DQ Nov-Dec'13 Challenge

Though the DQ Nov-Dec'13 challenge was announced on the DQ Facebook page, it was not put up here. So, for those who missed the rules of the last challenge of 2013, here they are:

1.Make a pieced and/or quilted Toran/Toranam (traditional Indian welcome bunting?)

2.Email 3 pics (1.of the full front, 2.of the full back, 3.close up of the quilting) of the finished item to desiquilters@gmail.com. Please do not send more than 3 pics as the admins do not want to have to choose. And please conform exactly to the pic requirements or you risk disqualification.

3.Please include title, dimensions and a short description of your entry.

4.Please mention if the entry is an original work or inspired. You can share your inspiration once the names are revealed after the voting.

5.Please send in your entries by the midnight of December 30th, 2013

Do NOT post here since we are still following the anonymous entries format.

For more details on the format.. http://desi-quilters.blogspot.in/2013/01/jan-2013-challenge.html

The winner gets

1.A gift voucher for Rs.1500 from Bernina India, redeemable against purchases of sewing, quilting, patchwork notions, thread, etc. from the 'Bernina Creative Center' (BCC) or Bernina or Bernette machines or accessories




and

2. A set of 4 co-ordinated Fat Quarters from Quilts of Love

Best of luck DQs ! Happy Diwali ! 

DQ Sep-Oct'13 Challenge - Winner

Anyone who has taken a look at the 16 awesome entries to the DQ Sep-Oct'13 Challenge will know how tough it is to choose a favourite !

On collating the results, we have the winner's name...

...and the winning entry is #16, made by DQ Madhu !

Congrats Madhu ! You win the following:

1.A gift voucher for Rs.1500 from Bernina India, redeemable against purchases of sewing, quilting, patchwork notions, thread, etc. from the 'Bernina Creative Center' (BCC) or Bernina or Bernette machines or accessories




and

2. A set of 4 co-ordinated Fat Quarters from Quilts of Love

DQ Sep-Oct'13 Challenge - Entries

The theme for the DQ Sep-Oct '13 Challenge was 'Flowers', a supposedly easy and not so exciting a theme for a challenge. It is with great pride that we present the 17 gorgeous entries with their truly inspiring and unconventional take on the theme.

Entry #1 - "Flowers of Hope"25"x13" mini quilt/wall hanging. EPP, FMQ, flannel batting. 
"Hope"
Cruel harsh winter
Ablaze with flowers of hope
Summer's in my heart...



Entry #2 - Poppies 16.5"x14.5". Hand Appliqué and Machine Quilting


Entry #3 -  Hexitote 17"x17"


Entry #4 - Stained glass flowers 17 " X 23"


Entry #5 - 'Garland of flowers' Wall hanging 29.5"x16 "


Entry #6 - Flowers, Pieced & Hand Appliqué Wall hanging 12"x43"


Entry #7 - Floral E-Reader Cover 5.5" x 10"


Entry #8 - hand-quilted mini wall hanging 10" x 7.5"


Entry #9 - Floral cushion cover on hand-dyed fabric. Pattern inspiration Waterlily landscape 2009 by Ann Fahl. 16.5" x16.5"


Entry #10 - EPP Flowers and hand quilted table topper 10.5"x12"


Entry #11 - Hand quilted suede clutch with dresden flower flap 9"x7"


Entry #12 - "View from my window" Wall Hanging, FMQ and Hand Quilted 34"x 23"


Entry #13 - Sunflower throw 26.5"x22"


Entry #14 -  table topper 12" x10"


Entry #15 -  Title : flowers by midnight she said
Size: 22"x20"

Entry #16 -  "Dahlia" table topper for the prayer corner, 15.5" diameter

Entry #17 - Valley of Flowers. flowers pieced and then machine tied to the quilt. Idea was to depict something using completely geometric shapes. 23" x17"

After a very close contest, the top three voted for entries (in no particular order) are:

Entry#11

Entry#13

Entry#16

We'll be back with the results. Watch this space.

Until then, happy quilting.

First Quilts - DQ Smita Sinhal

(Guest post by Smita Sinhal, the 15th in our series of 'First Quilts')

I now feel blessed n lucky to have landed in a place where I had no work permit. I discovered a totally new me.

