Kawandi Quilt Workshop

Tutor: Kate Sanford

27th June 2025
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Cost Per Person: £50

A Kawandi Quilt is a hand-stitched patchwork quilt that originated in Western India. The quilts are made from recycled scrap fabric, often including old saris. A sustainable way to create new, useful and beautiful textile art.

In this workshop, we will recycle old shirts and other fabric scraps that you might have otherwise discarded, into a colourful, unique, hand quilted place mat or small table runner. This is a great class to explore colour and texture with mindful slow stitching. It’s a simple technique with lots of room to be creative.

The workshop is suitable for people who are comfortable hand sewing, or those just starting to hand sew and want to learn more. We will be using a simple running stitch.

You will learn how to:

• Choose fabric, and what fabrics to avoid using
• Disassemble old shirts to use 
• Fold the edges over, and stitch to start
• Lay the batting down
• Place fabric and add new pieces 
• How far apart to sew 
• What thread you can use 

What to bring:

• Fabric – Only scrap fabric will be used in this workshop. Any fabric you have left over from previous makes or favourite (past their best) shirts, will be perfect. Mens work shirts are perfect, you can buy these at any charity shop. Other fabrics that you can use are quilting weight cotton, double gauze, sari silk, thin chambray, cotton summer dresses, or any fabric from your crafting stash. It does not need to be precut, but Kate recommends ironing your scraps before the class.  The amount required is approximately 2-3 fat quarters ( 2-3 shirts), but bring extra just in case. We will be sharing with other people for variety.  Avoid thick fabrics such as denim, upholstery weight fabrics, felt, nylon, polyester or lycra.
• Backing fabric and wadding – You need a piece of cotton fabric for the backing and a piece of wadding/batting for the middle, these should both be the same size  (Small 10×12”  or  large 16×18”). Kate can provide wadding for a small fee. Please contact Kate in advance to request wadding.
• Sharp sewing needles, to accommodate your thread choice (embroidery/crewel needles are fine, Kate will be bringing a selection).
• Small scissors or thread snips.
• Large fabric scissors.
• A comfortable thimble.
• Thread, embroidery floss, perle cotton- size #8 or #12,  Kates preferred thread is 12wt Aurifil.
• Seam roller (optional).
• Needle threader (optional).
• Some pins (optional).
• A needle puller (optional).