Today is Diwali (a.k.a Deepavali), the Hindu festival of lights. It represents the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, …… It is celebrated all over India in many different ways. Most include worship & prayer of some kind with the family, fireworks and sparklers, sharing of sweets and good food with family and friends, and homes and businesses decorated with beautiful earthen lamps.
The October Island Batik challenge is “Top it Off”. We are challenged to make a holiday-themed table topper or table runner using any applique technique. Of course I picked Diwali, my favorite holiday and timed this blog post to coincide with Diwali this year.
The center piece of this table topper is a multi-colored Dresden plate block. I used three bright colors and arranged it similar to a rangoli. Around the center block are appliques of lamps with a flame. I used fusible web for applique and sewed them down with a zigzag stitch using invisible thread.
I quilted in the background area with a dark grey thread. Tried my hand at thread art using gold Auriful thread to look like flickering flames.
Fabric: Various Island Batik including solid black
Batting: Hobbs Cotton batting
Thread: Isacord (Smoke), Aurifil (Gold), Sulky (monofilament – invisible)
Size: About 40″ diameter.
First thing I saw this morning Vasudha and so fitting as I am off to teach yoga very soon! Your threadwork is beautiful! Before I read how you made the flames glow, I zoomed in because I thought you maybe had used a different fabric like organza to get that transparency. Well done my friend. Blessings of the season!
Hi Vasudha! What a fabulous table topper and celebration of Diwali. I am so fortunate to have found you and your blog to educate me on this fabulous Festival of Lights. I love learning about different religions and traditions and especially those that celebration the light/goodness. I am especially enthralled by the candles and how you stitching does really look like candles flickering. I was certain you were going to say you paper pieced them somehow – but thread painting is so very much more realistic-looking and something I could actually do. Fabulous piece! I hope you are able to enjoy the day with family and friends and celebrate all of your combined goodness. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
P.S. Thanks for linking up! ~smile~ Roseanne
Beautiful table topper! I love this festival and the joy and color around it and now a table topper that is truly memorable. Thank you.
Beautiful job both in explaining Diwali and in your lovely table topper….Great post
This is just lovely in everyday. Love the use of thread to flicker flames, perfectly matched seams on the Dresden, and the deep meaning behind the design!
Happy Diwali. That’s a great piece. I learned about rangoli when I was in India last fall. It’s so pretty.
Great job. Thanks for telling us a little about Diwali. I love adding to my store of knowledge. I looked up rangoli and that is a very intriguing tradition.
Pretty table topper, love your flames!
Lovely Topper, and I too love the flames
Thanks for sharing Diwali. Your flames really do seem to flicker. Thanks for sharing how you did that too.
Beautiful – and the quilting around the lights makes such a cool glow!!
Gorgeous finish, the black really sets off your design. Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down.
This is simply gorgeous! Thank you for educating me on the festival of lights. It sounds wonderful and warm, the perfect holiday for family and friends! Thanks for linking to Wednesday Wait Loss.
Hello Vasudha,
What a lovely design! The colours are so pretty, and the swirls of dark gold in the candle flames and the flickering lines around them really bring them to life.
Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks. Your quilt is this week’s featured project!
Love, Muv
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