Butterfly fabric in a minty green is perfect for this project. I did these little quarter inch strips and I am pleased at how it allows for the green to stand out.
Five or nine.
This corner gave me some issues.
The center panel is an old shirt and the block is wider than it is long. It took a bit to guestimate the distance and I needed it right since I sewed down the sides first and then it was 3 more rotations before I sewed down the top and bottom.
The excitement of reaching the center panel kept me stitching and stitching! Sore fingers and all!
Just a few more rotations!
Trees were planted late fall.
My Kawandi is finished with the final step being to add the Phula (4 flowers) on the corners. They were made by folding a square of my focal fabric in half twice and I attached on the back of the corners with a tie of the green center embroidery floss.
I had hoped to have this completed by my birthday on October 10th but the final stitches were worked on during that time and the Phula were added on October 13, 2021. I consider this a birthday present to myself.
Doing some driving seems to be part of the plan. I don’t mind when we can watch a sunset like this. Even with power lines and streetlights the beauty shines through.
I find myself stitching in the early mornings while drinking a heated mug of water.
I was gifted a bag of scrap fabrics from Barb B in my Tuesday quilt group.
Sorting gifted fabric scraps
This is the table that I have been hand sewing on. I sorted the scraps by color and by style. There are plenty of batiks which I just love and are already showing up in the pic above with the 4 squares. There is also a nice size pile of earth tones.
I wanted the feel of water in the quilt and was happy to discover butterfly and dragonfly fabric in the gifted fabric.
3rd post showing progress shots of my first Kawandi quilt. Please join in the fun.
I now have pieces from 4 shirts in this Kawandi8th rotation around the quilt using rust embroidery floss
The 12th rotation I am using a shade of green that captures the green fabrics I have added and the green in my venter focal fabric.
One of my walksTurning a corner
I do not have to stitch down both sides but I do need to calculate distance. Depending on the distance between rows of stitches it will take 3 or 4 more rotations to reach the other corner.
The addition of a small square
I am trying to use as many different fabrics. This small square though is a fabric that shows up on the other side of the quilt. It now tied the two together.
The green polka dot on the other side I am seriously in love with this!The second needle break
I made it another 8 rotations and decided to add the rust embroidery floss again.
I have taken you from the beginning on this Kawandi in August and now into September.
Multiple needles going at one time Multiples colors of 3 strands of embroidery floss usedDeveloping a color schemeSpicesA view of the stitches from the back
With a Kawandi quilt I am stitching from the outside toward the center. The design of the quilt evolves as new pieces are chosen and added to the next row.
The beauty is getting to touch and feel that texture from all of these stitches. I cut 4 spirals from the shirt used as the center panel and I am working them into the corners.I broke two needles while making this quiltI cut the tips of some surgical gloves to help protect my raw fingers. It helped.A thrifted shirt purchased specifically to add into a quilt some day – today is the day!
I started with all blue fabrics and the second piece that has jumped out at me is this leaf fabric with the gray background. I am cutting with a scissors. I am using embroidery floss instead of thread. I just folded the backing fabric over as a triangle and cut. I did not measure 36 inches for example. I just went with what I have. I used a darker thread because I want to see my stitches.
I just realized the first needle I selected has a little rust on it. That makes me laugh. Use what is there I say.
I want to add my mother-in-law Susan’s skirt fabric. It is leaves and in green tones. I am not certain where it is but before I round to the fourth side I hope to have it.
I have been watching Margaret Fabrizio’s videos on YouTube. I admire her so much.
After selecting the background fabric I gave it a good wash. I started with a pull of fabrics that have an earthy feel to them.
I turned the backing fabric in about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. I grabbed a fabric and turned that under and then started quilting the two fabrics (the back and the first scrap for the front) together using a running stitch. The second fabric has a fold for the edge and a fold for the right side. These fabrics are not sewn together. They are held to the back with the quilting stitch.
I continued with this method all the way around the quilt. The size is approximately 36”.
I follow Margaret Fabrizio on IG and started watching her videos on YouTube. She learned of the Siddi African people that live in a remote area of India and went to find them and sit with the women while they made their quilts. They work from the outside in pulling from a scrap bag of remnants and pieces of clothing with the soft texture of having been worn. The pieces are not stitched together but are set down on the fabric with a fold on 3 edges and a running stitch is worked across the piece which holds the fabric down. Occasionally a decorative square can be placed to add beauty to the piece. The stitches continue and pieces are added until the center of the piece is reached.
The quilt is completed with the addition of a square of fabric folded into a triangle and added to the 4 corners of the Kawandi.
I had to force myself not to straighten the grid on the above gingham type fabric. I sewed the piece down and realized I can cut haphazardly so there is no straight of grain on the edge. The solid blue is not 100% cotton. It is thicker than what I normally have in my projects.
Some of the scraps I will use I have an entire bin of thrifted floss.
I decided to use different colors of floss. I am using 3 of the 6 strands.
What the back side looks like with 1st row of stitches.1st row completed At this point I pieced scrap batting and laid it into the project butting it up to the first row of stitches.
I am trying a little basting on a scrap to hold the edges down. This is not a necessary step. I ended up not doing it very often.
If you go to YouTube and search “ Kawandi tutorial “ there is a good one by Kieran. I found out about this style of quilt from Margaret Fabrizio and have watched her videos multiple times of her travels to India and her two trips to meet with the Siddi women quilters.
The second rotation of stitching around the Kawandi I started bringing in additional scraps.
Deciding what next fabrics to add.
The Siddi women would reach into a bag of scrap fabrics and use what they would grab.
Poke and stab – adjust if needed – then pull thread through and repeat. 2nd rotation of stitches completed and I was able to catch the batting inside each stitch.
I did do a very loose basting stitch to hold the batting to the backing.
Stitch rows need to be less than a finger width apart because the patches are not sewn together they are stitched down in the running stitch. You could take a chopstick and poke it under the side of a new fabric added.
That fabric with the stars and hearts was my son’s toddler shirt 19 years ago. This is another important aspect of a Kawandi. It is made with trash fabric and old clothes which gives the Kawandi a soft texture.
I added a floral fabric And another floralAnd then a bird
We think this is a crane.
I then had a lightbulb moment!
I have this old shirt that I just have not been able to throw away. I will not be wearing crop tops ever again in my life.
I ended up cutting a larger piece that became a center panel and then cut 4 spirals in the design of the shirt. The fabric is thin so I placed a black fabric behind it. If the fabric wears out you would see the black and not the batting. It feels really good though! Note: I did not find Susan’s shirt and skirt so this will do.
Thrifted needle pack allowed me to try different needles and have multiple needles going at the same time.I love sunflowers and this fabric coordinated well with the center panel.
My aunt Kay has dedicated her life to our family. She devoted her life to the care of our mother. She is the only reason our mom lived to be 92 years of age.
She will live in our family home until she can no longer.
She has these two figures. I have always admired them.
The start of a collection
In perfect fashion I started searching for more at thrift shops and antique stores. This week I have found two. Don’t tell her though it will be a surprise.
Close-up
Yesterday I thrifted the Flower Girl. She needs a good bath but for 1.49 and no chips or scratches it’s a great deal.
I gave Kay this sitting girl last year for Christmas along with the boy holding a candle.
They are Candy Designs from Norway designed after the paintings of Carl Larsson.
I went to eBay and there are plenty to collect. The below pictures are not mine.
I know I could order these off eBay for less than $40 each but I love going to thrift stores and antique stores to treasure hunt. I occasionally hit the jackpot and find one for $1.49. Yay!!!!!!!! Two Christmas presents done for 2021.
Five or nine.
This corner gave me some issues.
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