March 16, 2020

March 1, 2020

Cartoon Umbrella Drumboxes - 2020



Recycled umbrellas to Drumbox Kites!







January 1, 2020

Seasons Greetings - 2020


 

The History of the Hebrew Word for Kite

A fantastic article (in Hebrew) about the history of the Hebrew word for kite and multiple alternative proposals that never caught on.  










October 5, 2019

Feathered Star - 2019

Feathered Star Patchwork Technique
approx. 2.4m point-to-point.

From paper sketch...

... to the final kite:





September 9, 2019

Patchwork Kites: Lecture to the Israeli Quilters Association - 2019


Shula was guest speaker at the 2019 Israeli Quilters Association Workshops


December 31, 2018

Picasso Meets Sewing Machine Artists - Fanø 2018

kite.builders has an article about our Fanø Kitemakers Workshop.
"...Meanwhile, the men tried the sewing machines. Eli and Shula Shavit from Israel taught the "Tessellating Pinwheels Ohashi Sail Design" in their workshop as part of the Fanø Kitemakers. That sounds complicated and it is - until you know how it works. 17 participants participated in the workshop at the Fanø school, where six kites were completed at the workshop and the remaining kites completed at home."

More photos from the workshop can be seen here.



December 30, 2018

Thing 1 and Thing 2 - 2018

Flying Saucers - diameter is ~ 1.9 m

The kites are inspired by Jim Rawlands'  FLYING SAUCER kite 
which is based on a design by Jacques Zanni published in Le Lucane







December 29, 2018

Interview - 2018

Our interview with Ralf Dietrich from kite.builders.

June 21, 2018

Kite Reunion

We had an opportunity for a kiteflyers reunion with old friends!
From left-to-right: Shula Shavit, Suli Omer, Itamar Kastelanski, Uri Abeles (author of the 1991 kite book "Afifomania"), Eli Shavit


June 14, 2018

Fanø Kitemakers Workshop - Fanø 2018

We were honored to be invited to teach a Patchwork Kite Masterclass during the 2018 Fanø Kitefliers Meeting in Denmark. We chose a Tessellating Pinwheels design for an Ohashi style kite. Eighteen participants worked hard during the 9 hour workshop and by the end of the day, there were 5 complete kites. With diligent participants working late, we had twelve kites in the sky the following day.


 

 

June 13, 2018

Inspiring Others

Pete Schmidt was inspired by our Bedspread kite. He called his creation "The Shavit Kite".
We are immensely proud, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!


...and our version



March 1, 2018

October 9, 2017

The Israel Museum Homepage - 2017

The 32nd Kite Flying Festival, The Afifoniada, at the Israel Museum is tomorrow, and we made the front page!


and on mobile with the distinguished company of Ai Weiwei:


September 5, 2017

Patchwork and Kites Puzzle - 2017

When we came upon Jane Wooster Scott's Patchwork Sampler 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, we just had to assemble it. Kites and Patchwork, that's so Shavit!


September 1, 2017

A Kite Quote

A lovely quote from Romain Gary's book Les Cerfs-Volants (The Kites):
It's perfectly clear that a man that has devoted his whole life to kites is not without a grain of folly. It's just a question of interpretation. There are some who call it a 'grain of folly', and others who talk of a 'sacred spark'. It's sometimes hard to tell one from the other.
(Translated by Philip Le Riche)

July 4, 2017

Octagon - 2017

The Pattern of the kite is called "Star of the Orient" Quilt Pattern. 
The kite's diameter is ~ 1.2m



Geo-Pointer - 2017

The Geo Pointer kite, designed by Ceewan is a Single Point Bridle kite.
Size: 5.5m x 2m