DIPTEE RAUT – A QUILT STORYTELLER

Diptee Raut was one to always follow her heart’s calling, which is why she left Mumbai, a place which was not only a city but home to her, a place where she took her first steps, which made her independent enough to set out on life adventures and greet opportunities with open arms, at 26, she moved to Kolkata with dreams in her eyes. Diptee made a career in Human Resources in Kolkata and was content there but life had other plans for her. 13 years later along with the gift of motherhood she received a call from her heart. 

Diptee grew up watching her Aunts make creative and intricate, baby patchwork quilts for all the children in her family without the internet to turn to for inspiration. That’s when the first seeds of her interest in  experiments with fabric and sewing machines were planted, this mere interest inevitably became something she enjoyed doing. Somewhere along the lines her professional life took over this passion and she forgot about the hobby she once enjoyed.

When Diptee became a mother, it was her aunts who reignited Diptee’s passion by making a quilt for her little one. Since then there has been no looking back for Diptee, who once left home to start a career in Human resources was now on a journey that would only make her grow. From artistic to patchwork blocks Diptee does it all, with a special corner in her heart for Baby Quilts as a tribute to her beloved teachers. 

Being the artistic and creative individual Diptee is, it was no surprise to us that she is a woman of many talents, she has won two all India short story contests and has had many of her short stories published in anthologies.

This passion and devotion to quilting and writing is what Inspired her to start India’s first Quilt magazine ‘Quilt Stories’ which is a Bi-monthly E-magazine and it features inspirational stories of quilters and non-quilters from all over India. Diptee has made a great contribution to the Indian Quilt community and we commend her journey. “Quilters have reached out to me with all the help they could. In terms of contributions, ideas, feedback, patterns… everything. They have all been so very encouraging.

It is heartening to see so many people now taking to quilting as a hobby. With resources only increasing and technology bringing the quilting communities together, I think quilting as a hobby, a passion and also a profession is here to stay and flourish in our country.” Wrote Diptee when asked about the future and her experiences with the Indian Quilt community.