Hectic Matchwork

I love patchwork; delicate, fine and complicated, and whenever there is fine work in any form, may it be knitting or needlework, my family and friends can tell, I did it 🙂

So is the case with patchwork, and I think Seminole is next to none. It is very fine in cutting, sewing and in final results, I feel like painting; the only difference is with fabric. As painting is my dream; but I can’t.

My first encounter with this form of work was just by accident, once as usual on old bookshop I saw some very unusual book with fine thin designs and colours on the front page. I took it or the rest of my life; it took me.

I read it, tried some designs, as usual with 3 times the grid, as I believed it can’t be done ¾ inch per strip. I made some but dishearten put the book away.

After some time again worked on it this time actual size and tried hard to match the tiny squares and whenever needed added some tucks and streaches. The results were clumsy but promising. As a professional I applied those strips on some pillows etc and they were loved and sold promptly. I found that even the first one was also in the same category. It has some pull, magnetic, or what. Then I practiced it with full effort and it paid, .So I started making it in voile and thin cotton, with summer and winter colours.

I used them on ladies dresses, all designs, shirts, stoles, and party wear. Used silk, cotton and other materials and when needed I stabilized light fussy fabric with wondaweb; real wonder.

I do exhibitions and take as much of Seminole as I can as it takes the burden of all expenses and takes the lion share in profits as well. Ladies fall like autumn leaves on my stall and others come to see what is happening there and fall too. These laces are so eye catching and fine and out of this world that people abruptly say; it is the fabric itself, no no it cant be stitching and when they hold it and feel it, the look they have on their faces, is utter disbelief. I love that part the most, Next they declare, she does not make them; she gets them made. In my country mostly ladies of high class don’t work, they get it done.  So what!  I say, appreciate the one who made it. It’s no secret that I make them my self and right now I am sitting close to a pile of cut strips in rainbow colours. How can I deprive myself of joy of playing with colours, without spilling them?    

This is the book I believe I can weigh in diamonds, or if there is some more precious thing in this world.

I searched the web for more books or designs, but not much. Rather I have worked a lot in this field. I have worked in different mediums and on different pieces, such as clothe towels, bed linens, wall hangings, gift-bags, cushions, curtain-valances, and much more. I work in different sizes of strips for different uses. My colours and themes are quite different from the book, as I adapted them to my lifestyles and demands.

Seminole patchwork is loved by me and all my clients without a doubt. In Pakistan only I make them and try to teach if I find someone, but as it is very time and labour consuming nobody dares learn it . Only they want it done.

Ladies from boutiques see it, grab it, the whole roll, at times the whole range of that colour and flee with bounty as if it will vanish. They see new dress designs in it and are sure that it is a rare commodity. I make sets of colours and designs such as I work from 3 strips to 6 or seven strips, in colour gradations, and one biased strip to work as pipping, so when you get a whole set of design ready to use , you sure are to headstream for it.

I thank the authors and the CnT publications that did such a great job in publishing this book. It’s a treasure for me. Recently I wrote my comments on their web as well about this book. Luckily I have 2 of these, and believe me will buy again if I find some .These designs are joy and income in one go.