Stitched Squares

2008 I moved to India- I had a lot of time on my hands and so each day worked at a Street Kids Project. Idea was to get kids off the street and into school, after school each day we would help with homework, play games, and then have a nutritious lunch.

Parents were so grateful, and I came to know quite a few of them.

Illiterate parents face a mountain of obstacles trying to get their kids into school- financial – paying for uniforms and books, loosing a helper to earn money is the most obvious one, but think about it, you can’t read, you can’t fill in the forms to get your kid into school and you are embarrassed, some teachers are not supportive….

Challenges.

I was helping as I could and then saw a guy go by with a huge load of saris- I followed and met the neighbour who was a tailor and turned second-hand saris into garments.

Ohh boy, what could I make from them?

I started an Etsy shop, I thought if I taught some of the Mum’s to stitch it could become an income stream for them…

After some wins and many dramas there came a day where I had these stitched panels.

I thought they would be great components for Crafting People to turn into treasures.

All the wonderful colour from silk saris and amazing hand stitch would work a treat.

Then I made a few samples to give people ideas of what they might do.

This jacket was the first thing, then pillows, quilts….and soon I had a mountain of stitched panels to sell.  

I realised the women could not sell them, but I could in my travels and teaching venues…. somehow this all lead into what The Stitching Project is now.

We still upskill people- especially women, we upcycle saris and our cloth offcuts, we make gorgeous clothes based on Hand Made components. Hand made cloth, hand blockprint, hand stitch, natural dyes.

The jacket idea took off, but people wanted a finished garment not the pieces to make one, so we followed that direction.

When I recently moved back to Australia, I found a stash of things I used to sell at Textile Fairs, and these were in the pile.

So, hoping to clear them out and send them onto good stashes to be used up….

Here are a few suggestions- I am sure you can think of many more 😊

1.     Biscornu Pillow- google the name, they are quite magical to put together 2 squares for a bigger one or 1 square cut carefully to make 2 smaller ones

2.     Kindle stand. 1 square- stitch it into a tub, about one third along stitch 2 lines a cm apart- this is the fold. Smaller end fill with rice.

Tricky bit to explain- the other end you are folding vertical compared to the horizontal end. This will make it sit up when you stuff it.

Just make the tube and when it is in your hands you will see what I mean.

3.     Dowry Bag- over lock the edges or pipe them, turn in…. then lash stitch the edges together to make an envelope shape, add a long string for closing- needs to be long enough to go around purse twice and tuck in. corner tassels or beads to be pretty? Great to store kindle, electrical bits when travelling, small sewing kit. Magnificent wrapping for gifts or all your gold and jewels.

 

4.     Quilts- we stitched panels together and piped over the seams- would work just as well if you stitch together, overlock the seams tightly and then stitch them flat.

I have always wanted to put these squares amongst black velvet squares to make a quilt- an idea to try.

5.     Garments- assemble the panels with a French seam, overlock and stitch  or cover with piping. Cut to shape for jacket- AS LONG AS you assemble the jacket using 2 close rows of stitch it will not fray.

My jacket is 11 years old, well worn and I can’t see the stitch fraying our where we cut.

 You will find these squares in our shop soon- looking for a good home and to be used in creative ideas. They were stitched with love.