Fabrics From Far Flung Places
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,891
Fabrics From Far Flung Places
I was reading an article today about fabrics from Uzbekistan. I can hardly pronounce this country's name, but wow, what gorgeous fabrics they produce! It got me thinking about fabrics from other far flung places around the world. It's getting harder and harder to find beautiful, handmade textiles these days. Anyone else find some interesting foreign finds?
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 5,913
Funny you should mention this. Just yesterday my husband and I were in a bead/crystal shop and on the bead table was a beautiful round mandala like print tablecloth. It would make such an awesome medallion quilt. It was from somewhere in the Philippines and her mother had it before her.
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,464
A few years ago, I went to a lecture about Shweshwe by Meerkatshweshwe. She discussed the history, the production and the importance of of these fabrics in the local economy where they are made (South Africa). It was very interesting.
#5
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,891
Although not so "far flung," I love all of the traditional, woolen fabrics from Great Britain. They're not great for quilting projects, but they're wonderful for pillows, throws, clothing, etc.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 605
One of my first Covid quilts was made from African wax prints that I salvaged from a couple of wraps/garments a friend had gifted to me (to use for quilting). The colours and patterns are so different and yet they play so incredibly well together (imho). We liked it so much that I later made a curtain to match.
#8
Member
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: Deep East Texas
Posts: 1
In 2018 I was in Tahiti as part of a mission trip. I went into a couple of well stocked fabric shops looking for "tropical" prints to commemorate the trip. Everything "tropical" they had was printed in the USA and copyrighted prior to 2013. A couple of the bolts had copyright dates of 2005. Michael Miller, California Designs, Bentarex. I bought several meters anyway, knowing I'd not find them in the States.