Scrap Quilting in India

Table of Content

Cultural Significance
Historical roots of Scrap quilting
Regional techniques and styles
Process and Materials of Scrap Quilting
The social and cultural significance of scrap quilting
Contemporary Relevance of Scrap Quilting

Introduction

Scrap quilting is a centuries old craft that is unique in every way. It has been practised as a way to upcycle the old fabrics, and transform them into new, colourful works. Eventually, scrap quilting became a tradition in itself, and began using new textiles to create the intricate designs. Scrap quilting is culturally significant in India because it represents artistic expression and social customs. Contrasting with the more rigid Western quilting traditions, Indian scrap quilts often celebrate improvisation, the beauty of imperfection, and spontaneity.

The philosophy behind scrap quilting is making something out of the old and using it for a new purpose. This is a sustainable and environmentally friendly practice that reduces waste and expenses for new textiles. This practice is deeply inherited from our ancient Indian fabric traditions and its philosophy of "waste not, want not”.

Kawandi Quilting

Cultural Significance

Throughout different parts of India, Scrap quilting is about utility storytelling and heritage. Techniques like Kantha, popular in Bengal and Odisha, and Godhadi of Maharashtra, transform scraps into pieces of both daily use and art. Each piece brings regional motifs and cultural narratives to life. This craft also creates a sense of community. Since they are often practised in groups, quilting sessions allow participants to share stories and skills. Beyond their practical and social purposes, scrap quilting in India represents resilience and creativity, treating what might be discarded as a valuable item to cherish. It is where old traditions meet with new, conscious ones, that motivates many artisans to create the scrap fabrics.

Historical roots of Scrap quilting

Scrap quilts in India have a long history going back to the early use of fabrics in India. The various communities in India have always practised sustainability, salvaging whatever they can, in whichever quantity, and using it to create new utilitarian products. With the rise in regional artistic traditions, the scrap tradition witnessed regional flavours and techniques as well. The Gudari patchwork quilts of Rajasthan and layered Kantha embroidery of Bengal are two examples of practical artistry by Indian artisans.

While Indian quilt-making shares the global ethos of quilting as a functional craft, its methods and motifs often differ from those in other cultures. Unlike the structured patterns common in European quilting traditions, Indian quilts prefer improvisation, with the result being dynamic and truly vibrant designs, making sure that no one quilt is similar to another. In contrast to Western machine quilting, techniques such as Kantha use intrinsically fine and intricate hand-stitching. All traditional quilts share one universal characteristic, being a medium for creativity and storytelling.

Regional techniques and styles

Indian quilts are highly interlinked with various regional cultures of India. Each style and technique reflects local aesthetics, resourcefulness, and narratives. Some of the strong regional styles in Indian quilts are given below:

Kantha Quilts (West Bengal and Odisha)

Kantha quilting

Layered old saris are repurposed in kantha quilting using intricate running stitch embroidery. It depicts scenes from daily life and local folklore. Kantha, in a minimalist approach, tells a tale through needlework.

Kavandi Quilts Siddi Community, Karnataka

This style, practised by the Siddis, is a colourful patchwork using fabric scraps. The quilters work into the centre from the edges, sewing pieces down with hand-stitching. The Siddi community is of African descent, and practises a unique tradition of quilt making. Surprisingly, the tradition of quilting was not brought from their African roots, but was rather inculcated through other communities around them.

Kowdhi Quilts (Karnataka)

Kowdhi quilts are made by upcycling old cloth in patchwork. These quilts are often given as dowry to the bride on her wedding day. Unlike other quilting traditions, these are traditionally made in geometric designs, sewn using a running stitch.

Godhadi Quilts (Maharashtra)

Godhadi quilts are made by layering old textiles and stitching them together with closely spaced parallel lines. Traditionally, the six and nine yard sarees were used to make Godhadi quilts. Known for their utilitarian purpose, these quilts are simple yet vibrant. They are often made by rural women to repurpose worn-out clothing into cosy coverings.

Bihari Sujani Quilts (Bihar)

Sujani quilting typically involves intricate embroidery on layered textiles, often using chain stitch or stem stitch. Traditionally made upon the birth of a newborn, these quilts were decorated with symbolic motifs like animals, trees, and everyday scenes conveying blessings and stories.

Gudari quilting (Rajasthan)

The Gudari quilting is unique as it uses colourful threads instead of general white, along with the use of other materials such as silk, yarn and even mirrors. The art of quilting Gudaris is practiced by the Kalbelia community, or the snake charmers, in the Thar desert. Like other embroidery techniques, the Gudari quilts are also full of motifs representing their surroundings and traditional way of life. Some of the common motifs are coconut flowers or nariyal phool, wings of bird or chidiya ke paankh, armlets, chains of children, etc. These quilts also made their way into the bridal trousseau, and became an important part of their social life.

Process and Materials of Scrap Quilting

Beautifully blending sustainability and artistic heritage, Indian quilt-making and textile recycling practices are reflections of what the regions of Maharashtra and Karnataka showcase in Godhadi and Kawandi quilts. Here, the discarded sarees, shirts, and other pieces of fabric are used by layering them for thickness and durability, then hand-stitched into effective and colourful quilts. Generally, white threads are used for the stitches, giving the quilts a unique, prominent identity. The intricate, geometric patterns and rich play of colours in every patch assume a character where every piece carries something of the past life of the fabric.

In Bengal, the Kantha tradition uses old sarees to create layered quilts that are completely covered in minute running stitches. All the elements and motifs are inspired by their nature, mythology and daily life; this reflects the storytelling in each of its pieces. Bihar's Sujani embroidery, a similar technique, again uses repurposed textiles as the base but stitched upon with delicate, detailed work often imbued with social and spiritual meaning. Haryana's Panja Dhurrie weaving turns scraps into bold floor coverings with graphic patterns.

The social and cultural significance of scrap quilting

More than a handiwork made of cloth, quilt-making is a cultural practice that fosters community ties and passes on ancestral knowledge. In the past, it was a craft that created a sense of community among people, it created a platform to share their skills and even stories. Such spirit is highly manifested in villages and tribal regions, where quilting is more of a collective activity. Besides the social application, the quilts and their motifs harbour symbolism that is based on deep and spiritual meanings. Geometric designs, flora and fauna are mostly employed to tell myths, bestow blessings, or depict harmony between humans and nature. In tribal communities like Baiga and Bhil, quilt motifs often reflect the environmental belief system, it shows the concepts of coexistence and sustainability in their art.

Contemporary Relevance of Scrap Quilting

Scrap quilting has become very popular in recent years, especially with the awareness of sustainable lifestyles around the globe. The upcycling or scrap quilting in the fashion and home décor industries has opened the gates of contemporary opportunities. As a result of fusing creative design with cultural heritage, scrap quilting has gained respect as an art form in sustainable living. Initiatives by craft cooperatives and NGOs are an important factor in promoting these practices among contemporary artisans to see that the old methods are not lost but adapted to the current market. Quilt making is now practised worldwide, combining traditional themes with contemporary designs, it provides artisans with a new economic and cultural expression.

Conclusion

Indian scrap quilting perfectly blends tradition, creativity, and sustainability, It transforms the fabric into meaningful art while keeping cultural heritage alive. Every quilt has a story embossed on its creation, reflecting the skills, emotions, and teamwork of the artisans making it. As this world transitions into sustainable living practices, Indian scrap quilting epitomizes how old practices can be adapted for modern needs. By supporting and continuing the traditions, the communities preserve this practice for future generations.

References