So I am in Charlotte NC with nothing to do and there is this show Simply Quilts, hosted by Alex Anderson. I was instantly fascinated by that show, how they cut with seam allowance, all those techniques to make bindings,  miter corners and so many more. Used to wait for that show to air and would religiously put TV on right on time.

One fine day decided to take a plunge. They just aired mariners compass, the block looked just beautiful beyond words and I knew THIS is the block I want to make, went to the nearest Wal-Mart, did not know any other place where I would get fabrics, so picked a sewing machine and few yards of colours. Started on the center block and by the time the block was done my fabrics also finished. Another trip to fetch a few more yards...  The center block turned out well with corners In place.. So made a few more small ones. Now I had fabric left so decided to make that border with them in squares... Joining squares was a piece of cake by now hehehe... And there was my first quilt mariners compass. Now was time to show off.... Showed it to my friends they all liked it. With this I started on a journey I love..Discovered a place Mary Joes in Gastonia NC. Most awesome place for a fabric lover. Made numerous trips to Mary Joes  and quilts after that...potrait quilt,  3 D flower quilt,  water color Quilt,  pineapple block quilt,  foundation piecing and many more.

I was blessed with a daughter with that started yet another journey of making dresses :-) . After my friends n family's encouragement I have started it professionally. I am glad I found my Love Of making Quilts, Dresses n shopping for beautiful fabrics.

Hope you like it.

Cheers!
Smita Sinhal
Www.facebook.com/smitacreationz

DQ July-Aug'13 Challenge - Winner

We have a winner !

The results of the DQ July-Aug'13 Negative Space Challenge are here and as per the final points it was a very close race between entries 5 and 6 !!

We are glad to announce the winner, DQ Vanitha !

She wins..

1.A gift voucher for Rs.1500 from Bernina India, redeemable against purchases of sewing, quilting, patchwork notions, thread, etc. from the 'Bernina Creative Center' (BCC) or Bernina or Bernette machines or accessories




and

2. A set of 4 co-ordinated Fat Quarters from Quilts of Love

Congrats Vani ! Happy quilting !

500th Member Milestone Giveaway - Winner

The winner of the fabulous giveaway to mark our 500th member milestone is...

...Chandhana Rao !

Congratulations Chandhana ! You get this awesome wallet from A Sunny Disposition, courtesy Susan John !

Happy quilting !

The Pieceniks' Progress

As you know things are a brewing between 'Desi Quilters' and the Canadian 'Quilting Corners Guild'.

Following our initial discussions, here's what our Sister Guild (..sister guild..mm..feels goood to say that :-)) has to say :

We had the program meeting last week and your email was read to the members. Thanks again for your suggestions and for summarizing what we discussed with all the details.

For the next few months our guild’s program is already planned. Therefore it was decided that we could start our joint activities in April 2014. I know that sounds like a long time away, but time flies.

Our group would like to start with your item 4., the supplies swap. In the meantime you could perhaps present this suggestion to your members and perhaps already find out  who would like to participate and what they would like to have from here in exchange for Indian fabrics. We will also get the feedback from our guild members over the next few months.

We think this would be a good way to get started and we hope you and your members will agree.

So, what do you say DQs?

..aaand we are 500 ! (psst..giveaway)

A little less than a year and a half and 'Desi Quilters' is 500 members strong! And what a journey it has been, with all its joys and growing pains ! Not to forget the inherent full-on drama of the DQs, also referred to as Drama Queens ! :-) WE LOVE IT ALL !!

Yes, we have a giveaway to mark our 500th member milestone from none other than...(drumroll)...

Hello, 

My name is Susan John, a 20-something girl living in Bangalore with a handbag obsession. A Sunny Disposition is where I sell bags, clutches, wallets and other arm candy - each and every piece lovingly made by me. I work from my studio ( also referred to as my spare bedroom by others in my family. I get a little help from my one year old daughter who trots through the room pulling out all the fray thread from the edge of fabric, chewing up my measuring tape and rolling around over my foot peddle like a happy kitty with a yarn of ball! )

I love running my li'l home based business. I enjoy the process, the challenges that some of these bags may provide, but the best part is when the last stitch is sewn..ahh....the pleasure to see something functional and oh-so beautiful come together out of a flat bolt of fabric and a spool of thread! Am sure most of the readers here on Desi Quilters know what that feels like!

