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The first time I cast my eyes on some quilts from a quilter living in Kenya then, I knew the quilting bug had bit me! I immediately advised myself that I was to learn this art and craft of patchwork in quilting, even if it cost an arm and a leg!
It was back in 2004 while I lived in Kijabe that Jana Mead, a member of the Kenya Quilt Guild , became my source of inspiration. I began to understand there was a sparkle of life at the end of the horizon, if I set my hands to stitch.
Later I enrolled for a course in Fashion and Design at Buru Buru Institute of Fine Arts in preparation for becoming a quilter in future. The college equipped me with much knowledge in sewing and today I run a fashion and design shop in Eastlands, the economic gateway into Kenya. My shop exhibits the excellence of my workmanship in stitching as seen in the photos.
In 2009, my dream of being a quilter started to gain shape after I was invited to the Kenya Quilt Guild meetings. I acquired much knowledge in the area of quilting as I positioned myself in the Quilt Workshop Schedules and translated much of this knowledge into quilts. I was convinced that a day would come when I would walk strong even after stumbling just like a child. I was now sure that what one settles for in life is what rules them. The main question was why settle for average stitching when one could become phenomenal?
In answer to this, I pressed on to get more education from the Kenya Quilt Guild teachers. It is at this stage that I decided to connect with Raji Syan, one of the talented and knowledgeable Kenya Quilt Guild teachers, who teaches beginners or more advanced quilt students how to do hand piecing.
As I continued to be passionate about my classes with Raji, I knew that the door to the ordinary was completely shutting and a door to the extraordinary was slowly opening. The sky was now going to be the lower limit for me!
I overcame many mental obstacles and challenges including transporting my machine to class through public means. I was, however, convinced that the endurance I practiced was the preparation to position me for greater things. Part of my dream in quilting was to create a platform where I would orchestrate quilting skills to present and future generations. I had a great desire to leave a legacy behind of imparting quilting skills to all.
To date, I have made over ten quilts, ranging from wall hangings to bed quilts. I made my first quilt, the Irish Chain, while expecting one of my daughters. It was be a gift to her. The second quilt, the Kitchen Garden was a wall hanging and many more as seen in the photos. My love for hand quilting and appliqué is passionate.
Since then I have attended many quilting classes and learned new techniques including how to make quilting bags from African bead work using a crochet hook. I source most of my beads from Masai markets, which are open-air markets that move from one venue to another across the city. I have been able to bead and sell some items like glasses, bottles, belts and pens to other parts of the world.
I have also attended several workshops with International Teachers, who have visited and taught patchwork quilting or other needle arts in Kenya. I now confidently enjoy sharing quilting techniques with all the quilters I come across knowing that what Casey Leisure said is true: “An enlightened woman will not seek to be understood, she just enjoys the company of like-minded people.”
It has been a long journey for me and a challenge for me to do better even as I hold the position of the Chairman of the Kenya Quilt Guild Exhibition Subcommittee, and have the honour to sit in the Executive Council. I extend my welcome to many who want to quilt with a warning that once you start quilting, you many never stop!
Bernina Machine EQ2C is my choice of machine which makes my work very enjoyable and produces very gorgeous blocks. The machine is well maintained and serviced by The Woman Shop at Sarit Centre in Westlands, which is the Kenya’s foremost patchwork quilting shop, selling fabrics, notions, quilt books and tools, and selling and servicing Bernina sewing machines.
In no uncertain terms, the overall excellence attained through all these trainings and experience is reflected even in the littlest of my quilt pieces. Surely I can resound that “The sky is the lower limit; those who say the sky is the limit have no imagination!”
My passion for quilting has grown over the years and I will continue to press on to a higher level.
Kenya Quilt Guild member and Past Chairwoman Diane Bannister is finishing her course work for a Master of Public Health Leadership Degree from the Uganda Christian University. The program is focused on Save the Mothers and Safe Motherhood.
Diane’s class asked her to make a wall hanging to be presented to the facility as a gift from their class. She enjoys the fun fabric in the background that shows all the women and some mothers with children.
