
I always wanted to make dust bags as an added bonus for my customers, so that they can reuse the bag. Instead of wrapping them in paper, this reusable bag will be more useful and eco-friendly too. So here is the first order that goes in the bag. Yes, the small quilt above. I think I will order another size.
Another happiness last week comes from Saira my secret swap partner in Desi Quilters Love and Healing Swap. When she posted her pouch in the group, I secretly wish for it et voila! My wish come true. The bag is so spacious and I use it to keep my hand quilting projects. She also sent me the pin and magnetic pins. If you're a hijabi, like me, you know these magnetic pins are a game-changer. Thank you so much, Saira!
I also completed a few wallet orders from my Etsy Shop. These two wallets are popular. I only have enough fabric to make a few more wallets. And now that many states are going to restart offline school, I made a couple of triple and double zipper pouches too. They are very versatile as you can keep extra face masks for them. I guess, we all have to accept the fact that wearing a face mask is necessary even when the pandemic is over. At least, that will be our first guard against any virus, IMHO.
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