The wallet up for the give away is one I love! This grab and go wallet is perfect for the girl who owns it all but doesn't want to carry it all!!! Walk out of the house with just the essentials - phone, credit cards, cash, change and keys. All of it neatly organized in its on pocket or the key fob.

To take part in the giveaway, simply follow these steps:

1. Hit the 'follow' button on the DQ blog. 2. Become a fan of A Sunny Disposition. If already a fan, invite 2 friends who you think would like my products to like my page. 3.Leave a comment here telling us you've done the same. Make sure you leave us your name and a way for us to contact you.

Enjoy

xoxo

Susan

P.S.Giveaway closes in a weeks time.

DQ July-Aug'13 Challenge - Entries

The DQ July-Aug'13 Challenge tested the participants on their understanding and utilization of 'Negative Space' in their designs. A difficult challenge, yes, and here are the entries of the eight awesome DQs who rose up to the challenge:

Entry #1 - Chopsticks 34" x34"


Entry #2 - Blue skies, twinkling stars


Entry #3 - FMQ Tray Cloth 19"x14"


Entry #4 -  Flowers and Butterflies, a child quilt 48"x48"


Entry #5 -  Machine quilted silk appliqué wall hanging 24.5"x 20.5"


Entry #6 -  Wall hanging quilted with some bobbin-work techniques with metallic gold thread for the decorations and presents 25” x 22”


Entry #7 - Jigsew tray cloth 13"x16"


Entry #8 - 'Summerwala Happy', a small table topper for a cute bistro table. 18"x18"


The DQs have voted and the three entries with the max votes are:
Entry #1
Entry #5
Entry #6

to be cont..

Indo-Canadian Pieceniks

Anybody remember this pic?

This pic was splashed on DQ and after the initial excitement, there were no more talk about it. Talks have been going on backstage and there's a lot to reveal, but we shall do that in stages.

For those who don't know/remember, thats the representatives of 'Desi Quilters' from India (me,Tina) and 'Quilting Corners Guild' from Ontario, Canada (Irmgard Jacob), discussing possibilities of linking up as SISTER GUILDS.

I've been wanting to do a nice blogpost about our meeting but looks like the stars are not in its favour yet :-). Thought no point keeping everyone hanging forever in the hopes of writing that elusive blogpost, so here's a copy of the summary I sent Irmgard after the coffee meet...

- Irmgard gives her guild's charter, pin and some lovely FQ packs for a contest and outlines that they would love to work with a sister guild in India and explore possibilities of doing so.

- Tina, on behalf of Desi Quilters, a virtual pan-Indian guild, coveys willingness to the same.

- The following possibilities of working together were discussed:

1. A joint BOM, where responsibility for posting the Block of the Month (BOM) instructions are alternated between the two guilds, participating members follow the instructions and make blocks for themselves and post pictures in a common forum of the individual blocks every month, as well as the finished quilt at the end of 12 months.

2.A block swap, where every month we choose one queen from the Canadian side and one queen from the Indian side. Then the participating Indians make and send blocks to the Canadian queen and the Canadians make and send blocks to the Indian queen. The duration of swap depends on the number of participating members. The number should be equal from both sides. At the end of the swap, everybody has blocks made by their sister guild counterparts.

3.A secret swap, where from an equal number of participating members, the admins randomly pair up each member with a secret partner from the sister guild. Everybody posts a little bit about their favourite colours or styles or what inspires them. Their secret partner, taking inspiration from that, makes them a small doll quilt/mug rug and send it across. The names of the secret partners are revealed in the end. This is a one time swap event.

4.A supplies swap - Since quilting tools/notions are not available in India, we would be happy to swap with you guys in return for Indian fabric. Here also, each participating member is randomly paired with a sister-guild counterpart (not secret tho) and they swap these items and everyone's happy. The admins can decide beforehand what sort of items can be swapped and the maximum value. 

5. Since a common forum is needed for communication to be open and effective and also to provide a platform for sharing pictures, ideas and thoughts, it was decided that Facebook is superior to Flickr in terms of ease of usage as well as potential. So, a Facebook Group page can be opened and participating members can join.

Phew! Done !

Do let me know what your guild members think. We can start off with any one activity and then take it from there.