In Africa, a woman has a 1 in 16 chance of dying due to pregnancy or delivery related complications. We need to change this to save the mothers of Africa. A mother plays such an important role in society and family that her death has very strong negative consequences for both.
The Kenya Quilt Guild is very proud of our member, Diane Bannister, and we wish her well in her academic endeavours!
This is just in from The Quilt Show, courtesy of Deanna Gaudaur who drew our attention to the right place:
“In honor of International Quilt Day on March 17, 2012, The Quilt Show, the web TV show hosted by Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson, will “open” all of its shows from the first nine series–that is, from show 100 through show 913–for the entire weekend of March 16-18. This means that–for three special days–everyone will have the chance to view these 117 shows, featuring some of the quilting world’s leading artists, for FREE.
ALSO BIG PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED TO MANY LUCKY QUILTERS –INCLUDING A BERNINA 550QE!!!!!
Share this information with all of your quilting friends. It’s a fantastic opportunity to enjoy three days of learning and fun without leaving your home… all for free. Log in to enter, enjoy the shows, and thanks for helping to spread the word!
Don’t yet have an account at The Quilt Show? Now is the perfect time to create one!”
Have a great weekend, everyone!!!
Deanna Gaudaur, a happy quilter!
I started quilting in 2006, when I joined Kenya Quilt Guild. Later I served on the KQG’s Executive Committee as the Newsletter Editor for two years. I participated in almost all the KQG’s yearly exhibitions including “The Quilts of East Africa” in Ailsa Craig, Canada, in 2008.
Africa inspires me, both the wildlife and African cultures are rich sources of inspiration. Whenever I can, I participate in African challenge quilts. I depict hand carved wooden spoons, the Jacaranda tree, and beautifully carved gourds in my hand painted quilts/wall hangings.
Silk is a supple material and is loved by everyone. It is produced by silk worms. In places like Japan and China, people raise the worms to produce silk. The female moth lays about 500 eggs. After about 20 days the eggs hatch. The caterpillar feeds on mulberry leaves. When they reach maturity, their body becomes translucent ready to spin a cocoon. A silk worm is capable of spinning up to 1500 meter single silk thread in 48 hours.
It may take more than a hundred cocoons to make a small silk scarf. It’s worthwhile to get a small piece of pure silk to make a scarf, likewise a very expensive pursuit, but once I am through with painting it, it pays my hard work off simply by looking at it.
I started painting silk scarves and material to make my own clothing as a pastime. It felt so gentle to the skin that I started loving it. It seems that it runs in my blood now. I am making an effort to at least let people know about it. Some of the samples that I made are shown in the pictures. Many are in the process of making. Some I use to make quilted wall hangings.
Pure silk absorbs color and is fun to paint on. Washing at home needs lot of pampering. Silk is washed with lukewarm water and is naturally dried. I do not wring the water out or deal with rough hands, a soft gentle touch is required. I do not iron directly. There has to be a cotton cloth between the iron and the silk. The best way is to get it dry cleaned but I have to give special instructions to the dry cleaner about ironing. It does not form static electricity as other synthetic fabrics like nylon do.
Find more information about Farhat, her fabric painting and quilting on Facebook.
I began with patchwork. Its therapeutic precision, discipline and repetition reawakened my mind, which had been rendered void by severe depression. Having retired from nursing in 2005 I immediately joined the Kenya Quilt Guild where a whole new creative world opened up for me.
With three traditional quilt tops ready to be quilted by someone else I met Alison Farmer, a prolific hand quilter. With a little blood and a few tears she taught me to hand quilt and I was well and truly hooked!
Living in Kenya for twenty-three years has given me a passion for all things African. It’s wealth of inspiration almost matches the infinite possibilities of quilting. All this can be somewhat overwhelming and as a ‘budding’ quilter I like to be guided, whether it is by a book, a challenge, a theme or a teacher.
My aim is to flower as a quilter and develop more as an artist in my own right.
I have a passion for fabrics, colour, beads and embellishments. I love dabbling into other mediums that can later be incorporated into quilts. I am inspired by the vastness of Africa, her quirkiness, the wildlife, landscapes and people.
