African American Fabrics

African American Fabrics- Adinkra Cloth Printing Workshop COMING

2012-10-16T00:48:00.001-04:00

African American Fabrics-in the Blue at the ArtShack, Baby!

2012-10-16T00:46:00.000-04:00

Indigo Dying Event! We had a great time learning about the history of indigo and dying our own fabrics. The group explored the chemistry of the plant and the affects of the oxidizing air. everyone, test several fabrics to see the difference. Plus, we had great food. See you all next time. At the Adinkra Workshop!! More pictures at African American Fabrics and Kweli Kitwana's FACEBOOK PAGE.

The participants in the Indigo Blues BBQ and DYing event had a blast.

African American Fabrics: Indigo City Fabric

2012-09-10T00:32:00.001-04:00

I love indigo!!

Indigo was the foundation of centuries-old textile traditions throughout West Africa. From the Tuareg nomads of the Sahara to Cameroon, clothes dyed with indigo signified wealth. Women dyed the cloth in most areas, with the Yoruba of Nigeria and the Mandinka of Mali particularly well known for their expertise. Among theHausa male dyers, working at communal dye pits was the basis of the wealth of the ancient city of Kano, and they can still be seen plying their trade today at the same pits.

I've been thinking about using indigo in a design for some time. Recent, reflections of evening walks on the Chicago beaches and the bright lights of the skyline, has inspired me to create the NEW "Indigo City" fabric design. NOW AVAILABLE!!

African American Fabrics: Fabric Printing Using Styrofoam Trays

2012-09-10T00:13:00.001-04:00

If you've ever taken a class with me, you know I am the "waste not-want not" queen, the green-friendly studio "police", and the "make it work" preacher . It is my philosophy, there isn't a reason in the world to not consider your environmental impact even when you're creating. I have great joy in the "craft" of reducing, reusing and recycling (or, up-cycling).

Although, I rarely take anything prepackage or carried out in styrofoam, unfortunately it is hard to completely avoid it. So, I have found myself with a wire basket full of those styrofoam trays and container waiting for the wisdom to do something with them. Over the years, I have seen this relief print process and have tried it with great success. By posting this, please note, I am not encouraging the hoarding of these trays, just an opportunity for when you happen to find yourself with one, you can now make something creative and beautiful using them.

Printing With Recycled Styrofoam Trays:

This project is one of the many "imperfection" exercises I like to do with my students. As I find, many of us are obsessed with creating "perfect" art and can't always appreciate the charm and beauty of organic results and non-machine creations. The imperfectness of these prints is what gives them their charm! The basic idea is to use pieces of styrofoam as printing blocks. The image is drawn onto the styrofoam, the styrofoam is painted, pressed down on to a sheet of paper or fabric, and you've made a print.

Styrofoam trays

Acrylic Paint, Fabric Paint or any paint that is stiff — if you can shake the bottle it's too runny!

Paper: nice cardstock for you to make beautiful cards, something simpler for the kids, can be white or colored

Or, Fabric: Try using different types of fabric to test your results (Even simple printed fabric and yield beautiful results)

Scissors and ball-point pens

Draw on pieces of styrofoam using a ball-point pen

You'll Need:

Apply paint to your pieces and print! You will need to apply a new coat of paint for each print.

There are so many ways to use this technique: cards, gift tags, wrapping paper, stationary, envelopes etc. You can even write a message and print it, just remember to write backwards!

African American Fabrics: What's Your Brand? A Teenager's Response

2012-08-31T23:34:00.001-04:00

Why are teenagers attracted to logos and brands? I can't answer that question, but after spending time with my granddaughter I am learning more about her values. Surprisingly, just asking her the questions about her values with a genuine and heartfelt interest, she shared the following with me. She values:

Family
Friends
Happiness and Joy
Imagination, Creativity and Exploration
The Planet and Nature
School, Education and Success

Of course, we talked about fashion and other things that take up her time--like electronic and the cell phone. But, honestly she seemed clear about the fact that those things aren't a representation of her values. She simply obsess with them to connect to what she values.

That was a true eye-opener!!

These are her labels. She made these while helping me develop a NEW class for teenagers "What's Your Brand". A class to help teens rethink branding and focus on values and affirmations.

Learn more about me at www.AfricanAmericanFabrics.com

African American Fabrics: Eco-Friendly Dyeing with Food

2012-08-29T15:38:00.001-04:00

Exploring and working with fruit, veggies, herbs, tea sand coffee dyed fabrics, requires and eye for working with natural and rustic looks. These pigments will result in uneven and varied tones. Take time to play around and make samples. I keep notes on my outcome for future reference. When thinking about your project, always consider the colors that inspire!!

How to Dye with Tea, Coffee, Fruit and Veggies
Supplies you’ll need to cook your brew:

Water
Salt or vinegar
Cooking pot ( a spare that you don’t use for cooking food)
Measure cup
Strainer
White, off white or light colored natural fabric (linen, organic cotton, wool and silk are best)
Some sort of plant, flower, berry, root, bark, etc to dye with

I began by prepping your "food" (some items may require experimenting with using both the skin and "pulp") for example concord grapes or plums I use only the dark burgundy red skins.

Always use salt or vinegar as a dye fixative, using fruit for dye or, if using flowers, leaves, plants etc – then it is suggested to use vinegar.
The recipe I found was this:(you can find others online)

SALT FIX: 1/2 CUP SALT TO 8 CUPS COLD WATER

VINEGAR FIX: 4 PARTS COLD WATER TO 1 PART VINEGAR

I simmered my fabric in the salt fixative for approx. 1 hour, then rinsed and rung out – before putting the fabric in the dye. Once the fabric had the fix in it, I added it with my "food pigment" in some fresh water and simmered those for another hour.

