Recently I went to see a quilt exhibit at MOAD (Museum of the African Diaspora) in San Francisco. The quilts were made by Siddi women of African descent living in India. These very bright and colorful quilts are made by starting with an Indian sari as a "base" fabric, which will eventually be the back of the quilt. Starting at one side of the sari, different sizes and shapes of patches are hand sewn onto the sari as the quilter works her way around the edges and in towards the center. Some patches are fairly big, while others are very small. Often tiny patches, maybe 1" square, will be sewn on top of the already existing fabric, to add a secondary design.
These are obviously scrap quilts, which accounts for their brightness and variation. A lot of different fabrics are used, too, not just cottons. Silks, brocades, and other types of fabric all find their way into the quilts.
Photos with permission and courtesy of MOAD website
Hi MissesStitches,
ReplyDeleteI love the quilts in your photos, they're very colorful, happy, and bright. They're very unique. Thanks for sharing.
MNE