Shweshwe Fabric

Is all African discharge fabric called Shweshwe?????

Or is it a type of fabric .........

They seem to come in wonderful colour groups. Not cheap ( in my op shop shopping book) but I would like a set of the blue fat quarters

oh I had a small piece gifted to me some years ago .. and as i could never see me using it as it was a bit heavy i regifted it .. to someone ... not sure who it was ... but it is gone ... and it was blue too ... sorry ..

i have no idea if it was a 'type of fabric' or just generally called Sheweshwe .. but the lady who sent it to me called it that .....

i have a bloggie friend who came from Zimbabwe .. i could ask her when i get home ... i am pretty sure she would know ...

Oh hello Boobie - you are supposed to be slumming

Yes please - I always like to get the answer to things I wonder about ....... lol

I was surprised that it is heavier than ordinary cotton??? Maybe its the discharge process.

Have fun where ever you get to .....

thanks hun ... will try to have fun ... haha ...

Hi Wendy and Bobbie.

Check this site out for some history on this fabric, very interesting:

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Just call me " of Google"! I love reading about the history of fabric too!

Thanks Evelyn,

Some really interesting info in that article and even more in the comments at the bottom.

I knew about the indigo bit and thats' why I wanted some blue. But they are also selling what you might call "african' colours in Africa. Browns etc and local african type motifs on them and they are all discharge.

So from your article I take it the only real Shweshwe is the blue and the other colours are interlopers.

Wendy, interlopers or not, if the fabric speaks to you then buy it. What ever project you put that fabric into will be a pleasure for you to work on.

Hi Ladies,

Can I add my titbit here? Shweshwe's traditional African fabric and it's used a lot for traditional outfits. There are different groups of these fabric, some a bit thicker than others.
You have to wash it first with course salt. That sets the colour and it's usually a lot softer afterwards.
This fabric is quite strong and you can make lovely handbags with it.
In 2009 I saw a Dear Jane quilt at our South African National Quilt Festival made with Shweshwe and it was beautiful.
It can be successfully combined with plain fabrics. I also works well for a backing fabric.

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Have a look at at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
It tells you a bit more about the origin of the material.
I prefer the "Three Cats" Shweshwe.

OH don't you just love Quilty friends we learn something every day and all very interesting now off to read the sites from Joey

Thanks Joey.. off to have a read now.

such great sites Joey . thank you so much for finding them and sharing ...


love the one that explains all about the history of the fabric ... and how to wash it ... i was sent some a few years ago by a lady from ifq ... and it was so stiff i chose not to use it ... if only i had known what it was ... it is a real shame

It's a pleasure dear friend. There are different coloured varieties available now, not just blue, but red, brown and orange and I think green too.

Hugs,

Joey

i did love the photos of the Dear Jane quilts ... (one day i am going to make me one of them lol) .... and the chocolate brown one was just simply stunning ............. sooooo many different shades of browns .... i really loved it ... the blue was also gorgeous ... but the brown one ... well i just loved it .....

Hi Wendy,

I have just read the latest edition of AP&Q and thought of you!

There is an advertisement for a triple rail (57" x 88") quilt kit (including binding) for $128 in beautiful blue Shwe Shwe fabrics from St Africa. On further investigation, they have the same kit in a queen size and comes in either blue or brown colourway. The on-line quilt kit pic doesn't do justice to the beautiful fabric prints/colours (as seen in the magazine), but they have lots of individual fabrics listed under Fabrics/African.......... well worth the look. (I am tempted!!!!)

Don't forget to check out how wide the fabrics are before you purchase ......... I saw 90 cm wide not 112 cm wide. You would need a minimum of 25% extra when purchasing fabrics 90 cm wide to make a quilt using a pattern based on 42" wide fabrics.

Kit link:  

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Fabric link:

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Thanks for that Evelyn,

They are lovely I think.    I actually want some of the blue relief bits ---- hmmmmmmmmmm might have to think about it.

At the moment I am into tea bags ......... lol they are my latest crazy.   I have just finished a 6' by 2' one.......  They are addictive .....   and I would love to patch some of those blues on them.

Wendy can you show us what you have been doing in the gallery with your tea bag craft please? 
I know you have my interest and there are probably others wondering what it is all about too? 
Or can you provide a link to a site to explain it?

I'm pretty sure it must be patchwork tea bags and not drinking tea bags???
  
Or maybe it is recycling the drinking teabags into patchwork???
As you can see, I need putting out of my misery on this subject................