31.5.11

from Rajasthan with love

During an earlier visit to India, I came across hand block prints in a shop in Gurgaon (close to Delhi). They were a rare find for me. So I set about to preserve them in a quilt. I also wrote a bit about these prints and the quilt top in a blog post. You can find the post here.

It took me all this time to do something about the neglected top. It must be the flowering season that got me thinking about this quilt again.

The backing is cotton linen which I wanted to use for making kitchen curtains. But the stream of sunlight in here is so awesome in the mornings and I love the shadows it casts on bare walls like paintings without picture frames and also how nicely the sun warms up the room and makes it quite cozy all year round… so no curtains for the kitchen windows after all!

So the backing… it has a row of pretty flowers running the width on one side. Although the width was just right, I had to piece a Kona bone to get it to the right length.

But the resulting seam was looking odd on a plain fabric. So I took cotton lace and weaved a folksy ribbon through the loops in the center and attached it to hide the seam. I chose this ribbon for the colors it seems to pull from the front while still keeping it simple.
(I missed quilting a line. Have to go back and do that!)




Recently I came across a beautiful short film on the process of block printing by West Elm.
It transports us to slower times and to a place which seem so far fetched.

Chutki and I would love for you to have some of these petal soft fabrics.
One is a bundle of fifty 5 ½ inch squares with an assortment of prints,

and the other one is a set with varying lengths.

Please drop a line in the comments if you are interested in either of these. Chutki is very excited about this little play with you and looking forward to drawing names on Friday.
Have a great week! ( * v * )

8 comments:

Stephanie said...

Your quilt couldn't be prettier. Love the details on the back too. You've put so much thought into every aspect of this quilt. I think the blocking process is fascinating. You're so kind to share such lovely fabrics.

Martha said...

Your quilt is stunning, Pratima. The simple square pattern is perfect for these beautiful fabrics, and allows you to see more of the intricate designs of the block prints. I also love your elegant solution for covering up the seam.

Thank you for the opportunity to win some of these beautiful fabrics. I'm thinking those squares would make a lovely table runner.

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

It is so beautiful! and I love how you added the flowers on to the back. I bet it feels wonderful to have it finished. Thank you for sharing the video, very interesting!

Sujata said...

Pratima!
I have missed you!
Your quilt looks gorgeous! I love how you give such interest to all your quilts by adding details. Great use of that linen fabric.
Hope you had a great weekend.

Candace said...

Your quilt is a work of art in many ways, Pratima! It reminds me of a fresh field of wildflowers! I had to watch the video several times - what amazing craftsment - the time, thought, and effort that goes into making each block and printing it on the fabric is truly amazing! Thanks to you and Chutki for such a wonderful offering - I would love a chance to win the fabric squares!
Cheers!

sewplay said...

Dear Pratima, your quilt is so beautifully vibrant, and shows the wonderful fabric beautifully. Thank you for the links and information about the processes used by the artists and craftsmen and women. It is so generous of you to share pieces of this treasure! Kathy

Nanette Merrill and daughters said...

Very lovely fabric. Hand block printing fabric makes delicate and unusual designs. It is an art I am glad is not lost. Lovely lovely. The quilt is beautiful.

Ann Champion said...

Your quilt is beautiful! I like the way you hid the seam on the back. a wonderful little addition.

I have a couple of old wood blocks that were used in fabric printing. It's so neat to see all of the work involved in printing fabric.