Beating stress one stitch at a time

If you have ever tried quilting, you will know how deeply it helps to alleviate stress. It acts as a stabilizer in times of perplexity or distress, the needle keeping you on course in life as quoted by Grace Coolidge! Between social-distancing rules and stay-home rules we have all been spending a lot of time within our own four walls. It is no surprise that, along with baking kits, and gardening kits sewing machines were making a comeback even if to sew face masks! Quilting saw a huge revival during the early pandemic times.  Viki Shah speaks to Mala Ramakrishnan of Classic Quilts and tells you more about this lovely art.

Making a cosy or colorful quilt to snuggle under is an excellent use of your time when the world outside feels intimidating. It does not only keep you busy ― research shows that the rhythmic hum of the sewing machine, the uplifting colours and the perceptible aspect of the craft can calm the mind and improve your mood.

The origin of Classic Quilts

Classic Quilts is a family-owned hobby sewing store started by Mala Ramakrishnan, an avid quilter, who started her journey in patchwork and quilting in the year 2000. Not being able to find locally available quality sewing supplies specific to her passion-filled hobby, Mala started the store in 2005 to create a unique space for quilters and sewists to shop for fabric, sewing supplies and machines specific to the domestic sewing industry. Her Long-Arm Quilting Service wing also paved the way for unique gifting opportunities by supplying custom made picture-based quilts and T-shirt quilts.

The origin of Quilting

Historically, quilts first originated from Sweden. They apparently were more representative as a functional, decorative spread that showed wealth- mostly made from richer fabrics such as silk or wool. As time passed and trade transpired, we believe that quilting is found in almost every country in its own cultural format – the Egyptians have the tentmakers for example. In the US, quilting quickly became part of the country’s heritage and it is the US that has totally commercialized the concept of quilting. Today we find many industries – fabrics, sewing tools, batting (putting insulation between the fabrics), sewing machines – that have revived and grown in strength thanks to the community spirit and the artistic depth that quilting brings with it.

Popularity of quilting in this part of the world

In the Middle East, it has definitely made an impression compared to when Mala first opened shop in 2005. As with most hobbies, it requires time and spend, and this formula sits quite well with middle-aged women who have creative outlets and find a lot of therapy in the hobby of sewing. We still believe there is strong potential for this hobby to gain more pace in the years to come.

Quilting revival as a pandemic hobby

It is one of those niche market hobbies that requires you to stay at home and work on. Obviously, that was a big outcome of the stay-at-home campaigns in 2020, and therefore we saw a spike in the world of DIY (do it yourself). Sewing masks also became trendy and owning a sewing machine became a sudden need in the local market.

Benefits of quilting

Sewing in general, is therapeutic. Working with colours, understanding how to measure, cut and fix – are all artistic and mathematical processes in play when it comes to creating a quilt. Let us not forget the amount of love a finished quilt brings with it. It’s immeasurable! We find this hobby very special and people in this hobby tend to be amazing people!

Can anyone do it? What are the basic skills necessary?

Yes, a simple beginners class takes you there. You just might need a bit of guidance on how to use certain tools of the trade – like a rotary cutting system to trim your fabrics, how to use a sewing machine for specific quilting functions – how to sew on layers etc. Our beginners quilting programme, which is a 15-hour programme split into 5 sessions, is a great place for anyone to come by and learn the basics. Once the language is clear, you can perhaps break open any pattern from the internet and make quilts of all sorts of unique designs.

What would you tell a beginner who wants to learn quilting?

Start with us! We are responsible for many in the UAE for learning to love this hobby in an approachable, friendly manner. Once you create, we open you to a world of other quilters and sewists. The community is very accepting, and we are always excited to introduce newbies into our creative wonderland.