In this post photo you will see, I am working with inkjet printed and stenciled fabrics. The process of printing on your fabric is rooted in several tips:

You most understand your printer's ability to print and the limitations of printing in your printer. Some times this requires a bit of bravery. Let's face it, not many people are willing to put fabric through their printers. I suggest you make sure you have a removal printer head that can me cleaned (check you printer's manual).
Use fabric that has been washed and pretreated with Bubble Jet Rinse ( a product created by and sold by www.cjenkinscompany.com an American American company.
Be aware that these prints have limits, they will fade after multiple washes. So, consider this when you use them in your project.

African American Fabrics: Painting with Teas and Coffee

2012-08-28T20:53:00.000-04:00

I found inspiration in my cup of tea. The colors are subtle pigments of soothing tones. This got me thinking about painting-- and, I started researching tea and coffee painting. What did I find out? People have been painting with teas from the beginning of humanity. It is not known how long tea dyeing has been around, but, I am willing to bet it may have been almost as long as the history of tea itself. Some historians believe that people probably began dyeing fabric to cover stains or minimize dirt. Others debate the ritual and cultural significants of dying fabric and linen. The dyeing of linen and leather in Mesopotamia and northern Syria and Egypt was being carried out as early as 2000 BC in temple workshops, where the sacred vestments for gods and priests were dyed.

"Hold Still", by Kweli Kitwana (c)2012
www.africanamericanfabrics.com

"Hold Still", by Kweli Kitwana (c)2012 a design in progress
-note my sample sheet

Tea dyeing is a handy craft and an easy and economic way for anyone to dye clothing, linens and paper.
Tea dyeing is often used to give fabrics and papers an aged or antique look. Folks enjoy dyeing material with tea because of the variety of colors and shades that are possible, as well as the tradition itself of tea baths. Making your tea paint is easy!! Using black, herbal or fruit teas that has been steeped. The longer you steep and the less water you use will vary your results. Although, the fabric will smell like the tea after its tea bath, washing it once should get rid of any smell.

IMPORTANT!! Make yourself a sample on a piece the fabric or paper you plan to use before you start painting. Let the sample dry completely. This will help you with having a better understanding of final results. Remember all fabrics and papers are not equal--your colors will change based on your surface. A redish tea could easily turn blue or brown once dried.

African American Fabrics: Printing with Foam Board

2012-08-28T01:45:00.004-04:00

Designing a "NEW" fabric print requires a bit of experimentation!! In this photo I am working with foam board to create, "Color Gurls", an www.AfricanAmericanFabrics series in progress.
Making your own stamps out of supplies you already have on hand can result in a rewarding and inexpensive art project.

I typically like to use recycled or scraps from my home and studio. This not only keep cost down, it helps in doing all I can to promote the "green" artist in me. In this project, I am using foam board scraps.

A few EASY STEPS: (1) after cutting the board to my desired size (random in my case); (2) simply removed one side of the paper from the board; (3) using a paint brush or ink pen I "craved" my design in the foam; (4) Once I carved my design, I applied one coat of gel medium (you can use what you have on hand) to seal the foam and protect it from wet paints.
Presto!!! You now have a stamp. Thing is...I used the same stamp over and over. Surprisingly, I found the stamps provided the ability to rinse between colors. plus, once I completed the project I rinsed the stamp again and let it dry to use later. NOTE: I place my stamp under a heavy book while drying to prevent welting (i am guessing this could happen, since it's paper)

Now that I have this nice print, time to digitize it for printing on fabric. I can't wait to get my swatch!!

See my other designs at my shop.

Read my other post and learn about my other project
"Like" this post below and African American Fabrics on Facebook
So much for "online"...Come and create, retreat and get inspired with me at the ART SHACK, BABY!!

African American Fabrics: We Shall Over Come

2012-08-26T15:00:00.001-04:00

No song in American history has had as much impact as the gospel/folk song "We Shall Overcome." Sung by activists during the 1960s civil rights movement, the song has since traveled far and wide and has come to represent the hope of those struggling to free themselves from oppression, injustice, and inequality.

The song's history is a long and storied one. But, as with many stories that are passed down orally from one generation to the next, there are numerous versions of its derivations. One such story pinpoints its origins in a 1903 gospel song sung by Rev. Charles Tindley of Philadelphia. His version, though, had the line: "I'll overcome some day." Another version suggests that the song's origin came from another gospel song that had the lines: "Deep in my heart, I do believe/I'll overcome some day." But the song's origins, according to folksinger Pete Singer, can also be traced back to the 1800s, when it was sung in black churches, and the early 1900s when integrated black and white coal miners sung it in meetings.

African American Fabrics: Where do you get Your Inspiration??

2012-08-25T19:30:00.003-04:00

Tapping Cultural Inspiration

A Muse for African American Quilters and Fiber Artist

PART I

The creative process holds all the possibilities for tapping your cultural expression and offers a world of possibilities for inspiration. The trick is a thoughtful indulgence which explores all cultural sources of inspiration and purposefully drawing upon them. Whether you are designing a quilt, creating a unique fiber work or design a digitally rendered textile, the techniques in this article will give you the basics for crafting a work from cultural inspiration. Cultural inspiration is a chance to explore what culture means to you. I encourage you to research and discover African American history, tradition and contemporary influences. For me, culturally inspired art is my time to make an artistic “mark” resulting from the research, reflection and pondering of African Americans as a people. As I contemplate the meaning of this history’s influence on me and my worldview.

