When we were invited to our first Patchwork Championships, I imagined a lot of ladies under the stop watch, fabrics and needle in hands competing to make a patchwork quilt the fastest. However, I was persuaded to bring our stall along and discovered the wonderful world of patchwork and quilting. Everybody was really taken by our unusual fabrics but we found that many quilters didn’t want a whole two metre length piece or even a metre of fabric but a selection of small pieces. And so we made our first patchwork set, and haven’t looked back since.

Javanese batik is ideal for patchwork and quilting because the cotton is of such a high quality to begin with. It is made to withstand the very harsh processes of making a batik - waxing, dyeing and then boiling to remove the wax. In fact it just seems to get better with age - the best, known as Primissima, is often mistaken for silk when it is old and has been washed many times.

Patchworkers and quilters also appreciate the unusual designs which are very often traditional and therefore very different to what we see in the west. They also enjoy the exciting colour combinations - many people say, for example, that they have never thought that brown and indigo (used in the Central Javanese batik) could be so rich and attractive. The gold edged fabrics used in Indonesia for ceremonies and weddings are also very much appreciated for their exotic look.

I have now been lucky to see many quilts, clothes, cushions, boxes and so on made with our fabrics and this has inspired me to try making my own quilts.

See the individual fabrics pages for details of the patchwork sets available.