Material Musings - Fabric Inspirations and Kawandi

 

Come and check out this weeks Material Musings. We look at lots of lovely dyed and hand printed fabric, and we start a Kawandi!

A Kawandi is a type of hand-stitched quilt traditionally made by the Siddi women who are descendants of enslaved Africans who were bought to India. 

Kawandi quilts are distinctive because of their vibrant, improvisational designs and the way they are constructed. They are made from layers of fabric scraps, often brightly colored, and sewn together with running stitches. Here's a closer look at their key characteristics:

Key Features of Kawandi Quilts

1. Construction Style:

   • Kawandi quilts are typically sewn from the outer edges toward the center, unlike many traditional quilts made from blocks or panels.
   • The stitching is done in a spiral pattern, ensuring all layers stay securely held together.

2. Materials:

   • They are made using recycled fabrics, including old saris, or other discarded textiles.
   • The use of fabric scraps gives the quilts a rich texture and unique, look.

3. Aesthetic and Design:

   • The quilts are often colorful and feature bold patterns, with an emphasis on spontaneity and personal expression.
   • Small decorative touches, like folded fabric triangles called phulas (flowers), are added to the corners or edges.

4. Practical and Cultural Significance:

• Kawandi quilts are made for practical purposes, such as providing warmth, but they also reflect the Siddi community's history and artistry.
• The improvisational process mirrors storytelling and a connection to cultural heritage.

Let me know if you have made one and how it turned out.  Looking forward to sharing my progress with you.

Transform Cardboard into Stunning Bookcase: Join the Fun!

The Joy of Cardboard

Have you ever looked at a pile of cardboard and wondered what creative potential it holds? In today’s fast-paced world, finding ways to recycle and create something practical and beautiful is a rewarding challenge. 

My latest course Creating Cardboard Bookshelves shows you how to turn everyday cardboard into a functional and stylish bookcase that’s is fun to create and is useful. You can join for an early bird special of just $37 before the price returns to $47 on January 11th!

Join the Course HERE

Why Cardboard? The Power of Recycling:
Cardboard is one of the most widely available and versatile materials. By repurposing cardboard, you’re not only reducing waste but also giving new life to something that would otherwise be discarded. Here are some benefits of recycling cardboard:

• Eco-Friendly Impact: Recycling cardboard reduces the demand for new materials, saves energy, and minimizes landfill waste. Every small step helps create a healthier planet.

• Cost-Effective: Why buy expensive shelving when you can make something equally functional and unique at a fraction of the cost?

• Creative Opportunities: Cardboard is lightweight, easy to cut and shape, and surprisingly strong when assembled. It’s a blank canvas waiting for your imagination.

What to Expect in the Course:
This course is designed to make creating with cardboard accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of your crafting experience. Here’s what you’ll get:

• Step-by-Step Guidance: Learn how to construct a sturdy bookshelf that can you art journals, decorations, or art supplies. 

• Bonus Videos: Gain extra inspiration with additional tutorials on painting, decorating, and enhancing your cardboard creation.

• Customization Tips: Discover how to personalize your bookcase to fit your style and needs. Whether you love vibrant colors or a minimalist look, you’ll find ways to make it your own.  You can make it to a size that suits you.

Take a look at our first project

Create your own mini Bookshelves

Unleash Your Creativity:
Crafting with recycled materials is more than just a sustainable choice; it’s an opportunity to explore your creativity. With this course, you’ll learn how to:

• Transform a simple material into a functional and decorative piece for your home.

• Experiment with different designs, textures, and finishes to create something truly unique.

• Gain confidence in your ability to craft and upcycle, sparking ideas for future projects.

Your Favorite Project - Once you start you won't be able to stop:
Imagine having a practical and attractive bookcase that you designed and built yourself. Every time you use it, you’ll be reminded of your resourcefulness and creativity. Plus, it’s a conversation starter—people will love hearing about how you turned cardboard into a piece of furniture!

Sign Up Today and Save:
Take advantage of the early bird special and join the course for just $37. But hurry—this offer ends on January 11th!

Sign Up Now

Let’s make something amazing together. I can’t wait to see the unique bookshelves you create!

Happy New Year - Fodder School and Creative Activities

Wishing you an amazing and fruitful New Year!!

Had an amazing time with the Artsy Meetup Marathon where we saw the New Year in with an wonderful array of creative activities and lessons.  In my lesson we worked with alcohol inks and acetates.  I love the way they turned out.  If you would like to see how I use it on laminating pouches you can join me on my Patreon platform HERE

I have now finished the project for December and Fodder School with the artist Sally Hirst and I have made the projects from the Make Fodder part of the lesson.

It was great creating all the different textures to use with our Gelli plates which was so much fun.

Here are some of the papers that I created using my gelli plate

Working with a gelli plate can be quite an addictive activity, and so enjoyable seeing what you can create using additional things like stencils, masks and probably all the things sitting on your shelves or draws that you forgot that you had.  These can create some really lovely textures.

For the main projects we made coasters and Frames from our papers and here are mine.  And of course there are so many other ways in which you can use what you create with all the fodder that I have left over after these projects.

The frames came out really well and I think I will be making more.   I also made my coasters from cardboard instead of wood. It is great to be able to recycle and make use of all the materials we have at our disposal, instead of seeing them go into landfill.

For January in Fodder School we will be working on making more fodder with Liz Constable and there will be an equally exciting project to make with Liz in the 'Use Fodder' lessons that will be available around the middle of the month.  Check out Fodder School HERE

Before You Go

Check out my website

Artsy Meetup Marathon 2024 - Join Us!!

Come and join us for the Artsy Meetup Marathon!!

The fun starts at 10AM Central Time Dec. 31st. We will keep the room open until 7AM Central on January 1, 2025. 

Every hour or so we will have a new lesson, tutorial, or demo. EVERYTHING will be recorded and available to you for the first three months of 2025 (replays + a private group on Kiala Givehand's Mighty Network + select replays from previous Marathons + there are already bookbinding tutorials to get your creative juices flowing).

It’s going to be a fun time. You don’t have to be on for the entire time, just show up when you can & create. The schedule is live see the link below.  Get some rest, gather your supplies and come have fun with us!!

You can check out the teachers on their Instagram profile.  The Teachers are:

@southerngals_designs @thedreaminglotus @realityarts @shemidixon @leacayoungart @tinarileyimaginariums @soul_positive @suzanne_earley  @bookartstudios @deedeecatron @alycadabra @dansmoncrane @alteredstatesstudio @iamjoosjevdlely @claudette_hasenjager @sjrondon @raspberrybluesky

Register HERE 

Come and join us - LEARN MORE HERE