My hope is to inspire you to use African American culture, traditions and history as a source for creating your own style of designing, one that is completely distinct from anyone else’s. Once unleashed, you will discover that finding inspiration will become second nature, a fluid motion of discovery waiting to be created in to an invaluable treasure. A work you will enjoy designing, creating and sharing from your soul. I will provide you with samples 0f my own art and inspirational anecdotes to guide you toward creating your own style.

People often ask me, “How do you go about gathering inspiration for creating African American specific fabric designs?” “How can I use my cultural experience and ethnic traditions as a muse for inspiration and design?” “Where should I start?” Or, “How did you do that?”

Throughout this article, I share worksheets, various photos, concepts, links online content and images that positively challenge you to look within and around you for inspiration, design ideas and project. This article is a guide and a series of activities designed to support design inspiration. There are also tips about presentation and the organization of your resources.
I hope that though these exercises, you discover what African American culture means to you and how to integrate it into your everyday creativity. Keep experimenting and striving to find your own style. There is no right or wrong way to unite culture inspiration and art-just start.

Discovering sources for African American inspiration

As artist we face an undeniable truth: our wells of inspiration are bound to run dry from time to time. It is during these periods of imaginative downtime, we seek out sources that can help us return the creative flow to our working process, and get us “back in the game.” But when we need a quick recharge, where do we turn? Many of us have our favorite “go-to” places when we are victim to creative drought. What makes culture inspiration even more challenging for the African American artist, is the additional pressures of finding inspiration in what is seemingly a limited source. I have listed a sample of culture attributes that can point you in the direction of a good starter for sparking a light in your creative fire. Start an inspiration journal by taking notes as I act as your tour guide through this artistic recharge.

Here is a list of some areas for sources for African American culture, history or traditions.

Architecture, Art, Artifacts, Beliefs

Ceremonies, Clothing, Communities, Customs

Dance, Diversity, Festivals, Food

Games, Music, Stories, Tools, Traditions

Follow www.africanamericanfabrics.com to con't PART II... in the meantime Follow AFRICAN AMERICAN FABRICs on FACEBOOK

ART SHACK, BABY!!

2012-08-25T18:18:00.001-04:00

FALL into CREATIVITY

with African American Fabrics.com

BACK MY POPULAR DEMAND 2 Day “Mini Retreats”

R Inspiration R Creativity R Relaxation R

Click here to Visit FACEBOOK to see Photos from other visitors.

AVAILABLE CLASSES:

 Digital Textile Design Design and create yards of fabric.

 InkJet Innovation Turn Your Printer into a Fabric Designer

 Paper Making, Oh My!! Pulp & splash paper, fibers & organic items.

 Fat Quarter Stash Candy Dye, print, hand stamp a rainbow stash.

FEES: (overnight stay is available at no additional fee)

RETREAT is for two days (additional person is $75).

Classes are 4 hrs. + Unlimited Studio time, Supplies and Refreshments.
Overnight accommodations OPTIONAL

Class includes breakfast, beverages and snacks. Spa services available for an additional fee.

WANT MORE!! Mix & Match and Extended Retreat AVAILABLE on REQUEST

FOR MORE INFORMATION About African American fabrics CONTACT;

kkitwana@gmail.com

www.africanamericanfabrics.com

Facebook AFRICAN AMERICAN FABRICS

ART SHACK “Mini-Retreat” will take place in the scenic town of Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. Near Harpers Ferry Historical Park and Historic Storer College. Plan your visit to include visiting historic museums, wine tasting, shopping, hiking, rafting or other adventures. Visit www.harpersferrywv.net/ and www.harpersferrywv.net/

Note: We love children; however, our services cannot accommodate children under age 12

ART SHACK, BABY CLASSES

FALL 2012

Digital Textile Design – Personalizing your Yardage- The Easy Way

Imagine yourself as a fabric designer. You’ve seen it on Project Runway. Now you can design your own fabric. Whether you are looking for fabric for sewing, embellishing, quilting and crafting, the ability to design and print your own fabric by the yard is one of the most significant advancements in printing technology. The possibilities are endless. You will receive an introduction to the FOD (fabric on demand), a basic lesson in digital design and the basics of surface design elements. When you finish this class you will have a fabric design ready for printing by the yard. Bring your photos, sketches and family recipes; bring your favorite child drawing or your family letter…let’s see what we can do!

Innovative Inkjet Printer Fabric Designs –Printers Gone Wild

Being able to print your own fabric is the ultimate creative high for any sewer or crafter. Come and see how you can push the limits with your printer to create a variety of colorfast and washable fabrics. My techniques offer a refreshing approach that will unleash the designing “angels” in anyone. These aren't iron transfers, this is fabric! Participates will create exciting designs using making ordinary objects, found items and original art. My policy is, if it can go through my printer, I am going to print on it. You’ll discover your printer’s capacity and change the way you use it. Pretty soon you’ll be given your printer as much love as your sewing machine.

Fat Quarter Stash Candy – Sweetness in Color.

Make a rainbow of colors with dyes, prints and stamps. Basically, participates paint 4 fat quarters using many household items and easy to find materials for dying and printing designs on their ready to sew fabric. Heck we may even explore some techniques together to learn as we go. Ever wanted to know what would happen if you use some unconventional tools and mediums to resist, print and stamp? Well, Let’s explore together.

