Cultural Fusion Quilts, A Melting Pot of Piecing Traditions by Sujata Shah, published by C & T brings a sense of fun to the Q-niverse. Sujata brings all of who she is, all of those things that have influenced and informed her love for color and texture to quilt making in a way that is, well, so much fun!
Sujata encourages us to:
- Be Curious
- Be Bold
- Be Spontaneous
- Be Creative
- Be Intuitive
with our fabric color, texture and scale of print. With this kind of encouragement how can our quilts and quilt making be anything but fun and fab?
From the quilts of Gee’s Bend to the fabrics and colors of her home country of India, to architecture and the patterns and texture of African Mud Cloth, Sujata shares her sources of inspiration throughout the book. With such a wide range of inspiration her quilts are always fresh and unique.
She incorporates a mix of technique from free form cutting to using rulers and acrylic templates to achieve the look and style she’s going for. Using these techniques together has the potential effect of giving us permission to have fun with our quilt making. Use all of those fabrics in our stash together to create.
Sujata dedicated Cultural Fusion Quilts to her parents with these words:
“To my father, Jagmohandas Gandhi,
and my mother, Saudamini Gandhi.
Crazy Quilt
Crazy Quilt, the first pattern, has three different lay out options with a variety of looks.
Sunset
Sujata shares the inspiration for Sunset: “There is something magical about the sky changing colors with the passing of every second at dusk. The last rays of sunshine paint the clouds, deep blue waves carry liquid gold to the shore, palm trees sway gently in the wind, and birds fly in a hurry to call it a day. Some of my favorite memories of childhood are of watching the sun go down on the Arabian Sea. To this day, I enjoy standing still as the sky darkens and the glow of amber and gold fades away into the dark.”
Visit The Root Connection and Basket Full of Scraps to see more of Sujata’s quilts.
And check out the rest of the book’s parade through the blogosphere…
December 2 Sujata The Root Connection, C&T Teresa Stroin, C&T Lynn Merrill
December 3 LeAnn Decker Nifty Quilts
December 4 Victoria Gertenbach The Silly BooDilly
December 5 Rachaeldaisy Blue Mountain Daisy
December 6 Lori D Humble Quilts
December 7 Casey York The Studio Blog
December 8 Malka Dubrawsky A Stitch in Dye
December 9 Sherry Lynn Wood daintytime
December 10 Bonnie Hunter Quiltville’s Quips & Snips
December 11 Generation Q Magazine
December 12 Jan Burgwinkle Be*mused
December 13 Janet Treen Quiltsalott
Are you ready for a bit of fun? Quilting inspiration comes from lots of places, where does your inspiration come from? Tell us for an opportunity to win a copy of Cultural Fusion Quilts, hard copy in the States of e-book internationally. We’ll hit that random number generator on Friday December 19 to select the winner.
Well Q-bies! That hot date with the Random Number Generator selected #59! Dorothy Matheson. Congratulations! Be on the look out for an email from us.
{ 84 comments… read them below or add one }
I get inspiration from the world around me whether its nature or man made. I find inspiration from Amish style, Gee’s Bend , the tent makers of Cairo and other other “everyday art” from around the world. I’m not so good at translating this into a quilt, so this book could help with that.
My inspiration usually comes from photos I’ve taken on my travels and in my own backyard.
I like the Crazy Quilt. Very colorful.
I think my inspiration mostly comes from Nature. I love sunsets and morning skies and also art works depicting landscapes. Right now I am working on a hand sewn hexagon piece called Monet’s City…his Water Lilies inspired me…thank you for the chance to win…hugs, Julierose
I get my quilting inspiration from a lot of places. We just moved to Italy and I’m enthralled with floors: tiles, mosiacs, brick patterns.
I find inspiration everywhere. Old quilts are a great place to start and colour is everywhere. I’m always seeing colour combinations that work in nature and they are usually combinations I would not have thought of myself! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of Sujata’s wonderful book!
I get inspired by the work of other in my guild. They do tremendous work.
Absolutely beautiful review with stunning photos of Sujata’s awesome quilts. But it is her own quoted words from her book that absolutely brought tears to my eyes. Her beautiful dedication to her parents and the common and cultural synchronicity of the simple but incredible beauty of a sunset! Sujata captures it all in my eyes and in my heart.
This blog tour has been so much fun!
I have many quilt books and magazines, and of course the wealth of the Internet. I like to look at pictures of quilts and think, “How could I reinterpret this design?” I do not like to copy piece-for-piece and I have an enormous stash so I do not buy kits.
My inspiration comes from the recipients of my quilts and giving gifts of love.
My inspiration comes from abstract paintings, design books, bicycle racing, and the fabric itself.