Best wishes

Tina

After the serious discussions, I took Irmgard to my favourite place in all of Chennai - cotton street ! :-)

We also visited a fabric store. I should have warned Irmgard about the mind boggling variety of fabric available in India. She was a bit overwhelmed I think. The happy kind of overwhelmed :-).

So, watch this space for further developments. Its gonna be exciting for sure.

DQ Hyderabad's first meet, 04.10.13

(Guest post filed by the host, DQ Manju) 

Dear DQ friends….we missed you here today same as you all missed being here with us beautiful quilters ! It was really nice of Ashley, Ipshita and Anu to come for this get-together! We had a short but very nice chat-session of getting to know each other. Anu and Ashley already know each other and are part of an international organization that meets often in Hyderabad for various activities. And Ipshita is a new entrant to sewing and is very enthu .



 We have plans to meet again in Nov / Dec….so the others should keep it in mind and join us….ciao al.............Manju

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 2

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 1

Here's the second and final part of the lovely QAL. Do share pictures of your work with us and we'll be happy to add it to our gallery.

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 2

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 1

Desi Quilters was founded with the idea of providing a platform for sharing and adding to the collective knowledge of the art that is Quilting.Taking the idea forward, we have with us another delightful Quilt-Along (QAL), this time from the delightful DQ Manju, a lady who is all elegance both in her self as well as her work.

So do join us in this journey along the drunkard's path (er..that didn't sound right, did it?) and try your hand at this deceptively simple QAL.

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL-Part 1

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#4

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#1
Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#2
Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#3

Aliya's Seminole Qal Part 4

DQ Sept-Oct '13 Challenge

Oops, looks like the rules for the DQ Sept-Oct '13 Challenge are not up on the blog yet ! My bad. Shall remedy that rightaway.

After a tough one last month, here's an easier challenge this time :-). Rules for the DQ Sept-Oct 2013 Challenge:

1.The theme for this challenge is 'Flowers'. Make a quilted item of any size interpreting the theme as you like.

2.Email 3 pics (1.of the full front, 2.of the full back, 3.close up of the quilting) of the finished item to desiquilters@gmail.com. Please do not send more than 3 pics as the admins do not want to have to choose. And please conform exactly to the pic requirements or you risk disqualification.

3.Please include dimensions and a short description of your entry including your interpretation of the theme.

4.Please send in your entries by the midnight (IST) of October 30th, 2013

Do NOT post on the DQ FB page since we are still following the anonymous entries format.

For more details on the format.. http://desi-quilters.blogspot.in/2013/01/jan-2013-challenge.html

The winner gets these goodies..

1.A gift voucher for Rs.1500 from Bernina India, redeemable against purchases of sewing, quilting, patchwork notions, thread, etc. from the 'Bernina Creative Center' (BCC) or Bernina or Bernette machines or accessories




and

2. A set of 4 co-ordinated Fat Quarters from Quilts of Love




Best of luck DQs ! Go floral !

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#3

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#1
Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#2

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork Part 3

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#2

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#1

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork -Part 2

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#1

There are awesome people and there are awesome quilters and then there are some awesome quilter-people. Aliya is one such gem of a person with a ready smile, sweet with her words, kind with her thoughts and neat and precise with her piecing and quilting. She brings for us a Quilt-Along (QAL) on the intricate looking Seminole Patchwork Technique.

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#1

DQ May-June'13 Challenge - Winner

After a very close contest, the winner of the DQ May-June'13 Challenge is...

DQ Sudha Sekar !

She wins

1.A gift voucher for Rs.1500 from Bernina India, redeemable against purchases of sewing, quilting, patchwork notions, thread, etc. from the 'Bernina Creative Center' (BCC) or Bernina or Bernette machines or accessories




and

2. A set of 4 co-ordinated Fat Quarters from Quilts of Love

Well done Sudha! We loved your HST entry.

DQ May-June'13 Challenge - Entries

There were 11 beautiful entries to the May-June'13 Challenge which required participants to make a quilted item using ONLY HSTs.


MayJune01



MayJune02



MayJune03



MayJune04



MayJune05



MayJune06



MayJune07



MayJune08



MayJune09



MayJune10



MayJune11


The three finalists voted by the Desi Quilters are

MayJune01
MayJune05
MayJune11

Lets now wait and see who the lucky winner is who gets the goodies from Bernina and Quilts of Love. Until then, happy quilting !