6″ (15.2 cm) strips of the full width of fabrics for quilting, versus fat quarters?

I started selling Art Gallery Fabrics, and other specialist designs, a couple of years ago, because they are so beautiful.  I don’t manage to get around to doing a lot of dressmaking these days, although at one time, I used to make most of my own clothes and hand sewn gifts for other people.  Some of the patterns I used are still in my sewing box, and occasionally I go thro’ them to sell on etsy, although finding them has got more difficult since I have moved!

Below are some of the more recent 100% cotton fabrics I have in stock, and there are some really lovely ones on back order, which I hope will arrive soon, and will put them up when they do.  I list some of these on etsy but I usually only show a small selection there.   To find the whole range of fabrics I currently stock, it’s best to go to my new website – this link will take you to the fabric category page.

I also plan to make some quilts one of these days, and have been collecting equipment and instructions, but altho’ I brought my old sewing machine with me, I never seem to have the time!  Things are rather chaotic here, as there is so little space to work in – until I can finally make a few changes to the layout of the cottage.

The width of these fabrics are usually 45″ (114 cm), but some of them are wider, and I always offer a per metre price, AND a price for a 6″ (15 cm) strip of the full width of the fabric.  This is a useful and cheap way to get a sample of the fabric – priced at around £2.50 – and is big enough to use for adding contrast fabrics to clothes, AND, to be used as squares, triangles etc, for quilting projects.

Oddly enough, I don’t get many orders for these 6″ strips!  Quilters are familiar with fat quarters of fabric – ie: a square quarter of a metre – or whatever shape folding a metre into 4 gives you.  I find this an uneconomical way to sell fabric, as you have to cut into the length of the fabric to provide the fat quarter, and may not sell the other 3 pieces, whereas, if you order a 6″ strip, I can cut the whole piece off from the whatever length of fabric I have, and we both get a good deal.

So I would be interested to know, from those of you that make quilts, or do general sewing and dressmaking, whether you think the 6″ strip is a good idea or not?

Kantha – Vintage Quilts – recycling fabrics the time honoured way

I hadn’t known anything about the history of quilt making with recycled fabrics in India, until I chanced on an advert for an exhibition of KANTHA textiles at the Mingei International Museum, California, last September.

see https://julzcrafts.com/2017/09/06/kantha-exhibition-of-textiles-of-bengal/.

“Kantha is a term used across the Indian sub-continent to denote decorative stitched quilting. In Gujarat, hangings patterned with concentric circles or squares in running stitch are known as kanthas, while in Bengal, kanthas are stitched for a variety of purposes, such as winter quilts, covers and wraps for books and valuables or as mats for ceremonial purposes.

They are most often given to daughters on the occasion of their marriage, as a token of love, or as a gift for a new-born child or grown son. They are often, as tradition has it, made up of old cast off saris or dhotis. They can be the work of two or more generations of women and are treasured as family heirlooms.”

You can also find out more about Kantha HERE

One of the people who saw the post was Manish, who was doing research on this ancient tradition, and he has recently set up a small business to collect and recycle old quilts, and to make new ones for sale worldwide.

He asked if I could give his website a mention, and sent me a bit more information about Kantha.  So I checked him out!  I have edited his contribution to fit the style of this blog – which is ‘to inspire and educate’ my readers – and myself! – in various aspects of crafts, whether you make anything yourself – or just appreciate!

” The term ‘Kantha’ can be understood in Sanskrit as ‘rags’.

 

The origin of Kantha can be dated back to the age of Vedic period, which has a profound background in India. Chaitanya Charitamrita is a very popular age old book written by Krishnadas Kaviraj, some 500 years ago. The recurring patterns, designs and other beautiful elements are most celebrated part, which the book talks about.

The historic art and motifs are incorporated in modern works with the depiction of nature, sun, trees, people, culture and many more through the finest play of thread over a piece of cloth.

