Surajkund Crafts Mela

One of the reasons we chose to visit India in February was because this special two week craft fair was taking place. Craft people from all over India and neighbouring countries come to exhibit their work. It is based about 20km from New Delhi. We stayed in a hotel just over the road from it which meant we could walk there (although crossing the road was interesting).

The quantity and variety of textiles on display was amazing.

The whole site was beautifully laid out and decorated. Birds, in particular were very popular.

I really loved the giant fabric flowers. I have made ones like this with florist wire and old tights but these were huge, nearly a metre across.

There was also plenty of entertainment - music, acrobatics and dancing.

India

Well we are here in Jaipur after visiting Delhi and Agra. We have had an amazing week, so many facinating sights. The first thing we noticed after we landed was the smog, it actually penetrated the airport buildings. The second thing was the traffic - lots of it, with no sense of order and lots of horns. The most astonishing thing was the way that people crossed the road, just weaving through the moving  cars, bikes, motorbikes, tuk tuks and cows.
We were staying in Surajkund as we wanted to visit the Mela held every February. Great variety of Textiles from all over India and neighbouring countries.
Obviously we visited all the major tourist sites but also the Crafts Museum which had an astounding collection of textiles. I also bought a few pieces of fabric and Indian outfits.
After four days we moved onto Agra, managing to see four wonderful monuments before retiring to the hotel. The next morning we left the hotel at 6.45am to walk to the Taj Mahal.
Then on to Jaipur, stopping at Fatehpur Sikri and Abhanari on the way. This is only our second day here and we have seen main sites, loads of textiles (okay bought more fabric and printing blocks). Three more days of activities and then off to Goa.
I will post lots of photos when I return home.

Using up fabric - nine fat quarters to make a quilt

As we are shortly to travel to India and there is a small possibility that I may buy some fabric I decided I needed to use up some of the 'sets' of fabric I have in my cupboard. These themed fabrics are designed to go together. The first pack was Makower's 'Party Time'. Here is the completed quilt top.

I had four different fat quarters of patterned fabric and some small labels.  

I decided to team up the four fat quarters with five plain ones. The first thing was to cut the fat quarters into 10cm (4") strips.

You then sew them together in groups of three. Two patterned fabrics either side of a plain (twice) and one group of three plain fabrics (the centre fabric will end up quite small so could be a bold colour). Sew until all strips are used up and press the seams. (I forgot to take a photo before I cut them again so try to ignore the horizontal cuts)

Cut across the new fabric into 10cm (4") strips.

Sew these in groups of three to make a nine-patch. Press the seams.

You then need to cut the nine-patch in half vertically and horizontally.

Arrange these new squares into a pleasing pattern and sew together. Here is the quilt top again ...

... and here is a detail

Completed travel projects

Before we started our travels I couldn't decide what to take with me to work on. Should I take a quilt and quilt it, complete a crochet blanket or stick with the tried and tested hexagons?

I thought it was time I showed you what I have done.

The hexagons are already cut out, I fold over and tack the edges and then sew them together in strips of ten. These would then be sewn together to make a square which are then sewn together to make a larger piece

Rather than just make a throw as I have done before I decided to quilt the hexagons, here is a detail

Another idea was to make a crochet blanket. The 'granny squares' had already been started and I just had to make lots more.

I decided to edge them all with black before joining them altogether.

The third idea was to handquilt a quilt that I had already put together.

Here it is once it has been quilted ...

... and here is a detail.