My marriage to Peter, a Kenyan, has given me tremendous insight in to the Kenyan way of life and its challenges. Through him I have been given opportunities that I would never have dreamed. We have a luxury tented camp for tourists in the Masai Mara, a haven of peace and beauty.
I have exhibited in the Kenya Quilt Guild shows in Nairobi and at Ailsa Craig in Ontario, Canada, and have sold several wall hangings. Currently I am working on a commissioned piece and a ‘round robin’ quilt that will be exhibited in Ireland next year at the International Quilt Festival of Ireland.
Quilting is unifying. I know that I could contact a quilt group anywhere in the world and be welcomed. I thank all the friends I have made through this art for their inspiration and guidance.
Sun and Sky by Gretchen Mwaura
Helping Hands by Gretchen Mwaura
Vuvuzela! by Gretchen Mwaura
Stitching has in recent years become the kind of hobby that satisfies because it is FUN! There are no limits in the area of design, income, achievements and helping people. There is a lot of creativity embedded in it which unfolds by the day.
Princess Mutero
My five years of stitching have brought a tremendous world of difference to my life. I never knew that this talent was embedded in me until circumstances forced the potential to reveal. One of my neighbours who dealt with interior decoration led me into this art. She did much curtain work with related fabric designs. After a short conversation one evening, she retorted that one needs only to know how to stitch a straight line and that was it.
Princess Mutero's Patchwork
My classes in quilt making have taken me to a different world, not mentioning I can embroider and do much more in fabric designing. A workshop with the children last week left me with a sense that I need to hand over these teaching skills to the coming generations. It was great fun looking at children starting from scratch and doing some basic bags and pillow case designing!
Stitching is a skill that is therapeutic and keeps one very refreshed. It prevents you from invading the fridge as nothing else appears to matter at that time.
Sausage Roll Pillow Case made by Princess Mutero
There is no end to stitching and design and the field is very overwhelming. When you are well equipped with the tools needed, then you may go to heights you never imagined. One of my sisters remarked that I speak stitching 24/7 and this makes my heart smile. It has really become my lifestyle and I long to do projects to impact all generations and preserve history.
My ambition is to travel to many nations of the world and be able to do some fabric designing on what I observe. One of my models is Pam Holland, a lady who does 6 hours of stitching daily and if she does not accomplish that in a day, she has to deal with the lost hours the following day.
So grateful to have discovered my passion, my talent, my lifestyle – STITCHING!
Stitching has in recent years become the kind of hobby that satisfies because it is FUN! There are no limits in the area of design, income, achievements and helping people. There is a lot of creativity embedded in it which unfolds by the day.
Princess Mutero
My five years of stitching have brought a tremendous world of difference to my life. I never knew that this talent was embedded in me until circumstances forced the potential to reveal. One of my neighbours who dealt with interior decoration led me into this art. She did much curtain work with related fabric designs. After a short conversation one evening, she retorted that one needs only to know how to stitch a straight line and that was it.
Princess Mutero's Patchwork
My classes in quilt making have taken me to a different world, not mentioning I can embroider and do much more in fabric designing. A workshop with the children last week left me with a sense that I need to hand over these teaching skills to the coming generations. It was great fun looking at children starting from scratch and doing some basic bags and pillow case designing!
Stitching is a skill that is therapeutic and keeps one very refreshed. It prevents you from invading the fridge as nothing else appears to matter at that time.
Sausage Roll Pillow Case made by Princess Mutero
There is no end to stitching and design and the field is very overwhelming. When you are well equipped with the tools needed, then you may go to heights you never imagined. One of my sisters remarked that I speak stitching 24/7 and this makes my heart smile. It has really become my lifestyle and I long to do projects to impact all generations and preserve history.
My ambition is to travel to many nations of the world and be able to do some fabric designing on what I observe. One of my models is Pam Holland, a lady who does 6 hours of stitching daily and if she does not accomplish that in a day, she has to deal with the lost hours the following day.
So grateful to have discovered my passion, my talent, my lifestyle – STITCHING!