Abstract painters, professional bicycle racing, design books and fabric are my inspirations.
I’m one of those who always read the dedications in books. This one was so lovely & heartfelt – rather than just a list of people. I get quilt inspiration everywhere – nature, quilt shows, guild show & tell, tile patterns – you name it & I can find a quilt in it~!
The beautiful world outside my door!
So much of my inspiration comes from the lines, angles and patterns I see everyday around me…. The curve of an overpass, the pattern of a fence or window grid…. everything is beautiful!
I love to look at the work of many quilters online. There is a lot of creativity going on!
I get my quilting inspiration from looking at other quilters’ work. thank you for sharing with us.
Hello !
As usual, my inspiration comes from others quilts !
I read, I observe, I admire….
Hugs from France !
I’m inspired by color in nature and the urban environment in which I live (San Francisco).
I’m inspired by color in nature and the urban environment in which I live (San Francisco).
I get my inspiration from blogs, books, walking, buildings, fabrics, landscapes – everywhere I look and appreciate what I see! This book looks very inspiring! I’m looking forward to having my sewing space set up again so I can try some ideas out! Thanks for putting my name in the hat for the drawing.
Usually a fabric will inspire me. And I love to scroll through Pinterest!
Sunset est magnifique ! C’est mon préféré.
Sujata est très émouvante .Ses quilts sont vivants , les couleurs vibrent
Je serais vraiment heureuse de recevoir une copie de son livre
pour m’en inspirer et avoir une autre approche des couleurs
Amitiés
This book looks like great inspiration! This is my first exposure to your magazine, and I’m excited to look through. My inspiration comes from friendship. I love to make quilts that I think respond to personality and quirks of my friends and family. The internet provides so much inspiration too – seeing works by wonderful quilters excites my creative side. Thanks for the giveaway
my inspiration comes from seeing other quilts
quilt books, and the work of others. I very seldom make the colors the pattern suggests though, I like to mix up my own color pallet
For me, inspiration used to come from other people’s patterns and ideas. Now it’s more of an internal journey, still inspired by other people’s creativity, but definitely more by my own vision.
I get inspired from old or vintage quilts and nature places I visit. The book looks fantastic thanks for giving us a chance to win one.
Two basic sources of inspiration:
- other quilts, any…
- the world around me: my garden, my street, patterns of things and places when I travel…
But there¡s still a long way to go…
My inspiration comes from the things around me nature etc. What a great opportunity to have a copy of this
book. Thanks
Often my inspiration comes from the person for whom I am making the quilt, even today, when the quilt I am making is for my dog Mavis.
My inspiration comes from all the pretty eye candy online. Thanks!
Sujata’s quilts are inspiring me now! I have followed her blog for a while.
This looks like a really fun book with no-stress piecing!
my inspiration comes from color! This is a great book!!!!
I get inspiration from so many things- places, people, events, books, blogs. Sometimes it’s almost too much!
I think it is the fabric itself which inspires me – trying to think how different fabrics would look together. I would love to win this book.
I am inspired to quilt to create something that I can give to someone special. I want whatever quilt I make to be treasured and loved and used. I want someone to think of it as a hug from me to give someone comfort. It to be used on a chilly night by the fire while curled up reading a book. Its only a few of the things that inspire me to quilt.
First color, then pattern are what inspire my quilting. This book is full of my kind of inspiration!
Hoping I’ll get me inspiration from this book!
I get inspiration from quilt shows, quilt blogs, pinterest and my quilting colleagues. I think this book looks fabulous. I love the colors!
I get my inspiration in many different places such as, bathroom floors in restaurants, nature, quilts on the internet and my own sewing studio! Thank you for the giveaway.
I absolutely love Surjata’s use of color, fascinating quilt. I must say yours are just as beautiful.
Love Surjata’s use of color, so inspiring. I get a lot of inspiration from nature. I also love the old Masters, they also inpire me.
Always..blogs! Other quilters are my main source of inspiration.
This book is AMAZING!! Would love to win a copy of it.
Thanks SO much for the opportunity.
My inspiration usually comes from nature’s magnificent creations!
I get inspiration from so many things. A lot of blogs help give me ideas or I see a pattern and picture it with different fabrics or something a little different. Color is a huge inspiration too, I love a lot of color. Thanks for the giveaway!
tdkcarpenoctem@hotmail.com
My quilting inspiration comes from all over — nature, architecture, books, magazines, online, etc. Also spending time in a room full of beautiful fabric gives me many ideas for quilts I want to make.
I get inspiration from the colors in fabric, my travels, the internet, the clothing I purchase. I love saturated color and ethnic prints so I also have something festive around me.
This book certainly gets me inspired! Love the use of the colours (I’m not that brave myself I must admit).