Paper Making, Oh My!!- “Pulp”poseful Fun

Making paper is easier and more exciting than you ever knew. You can learn a new environmental friendly craft that addictive and innovative. We will learn some basics and explore the unlimited possibilities of paper making. Make a journal, some artsy business cards and more!! Plus, I promise, there’s a sewing machine involved.

Note: We love children; however, our services cannot accommodate children under age 12

ABOUT YOUR STAY

If you choose to stay overnight, we are able to offer an escape from the routine. Artist find our folk art and contemporary décor inspiring and comforting. The retreat setting features some of our personal art collection; much of which was created in our on-site art studio—a welcome spot for an inspired guest.

You are welcome to stay at the retreat overnight. We offer the organic bedding and towels; homemade breakfasts; and, a well-stocked herbal tea and coffee bar. Hosts, Mosi and Kweli Kitwana, will welcome you, making every effort throughout your stay to ensure your room is comfortable and your meals are enjoyed. We offer all the comforts of home--- well, this is because this is our second home. You might enjoy a movie with popcorn or find yourself in an impromptu board game; you may witness a doe and fawn running through the yard; or take a stroll around the corner to walk in the paths of historic W.E. B. Dubois Niagara Movement.

Guests, who choose to stay overnight can enjoy all of the following amenities and local attractions:

o Two quiet, comfortable guest rooms with shared “off -bedroom “ bath (one full bed and two twin beds)

o Fully stocked herbal tea and coffee bar

o Homemade breakfast featuring organic and local goods

o Free wireless internet access

o Located within Historic Harpers Ferry National Park & African American Historic Sites

o Walking distance to the Appalachian Trail and many other hiking trails and river sports

o Nexus of Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers providing access for rafting, boating fishing and tubbing

o Museums featuring African American and Civil War History; and MORE!!

o Parks close by, as well as restaurants, entertainment, and the Hollywood Casinos

o River sports, fishing, horseback riding, hikes, cycling and sightseeing tours

REGISTER BY EMAILING YOUR DATE REQUEST TO: artshack@africanamericanfabrics.comNote: We love children; however, our services cannot accommodate children under age 12

African American Fabrics: Harriet Tubman All Sewn Up

2012-08-24T18:48:00.003-04:00

Celebrate the contributions of African Americans like, Harriet Tubman--consider wearing a "piece" of history. We wear brand names everyday, names of designers and fashion icons. Why not consider a different story...
.

Here are 10 little known or just plain interesting facts about Harriet Tubman:

1. Born a slave in Maryland, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia on foot, got a job, settled and then returned to the South 13 times to escort hundreds of people seeking freedom to the North. She boasted she never lost a passenger.

2. Tubman suffered from narcolepsy due to a head injury caused by an angry overseer who was hurling a weight at another slave.

3. Tubman was only 5 feet tall and considered disabled by her owners. Slave holders never dreamed she was the reason so many slaves in their region were able to escape.

4. Tubman was married to a free man when she initially escaped North, fearing she was about to be sold to a plantation in the South. When she returned years later for her husband (after first bringing back siblings and their children) she found he had remarried. So on that trip she found some more slaves seeking freedom to take back with her.

5. When the Fugitive Slave law passed in 1850 that required Northern states to return fugitives to the South, she led people all the way to Canada.

6. She reportedly carried a drug to put babies to sleep when they were close to capture and a gun that she was said to use to convince fearful fugitives to continue on their journey. “You go on, or die,” she told one passenger.

7. She was a cook, a nurse and a spy for Union forces during the Civil War. She also led an armed expedition that liberated 700 slaves in South Carolina.

8. Frederick Douglass only excepted John Brown in saying, “I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people” than Harriet Tubman.

9. Madame Tussauds in Washington, D.C., recently unveiled a wax sculpture of Tubman.

10. Tubman continues to be an inspiration to numerous African American Artists and musicians. For your listening pleasure, here’s John Coltrane’s tribute to Harriet, “Song of the Underground Railroad.”

African American Fabrics: MLK March Fabrics

2012-08-24T18:39:00.000-04:00

Never under estimate the power of what you wear. Imagine the responses you'd receive when you sport this fabric. At first glance, these beautifully design fabrics are stunning batiks and floral flowing of color and brilliance. But, wait!! Is that some sort of a protest peeking through those flowers? Designing fabric has never been so "boldly" taken on.

On August 28, 1963, more than 200,000 Americans gathered in Washington, D.C., for a political rally known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Organized by a number of civil rights and religious groups, the event was designed to shed light on the political and social challenges African Americans continued to face across the country. The march, which became a key moment in the growing struggle for civil rights in the United States, culminated in Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech, a spirited call for racial justice and equality.
Twice in American history, more than twenty years apart, a March on Washington was planned, each intended to dramatize the right of black Americans to political and economic equality.

The first march was proposed in 1941 by A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Blacks had benefited less than other groups from New Deal programs during the Great Depression, and continuing racial discrimination excluded them from defense jobs in the early 1940s. When PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt showed little inclination to take action on the problem, Randolph called for a March on Washington by fifty thousand people. After repeated efforts to persuade Randolph and his fellow leaders that the march would be inadvisable, Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 in June 1941, forbidding discrimination by any defense contractors and establishing the Fair Employment Practices Committee (fepc) to investigate charges of racial discrimination. The March on Washington was then canceled. Nearly 2 million blacks were employed in defense work by the end of 1944. Order 8802 represented a limited victory, however; the fepc went out of existence in 1946.