In the region of West Bengal, Kantha is seen as a very auspicious symbol in weddings and birth ceremonies.

Being a Bengali man, I never really got an opportunity to peek inside and know more about this form of art, which is being transferred from generation to generation. 

When I was a kid, I saw my grandmother would sit with a piece of cloth in her lap and different colours of thread lying all around her. She used to be very keen and generous with her work. She would move her hands very slowly and firmly with a needle and thread across the cloth and a very beautiful design would come up. 

The clothes on which she used to weave would tell stories of trees, people, lakes and animals.

When I moved to eastern Bengal, I saw old and young women still so engrossed in the stitching kantha handkerchiefs, quilts and bed sheets. I was mesmerized by the beauty in their eyes and the passion in their attitude while they were busy doing the embroidery.

I was so inspired and motivated to continue this tradition in other parts of India that I started my own business, selling Kantha quilts and, hopefully creating a world class platform for customers from every corner of the world to know more about India, its tradition and history of India, through the quilts.

The Kantha quilts have been made with finest threads, and will last long longer than your life, so that you can pass down this historical piece to many upcoming generations. India is best reflected within the dimensions of quilt.”

He tells me that the “quilts are made in West Bengal by artisans, and they are paid fairly”.

Do have a look at his site – vintagekanthaquilt.com – the prices are reasonable and he is currently running a special discount offer.

NB:  I do not normally ‘advertise’ other businesses on this site, but he asked nicely – smile – and I like what he is doing.  No fee has been charged and I have no other knowledge of how he works, and do not take any responsibility for the quality of the products.

Sale on my Etsy Shop this week

Etsy is celebrating their 13th Birthday with a sale this week.

You will find many of my listings reduced by 10% – until 24 June

Have a look!

 julzcraftsupplies

5%offOPENINGcelebration – your coupon expires on 28 March – use it now!

Just a reminder that I am offering a 5% discount for ANYONE who places an order on my new retail website

JULZ CRAFT STORE

An Eclectic Mix of Craft Supplies, Gifts and ……

please click on the link above to if there’s anything that you might like!

Your coupon – 5%offOPENINGcelebration – can be redeemed at the shopping cart.

I SELL WORLDWIDE!

 

Garment Labels for your Handmade Craft items

I have just spent a couple of hours putting the 9 designs of these machine embroidered iron-on labels into one listing  here on etsy and I thought I might as well put them up here so that you know they are available!  They are also listed on my new retail website here on JULZ CRAFT STORE .

You can use them for dressmaking, knitted garments and any other handmade item – if adding a name or writing to them, please remember to use a permanent marker pen, as ordinary pens will smudge in the wash.  If you don’t want to iron them on your carefully made item, you can sew them on – or even tack them onto a wooden object!

There are four labels in each pack – which sells for £3.99 – and available to buyers in the UK and Worldwide.

If you are buying them from JULZ CRAFT STORE – do remember to use the coupon code – which is on the right hand information area on this blog, so that you get your 5% discount.  Yes I know its not much, but if you are on my mailing list, I have sent you a coupon for 10% off, and once you have put in a order to my new website, you will get a coupon code for 10% off your next order!

Have Fun!

 

Wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR

Isn’t it nice to arrive into 2018!  Well I think so anyway.  Last year was extremely disruptive, what with the landslip, and being evacuated from my house, and having to virtually camp in my new home, as the building work still hasn’t been done.  But things are getting better, and I am slowly sorting things out, and have great plans for this year – smile – which I feel strangely confident about.

So here’s to 2018, and hoping it goes well for all of us.

In the meantime, I just want to let you know that

my “twelve days of christmas” sale ends at midnight (uk time) on 3 january – thats tomorrow! 

 

there is 10% off all listings in my Etsy Shop

this link will take you there

Tomorrow, I will get back to the series on the Twelve Days of Christmas Carol – next up is 6 Geese a-laying.