Great book Thanks for the give away
great book, Thanks for the give away
My inspiration comes mostly from the amazing variety of quilters blogs that I visit and explore. All of the creative energy is inspiring and sometimes overwhelming. I have to balance the time I spend being inspired and making things!
I get inspiration everywhere but online, Pinterest is #1 for that.:) Would love to win this wonderful book!!
I really enjoyed reading this review of Cultural Fusion Quilts.
I am inspired by colors and photos, trees and flowers. Especially like thumbing through magazines and old scrappy quilts.
I get inspired by nature, but also by the work of other quilters. I love the juxtaposition of color and pattern, all free-form, in this book!
I am inspired by the work and stories of other quilters, both antique and modern, and by nature.
My inspiration comes from all the great quilting blogs with tutorials and photos! This is an awesome quilt book!
What a wonderful book! Gorgeous quilts! I love getting inspiration from other’s quilts, my quilt store, just walking among all the beautiful fabrics and I consider who my gift is for and the person they are.
Thank you for a super giveaway and a chance to win.
usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com
My inspiration usually comes from blogs and instagram!
My inspiration comes from all over! Quilt blogs, antique quilts, Gee’s Bend quilts, and whatever I see everywhere! I can find inspiration in just about anything, but my best ideas often come to me just as I’m waking up or falling asleep. Kind of weird, but it works for me!
So much of my inspiration comes from visiting blogs like yours and others in the online quilt community.
The book is on the top of my Christmas list. It looks like a book I need.
Pictures of quilts inspire me.
I find my inspiration comes from a variety of places, often when I am least expecting it an idea pops up. I am inspired by many of the wonderful blogs I follow. It’s a wonderful community.
i most love the idea of being spontaneous…i think my quilting is where im most spontaneous in my whole life!
recently ive noticed more and more illustrations in childrens books as inspriation…and im not just talking about all the quilts pictured on kids beds, but that is a plus!
I get inspired by reading magazines, quilting blogs, and seeing quilts at quilt shop hops and quilt shows. kthurn@bektel.com
I do get inspiration from magazines and books about quilting. So this book is perfect for me.
My inspiration comes from my photos, my flowers, and things I see at quilt shows.
I think color is my biggest inspiration. Thanks for the giveaway!
What a fabulous book! Can’t wait to have my own copy. Thanks for the chance to win one!
My inspiration comes from my quilty friends but more from the quilt forums I belong to and the blogs that I read. I also love to check out magazines and books – there are lots of different sources to inspire one- even ones in the art and nature that surrounds one in daily life.
Thanks for the chance to win such a lovely book.
Regards from Alberta, Canada,
Anna
I find inspiration in looking at quilts on blogs, in magazines, in books and in person. I may not follow their pattern but it gets me thinking of possibilities. Thanks for sharing.
My inspiration comes from color – whether in a photo, a view out the window, a fabric, a memory. Color energizes me.
I must say that traveling is very inspirational to my quilting and one reason I think that is true is because when you are traveling you notice more things and take the time to really look. It is good to get out of our daily routines with a trip to a new place, new sights, and sounds and let the inspiration wash over us to bring back to our sewing rooms to then translate to fabric! I love quilting don’t you?
Thanks for the chance to win!
Happy Sewing and Merry Christmas
I am inspired by everything I see! I may make a quilt pattern as given, but most often “tweak or tinker” to make the pattern my own. I love the bright color and innovative piecing in all the quilts featured. I would love to win this book-thanks for the chance!
Love the photos from this book would love to win a copy!
I can find my inspiration from so many different places. As simple as a piece of fabric to the architecture that I see around me. Thank you for the opportunity to win this book.
I get inspired from all the books I read, the websites I visit and the fabric stores I visit. Can’t get enough of any of them!
Inspiration usually appears at unexpected times — a shadow, a reflection on a window pane, the way branches crisscross on a tree. If I look for inspiration, it tends to elude me. If I am open to whatever I see throughout my life, I find more than enough ideas to keep me busy. I always have paper and pen to write notes and sketch and a camera to snap pictures so I can remember and expand upon whatever catches my imagination.
I love getting inspiration from my clients. Sometimes they ask me to make quilts that I would never think up on my own…. It challenges me to get outside my comfort zone and use colors and design techniques that I wouldn’t have tried. This book looks like it is full of fun new quilting ideas.
I am so fearful of my creativity that I take everyone else’s inspiration from traveling the blogs. I would love to be able to push out of that and make some of these quilts because there is no right or wrong of balancing and being perfect. I also like that the improv still has the ability to have different layout choices. This book looks like a way to break free and be me.
the book looks amazing!
the colors, design….
i make scrap quilts then donate them
to kidzquilts through our local guild….
i’d love to win!