Join Kena Tangi Dorsey in her extensive and expert introduction to working with African fabrics, and “quilt with your heart and soul, not your intellect”.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, I have always been a lover of African fabrics. Especially indigenous ones such as kente cloths and mud cloths, but those are very thickly woven textiles and they don’t always work that well for piecing.
However, once I began quilting about 20 years ago, I discovered African wax prints, which are 100% cotton. These fabrics work beautifully in patchwork quilts! So, early in my quilt journey, I began making quilted bags, wall hangings, table runners, place mats, throw quilts and, eventually, art and portrait quilts using Ankaras. I loved mixing corduroy, quilting cottons and denim in my African wall-hangings and embellishing them with cowrie shells.
What are African wax prints?
Just in case you’re not entirely sure what African wax prints are, let me start by giving a brief introduction. In short, African wax prints, also known as Ankara fabrics, are modern colourful cotton cloths that are mostly used for clothing in large parts of Africa, and especially in places like Ghana and Nigeria.
It’s important to note that many of the graphics used on the fabrics are symbols that have meanings and are proverbs related to the beliefs of specific tribes throughout the continent. You can usually identify what region of Africa a fabric is native to, based on the colours, symbols and pattern designs. African wax, or Ankara fabrics are printed using a batik process inspired by the Indonesians. That’s why you will also sometimes hear them commonly referred to as African batiks. Some people may be surprised to learn that the industry of producing African wax fabric is actually owned by the Dutch. However, African wax prints have been overwhelmingly adopted by the native African populations for the last 150 years.
The colourful fabric and prints are reflective of their communities, beliefs, their identity and way of life. It has been a means of expression and income for African artists, the African fashion industry as well as the business owner, to name a few. Ankara fabric not only helps the African economy, but it celebrates and lifts the culture by bringing pride and awareness to the beautiful land that is Africa. Not only that, it is highly revered by textile lovers all over the world. Enter quilters!
Nowadays, with the global and commercial popularity of Ankaras, there has been more access and exposure to so many wonderful African fabrics world-wide. So, quite natur