The March on Washington

As blacks faced continuing discrimination in the postwar years, the March on Washington group met annually to reiterate blacks' demands for economic equality. Thecivil rights movement of the 1960s transformed the political climate, and in 1963, black leaders began to plan a new March on Washington, designed specifically to advocate passage of the Civil Rights Act then stalled in Congress. Chaired again by A. Philip Randolph and organized by his longtime associate, Bayard Rustin, this new March for Jobs and Freedom was expected to attract 100,000 participants. President John F. Kennedy showed as little enthusiasm for the march as had Roosevelt, but this time the black leaders would not be dissuaded. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference put aside their long-standing rivalry, black and white groups across the country were urged to attend, and elaborate arrangements were made to ensure a harmonious event. The growing disillusion among some civil rights workers was reflected in a speech planned by John Lewis of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, but in order to preserve the atmosphere of goodwill, leaders of the march persuaded Lewis to omit his harshest criticisms of the Kennedy administration.

The march was an unprecedented success. More than 200,000 black and white Americans shared a joyous day of speeches, songs, and prayers led by a celebrated array of clergymen, civil rights leaders, politicians, and entertainers. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King's soaring address climaxed the day; through his eloquence, the phrase “I Have a Dream” became an expression of the highest aspirations of the civil rights movement.

Like its predecessor, the March on Washington of 1963 was followed by years of disillusion and racial strife. Nevertheless, both marches represented an affirmation of hope, of belief in the democratic process, and of faith in the capacity of blacks and whites to work together for racial equality.

African American Fabrics: W.E.B. Du Bois in Paris

2012-08-24T18:26:00.001-04:00

During the 19th Century, W.E.B. Du Bois wanted the world to know the gains African Americans had made since the Civil War, as well as their plight as second-class citizens. In 1899, Daniel A.P. Murray, an African American researcher and historian at the Library of Congress, worked with Du Bois and others to put together pictures and other items to show the state of African Americans as the 20th century began.

Talented Tenth in Pictures
To counter the negative images of African Americans in the late 19th century, W.E.B. Du Bois displayed portraits of middle-class blacks at the Paris Exposition of 1900. The Root has published some images from this act of defiance. Check out there album at http://www.theroot.com/multimedia/web-du-bois-paris-album.

CHECK OUT AFRICAN AMERICAN FABRIC W.E.Du Bois fabric featured in photo.

African American Fabrics: Top 5 Back to School Fabrics

2012-08-14T19:11:00.000-04:00

Fabric is one of the best ways to bring color and exploration into students academic year. You can use fabric successfully on bulletins by following these tips:

Fabric can make a bulletin board stand out. The following are some tips for using material in your classroom display.

Make sure that you get a fabric that will not tear easily

Some fabrics are very hardy such as flannel. Others will tear very easily. If you are going to be posting it up on the bulletin board and then tacking or stapling things to it you do not want something so delicate that it just tears right away. You also do not want something that will easily get wrinkles. For instance, as nice as silk might look, it might be difficult to put up for some people. Cottons might be good fabrics to use. Feel the fabrics before you use them and consider that you will both need to attach it to the board and affix other items on top of it. You can buy fabric from a store such as Joann's, or alternatively to save money you can repurpose some other fabric such as a sheet.

Attach it securely

When you place the fabric on the bulletin board, you will want to make sure that it is attached securely. If it starts to come off on a side, then a student might mischievously pull it or it might just start coming off on its own. You can test out what works the best for the type of fabric and the wall.

Consider using a fabric for the background

Fabric can make a great background for a bulletin board. You can use a simple color. You can use a pretty print. You can also use something that is related to the theme of the bulletin board. For instance, if you are doing a board on astronomy, then you can look for a fabric that has the stars, planets and comets on it. If it is about animals, then you can look for one with our furry friends. They have some fabric that relates to school. They also have a lot of fabric related to the seasons if that is the type of board you are creating.

Use a lot of different fabrics to be creative

There are many different ways that you can use fabric in a bulletin board. You can use it to make tiny pouches on the bulletin board where you keep things. You can use it to make pictures such as fabric people on a bulletin board about the different cultures of the world. Use your imagination.

When you cut the fabric, try to be meticulous and get any stray strands. Consider the above tips when using this material on bulletin boards.

Decorate a bulletin board
Cover books
Personal learning centers
Brighten a window
Make a class quilt
Personal students workspace
Label things
Promote or a celebrate a theme

ART SHACK, BABY

2012-08-12T18:30:00.000-04:00

FALL into CREATIVITY

BACK MY POPULAR DEMAND 2 Day “Mini Retreats”

 Digital Textile Design Design and create yards of fabric.

 InkJet Innovation Turn Your Printer into a Fabric Designer

 Paper Making, Oh My!! Pulp & splash paper, fibers & organic items.

 Fat Quarter Stash Candy Dye, print, hand stamp a rainbow stash.

FEES AND ACCOMDATIONS:

RETREAT is for two days $250 for two guest (additional $75/person).

Classes are 4 hrs. + Unlimited Studio time, Supplies and Refreshments.

Class includes breakfast, beverages and snacks. Spa services available for an additional fee.

WANT MORE!! Mix & Match and Extended Retreat AVAILABLE on REQUEST

FOR MORE INFORMATION About African American fabrics CONTACT;

kkitwana@gmail.com

www.africanamericanfabrics.com

Facebook AFRICAN AMERICAN FABRICS

ART SHACK “Mini-Retreat” will take place in the scenic town of Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. Near Harpers Ferry Historical Park and Historic Storer College. Plan your visit to include visiting historic museums, wine tasting, shopping, hiking, rafting or other adventures. Visit www.harpersferrywv.net/ and www.harpersferrywv.net/

Note: We love children; however, our services cannot accommodate children under age 12

ART SHACK, BABY CLASSES

FALL 2012

Digital Textile Design – Personalizing your Yardage- The Easy Way

Imagine yourself as a fabric designer. You’ve seen it on Project Runway. Now you can design your own fabric. Whether you are looking for fabric for sewing, embellishing, quilting and crafting, the ability to design and print your own fabric by the yard is one of the most significant advancements in printing technology. The possibilities are endless. You will receive an introduction to the FOD (fabric on demand), a basic lesson in digital design and the basics of surface design elements. When you finish this class you will have a fabric design ready for printing by the yard. Bring your photos, sketches and family recipes; bring your favorite child drawing or your family letter…let’s see what we can do!

Innovative Inkjet Printer Fabric Designs –Printers Gone Wild

Being able to print your own fabric is the ultimate creative high for any sewer or crafter. Come and see how you can push the limits with your printer to create a variety of colorfast and washable fabrics. My techniques offer a refreshing approach that will unleash the designing “angels” in anyone. These aren't iron transfers, this is fabric! Participates will create exciting designs using making ordinary objects, found items and original art. My policy is, if it can go through my printer, I am going to print on it. You’ll discover your printer’s capacity and change the way you use it. Pretty soon you’ll be given your printer as much love as your sewing machine.

Fat Quarter Stash Candy – Sweetness in Color.

Make a rainbow of colors with dyes, prints and stamps. Basically, participates paint 4 fat quarters using many household items and easy to find materials for dying and printing designs on their ready to sew fabric. Heck we may even explore some techniques together to learn as we go. Ever wanted to know what would happen if you use some unconventional tools and mediums to resist, print and stamp? Well, Let’s explore together.

Paper Making, Oh My!!- “Pulp”poseful Fun

Making paper is easier and more exciting than you ever knew. You can learn a new environmental friendly craft that addictive and innovative. We will learn some basics and explore the unlimited possibilities of paper making. Make a journal, some artsy business cards and more!! Plus, I promise, there’s a sewing machine involved.

REGISTER BY EMAILING YOUR DATE REQUEST TO: artshack@africanamericanfabrics.com

Note: We love children; however, our services cannot accommodate children under age 12

ABOUT YOUR STAY

We are able to offer an escape from the routine. Artist find our folk art and contemporary décor inspiring and comforting. The retreat setting features some of our personal art collection; much of which was created in our on-site art studio—a welcome spot for an inspired guest.

You are welcome to stay at the retreat overnight. We offer the organic bedding and towels; homemade breakfasts; and, a well-stocked herbal tea and coffee bar. Hosts, Mosi and Kweli Kitwana, will welcome you, making every effort throughout your stay to ensure your room is comfortable and your meals are enjoyed. We offer all the comforts of home--- well, this is because this is our second home. You might enjoy a movie with popcorn or find yourself in an impromptu board game; you may witness a doe and fawn running through the yard; or take a stroll around the corner to walk in the paths of historic W.E. B. Dubois Niagara Movement.

Guests, who choose to stay overnight can enjoy all of the following amenities and local attractions:

o Two quiet, comfortable guest rooms with shared “off -bedroom “ bath (one full bed and two twin beds)

o Fully stocked herbal tea and coffee bar

o Homemade breakfast featuring organic and local goods

o Free wireless internet access

o Located within Historic Harpers Ferry National Park & African American Historic Sites

o Walking distance to the Appalachian Trail and many other hiking trails and river sports

o Nexus of Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers providing access for rafting, boating fishing and tubbing

o Museums featuring African American and Civil War History; and MORE!!

o Parks close by, as well as restaurants, entertainment, and the Hollywood Casinos

o River sports, fishing, horseback riding, hikes, cycling and sightseeing tours

REGISTER BY EMAILING YOUR DATE REQUEST TO: artshack@africanamericanfabrics.comNote: We love children; however, our services cannot accommodate children under age 12

African American Fabrics: History Quilt Making a Difference in Missouri

2012-08-02T15:58:00.000-04:00

THANKS to Vydella Chapman!!

The African American History Panels have been fully incorporated in a very inspiring quilt. Peace Makers Quilting Guild in Moberly, Missouri have woven a beautiful story and meaningful treasure. Their quilt is traveling through out their state and have received raved reviews. These African American History Panels are available at my shop.

Also, check this out

Missouri's African American History Click this ==> MO AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY TIMELINE

African American Fabrics: You Can Make This!

2012-07-20T12:42:00.000-04:00

Let African American Fabrics inspire you

with 8" SWATCHES.

"FRESH COLLARD GREENS", an African American Fabric Available

"African American Inventions" an African American Fabric Available

"Vintage Afro Glasses" an African American Fabric Available

African American Fabrics: Feed the Soul Fabric AVAILABLE!!

2012-07-08T14:27:00.001-04:00

The highly anticipated "Feed the Soul", African American Fabric series is now AVAILABLE. These tasty soulfood inspired favorites are whimsical and ready to fill your inspiration desires.

What's your inspiration:

Sassy skirt
Breezy curtains
Whimsical quilt
Crafty aprons
Quick framed art

Soul Food is a term used for an ethnic cuisine, food traditionally prepared and eaten by African Americans of the Southern United States. Many of the various dishes and ingredients included in "soul food" are also regional meals and comprise a part of other Southern US cooking, as well. The style of cooking originated during American slavery. African slaves were given only the "leftover" and "undesirable" cuts of meat from their masters (while the white slave owners got the meatiest cuts of ham, roasts, etc.).

We also had only vegetables grown for ourselves. After slavery, many, being poor, could afford only off-cuts of meat, along with offal. Farming, hunting and fishing provided fresh vegetables, fish and wild game, such as possum, rabbit, squirrel and sometimes waterfowl. Africans living in America at the time (and since) more than made do with the food choices we had to work with. Dishes or ingredients commonly found in soul food include:

Biscuits (a shortbread similar to scones, commonly served with butter, jam, jelly, sorghum or cane syrup, or gravy; used to wipe up, or "sop," liquids from a dish).
Black-eyed peas (cooked separately or with rice, as hoppin' john).
Butter beans (immature lima beans, usually cooked in butter).
Catfish (dredged in seasoned cornbread and fried). Chicken (often fried with cornmeal breading or seasoned flour).
Chicken livers.
Chitterlings or chitlins: (the cleaned and prepared intestines of hogs, slow-cooked and often eaten with vinegar and hot sauce; sometimes parboiled, then battered and fried).
Chow-chow (a spicy, homemade pickle relish sometimes made with okra, corn, cabbage, green tomatoes and other vegetables; commonly used to top black-eyed peas and otherwise as a condiment and side dish).
Collard greens (usually cooked with ham hocks, often combined with other greens).
Cornbread (short bread often baked in an iron skillet, sometimes seasoned with bacon fat). Chicken fried steak (beef deep fried in flour or batter, usually served with gravy).
Cracklins: (commonly known as pork rinds and sometimes added to cornbread batter).
Fatback (fatty, cured, salted pork used to season meats and vegetables).
Fried fish: (any of several varieties of fish whiting, catfish, porgies, bluegills dredged in seasoned cornmeal and deep fried).
Fried ice cream: (Ice cream deep frozen and coated with cookies and fried).
Grits, often served with fish.
Ham hocks (smoked, used to flavor vegetables and legumes).
Hog maws (or hog jowls, sliced and usually cooked with chitterlings).
Hoghead cheese.
Hot sauce (a condiment of cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt, garlic and other spices often used on chitterlings, fried chicken and fish not the same as "Tabasco sauce", which has heat, but little flavor).
Lima beans (see butter beans).
Macaroni and cheese.
Mashed potatoes (usually with butter and condensed milk). Meatloaf (typically with brown gravy).
Milk and bread (a "po' folks' dessert-in-a-glass" of slightly crumbled cornbread, buttermilk and sugar). Mustard greens (usually cooked with ham hocks, often combined with other greens).
Neckbones (beef neck bones seasoned and slow cooked). Okra: (African vegetable eaten fried in cornmeal or stewed, often with tomatoes, corn, onions and hot peppers).
Pigs' feet: (slow-cooked like chitterlings, sometimes pickled and, like chitterlings, often eaten with vinegar and hot sauce).
Red beans.
Ribs (usually pork, but can also be beef ribs).
Rice (usually served with red beans).
Sorghum syrup (from sorghum, or "Guinea corn," a sweet grain indigenous to Africa introduced into the U.S. by African slaves in the early 17th century; see biscuits). Succotash (originally, a Native American dish of yellow corn and butter beans, usually cooked in butter).
Sweet potatoes (often parboiled, sliced and then baked, using sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter or margarine, commonly called "candied yams"; also boiled, then pureed and baked into pies).
Turnip greens (usually cooked with ham hocks, often combined with other greens).
Yams: (not actually yams, but sweet potatoes).

Though soul food originated in the South, soul food restaurants — from fried chicken and fish "shacks" to upscale dining establishments-are in every African-American community in the nation, especially in cities with large black populations, such as Chicago, New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

Over centuries, soul food has been cooked and seasoned with pork products, and fried dishes are usually cooked with hydrogenated vegetable oil ("shortening" or "Crisco"), which is a trans fat. Unfortunately, regular consumption of these ingredients without significant exercise or activity to work the calories off often contributes to disproportionately high occurrences of obesity, hypertension, cardiac/circulatory problems and/or diabetes. It has also been a factor in African-Americans often having a shortened lifespan. More modern methods of cooking soul food include using more healthful alternatives for frying (liquid vegetable oil or canola oil) and cooking/stewing using smoked turkey instead of pork.

Reference: Soul food online

Blogtalk with African American Fabrics

2012-07-07T13:54:00.003-04:00

Want to know more? Checkout African American Fabrics interview with Linda Jenkin's, Women at the Well. Get inspired!! CLICK HERE

African American Fabrics: NEW!!! Art Retreat

2012-07-03T12:01:00.000-04:00

PHOTO CREDIT: TRU:Expressionz
MODEL: Wakili McNeill
FEATURED AFRICAN AMERICAN FABRIC

Contact: ARTSHACK@AfricanAmericanfabrics.com for Details!!

FALL into CREATIVITY

with African American Fabrics.com

BACK MY POPULAR DEMAND 2 Day “Mini Retreats”

R Inspiration R Creativity R Relaxation R

REGISTER BY EMAILING YOUR DATE REQUEST TO: artshack@africanamericanfabrics.com

AVAILABLE CLASSES:

 Digital Textile Design Design and create yards of fabric.

NEW!!! InkJet Innovation Turn Your Printer into a Fabric Designer

 Paper Making, Oh My!! Pulp & splash paper, fibers & organic items.

 Fat Quarter Stash Candy Dye, print, hand stamp a rainbow stash.

 Family Heirloom Wall Quilt Make treasure in a weekend. No pervious quilting or sewing skills required

FEES AND ACCOMDATIONS:

RETREAT is for two days (additional $75/person).

Classes are 4 hrs. + Unlimited Studio time, Supplies and Refreshments.

Class includes breakfast, beverages and snacks. Spa services available for an additional fee.

WANT MORE!! Mix & Match and Extended Retreat AVAILABLE on REQUEST

FOR MORE INFORMATION About African American fabrics CONTACT;

kkitwana@gmail.com

www.africanamericanfabrics.com

Facebook AFRICAN AMERICAN FABRICS

ART SHACK “Mini-Retreat” will take place in the scenic town of Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. Near Harpers Ferry Historical Park and Historic Storer College

Note: We love children; however, our services cannot accommodate children under age 12

African American Fabrics: Get Ready for Some Candy

2012-06-27T14:36:00.002-04:00

There something exciting brewing at African American Fabrics. Something full of color and inspiration. Stay tune and watch this blog or my Facebook Page to learn

Featured in this Photo:

African American Fabrics: Soulfood Fabric

2012-06-24T01:31:00.001-04:00

COMING the SUMMER 2012!!
I can't wait for the samples to come in July. The newest African American Fabrics design is full of color, fun and really to inspire. These clever designs sport a mirrored "print-block" look bursting with color and a whimsical theme, featuring soulfood favorites- sweet potato, cornbread, greens, okra, shrimp and cheese grits and more. See the full collection at FEED THE SOUL Collection.

Cornbread, an African American Fabric design by Kweli Kitwana 2012 (c)

Fresh Sweet Potatoes, an African American Fabric design by Kweli Kitwana 2012 (c)

Fresh Collard Greens, an African American Fabric design by Kweli Kitwana 2012 (c)

Summer 2012 Collection-Fabrics Designed for Hot FUN!!!

2012-03-21T21:46:00.001-04:00

READY FOR SUMMER???

You will love creating with this NEW "Urban Summer" Collection, designed to inspire your Summer fashion, home and outdoor decor, and craft projects.

No minimum order
$16.20 per yard, $5 swatches
Premium natural fabrics
Eco-friendly textile printing

Beautiful "Urban Summer" , fabric by Kweli Kitwana
SEE MORE: http://www.spoonflower.com/collections/15011

http://www.spoonflower.com/collections/15011

African American Fabrics: Why African American Fabrics??

2012-02-01T13:49:00.001-05:00

With African American History Month upon us, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share a bit about why I create fabrics that explicitly explore the culture and history of the African American. Check out Nicole Ashanti McFarlane's blog discussing Me and my designs---she sums it up...

BLOG POST FROM circuitouslycute:

With all the technological breakthroughs in digital textile design, so much is available nowadays to fabric enthusiasts. Formal artistic training is optional, while creativity and imagination are key. And though the skills and expertise involved in textile design are usually relegated to the domestic sphere of “crafts,” I believe the special body of knowledge that is derived from this area of creative expression truly reflects our humanity in a very real and profound sense.

Of course, black people have been deeply connected to the material history of textiles in this country and were involved in every aspect of the industry from the cultivation and harvesting of the cotton fiber, to the innovation and manufacture of finished goods. Needless to say, American slavery and the triangular trade that generated it was a brutalizing and dehumanizing process and yet, somehow, African Americans understood that even the most mundane and routine design interventions were necessary to help counter the highly organized systems of power and exploitation they faced. Without question, through the refashioning of a fundamental notion of what it means to be a US citizen, African American influence in the textile technologies (along with their inestimable impact in the areas of music, storytelling, and metalwork) was critical. African enslaved persons deliberately and methodically invented and arranged ingenious networks of emancipatory codes and sign systems into their day-to-day rhetoric of American civic lifeeven as they employed the very technologies that helped to enslave them.

Adam Banks points this out brilliantly, when he writes about Ozella McDaniel Williams who, until her death in 1998, carried with her the knowledge of how to painstakingly place different color knots on quiltwork in order to direct freedom seekers out of slavery and towards a mnemonic path to freedom through the Underground Railroad. And even David Walker, who composed the seminal “Appeal, in Four Articles: Together with a Preamble, to the Coloured Citizens of the World, but in Particular, and Very Expressly, to Those of the United States of America,” purposely designed the document at a size that could be easily concealed once sewn into the fashions Walker sold at his early 19^th century clothing store. This way the idea of freedom and emancipation could spread without risking detection by those who would rather thwart liberty.

For all these reasons and more (namely, the fact that my sewing pastime has had me on the lookout for cute new materials), I am so digging what Kweli Kitwana is doing with fabrics. Based on her keen awareness of African American history and cultural signifiers, she is designing fabric with some of the most unusual prints I’ve seen in a while. Scenes from the Middle Passage and the Civil Rights era (as well as some traditional West African motifs) are reinterpreted with fresh, contemporary colors — not the same old primaries and earth tones. Kitwana also has a very clever sense of irony in her designs. With her occasional selections of gothic slavery scenes juxtaposed against pastel backgrounds or arranged as flower petals, her fabric prints display a thematic gravitas that is hard to deny, despite their distinctively attractive character.