Cyber Monday Begins NOW!

Don’t Miss These CYBER Specials:

• FAT QUARTER FUN! Save 20% on all African Print FQ assortments, including 10-, 20- and 40-packs, kente 6-packs and black/white 8-packs. Shop Fat Quarters Now
• Purchase any GIFT CERTIFICATE of $50 or more and get 10% bonus value added to it! For example, order a $100 certificate and we’ll adjust it manually in the amount of $110. They are beautifully packaged with a Fabric Surprise. Please include the names of the Giver and Recipient, along with a preferred color, in the Comments when you order (or just email us these details after you place the order) And yes, Giver and Recipient can be the same person, so go ahead, treat yourself, too Shop Gift Certificates Now

Offers Valid Online, Now thru Monday, December 2 at 11:59pm!

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SewJourn Colorado – Friends, Fun, Fabric, Food…and Wine!

We’ve just returned from one of CE’s best SewJourns ever!! Thanks to our participants and partners for another creative and relaxing experience in the Colorado mountains, just outside of Denver. It was our first Wine Lovers’ Quilt Retreat, and definitely not our last!    Check out these pix…

As you can see, African fabrics were the choice for the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised at how much we each accomplished creatively, wondering how the wine theme might affect productivity.  And apparently, it gave us a boost.  We stayed up latest the evening of our wine tasting, beautifully led by local wine experts Karen and Davis.

Add in perfect weather, comfortable accommodations, a fully stocked kitchen,  our field trip into Denver proper for a visit with Valerie C. White, and the Wa Shonaji quilt guild’s opening reception (blog post to follow) plus a few other surprises, and you can just imagine the fun we had…

Overall, I got very little sleep, running on adrenaline, and it was fabulous, lol!

; )   More pix to follow… And if you’d like to join me next year, mark your calendars now for August 7-11, 2019!! Don’t miss it!!

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Quiltin’ in Albuquerque

Thank you sew much to the members of the New Mexico Quilters Assn (NMQA) for hosting me to lecture and teach this past week!  On Monday I presented my “Global Textile Influences for Quilters” trunk show (ably assisted by Judi and Nancy) followed by Tuesday’s African Mosaic workshop:

Debbie and Sandi went for extra credit, creating African Mosaic borders for centerpiece handpainted mask and mola designs, respectively (below).  We all had a great time, and I look forward to seeing photos of the completed works ; )

To arrange a Cultured Expressions trunk show and/or workshop for your group, contact me.

 

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Akufo-Addo’s New Found Love; African Prints

This article is giving me LIFE… I had to stop what I was doing (working on Fabrigasm issue #6) to share this article with you…

I’m hoping that Ghana’s new president, Nana Akufo-Addo, will help to bring quality African-led fabric production back to the region. You might remember his January 7, 2017 inauguration outfit. Since then, his love for African prints is becoming a Thing.

 

President Akufo-Addo, who is known for his sharp suits, seems to have developed a new love for African prints and is making waves with his new shirts. Read more

 

 

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Cyber Monday is Here!

and we’re offering $1.00 SHIPPING on all orders of $30 or more!  Check out our newest Shop additions, just in from Ghana:

and stock up on your favorite fabrics, kits, patterns and creative supplies!   No coupon code needed, so check out the shop today!

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Name Our African Print Fabric Rolls!

So all this week I’m getting ready for Cultured Expressions‘ return to the Brooklyn Quilters’ Guild’s show.  And I need a little help:  name our African print fabric rolls!

New for the show: I’ll have a test-run of 2-1/2″ wide strip bundles of 50 and 25 African PRINT fabrics! But these are so much more exciting then the usual “jelly rolls”, they need a cool name..Soul Rolls?? Maybe, maybe not;  I’m open to suggestions, so name our African print  fabric rolls, and if your name is chosen, I’ll think up an equally Fabrigasmic reward for you  ; )  These pics should inspire you…

These are perfect for your favorite jelly roll quilt pattern (you’ll find lots of freebies online!) They’ll be available online after the Brooklyn show.  Feel free to comment below to submit your ideas for names.

Adding to the hype is the show’s new venue, the Brooklyn Marriott, where we’ll be occupying the Grand Ballroom.  In other words, this is the show you won’t want to miss! I’ll see you next weekend!!    —-  lisa

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Patchworks from Ghana

An early autumn Fabrigasm… you’re welcome ; )  And it gets better…  With “Ankara Madness” still in full swing across every style category, I had to grab these patchworks from Ghana when I came across them!  Of course, I grabbed a few for you, too!  These classic African fabrics are approx 1.5 yard lengths x 45″ wide.  They’re available at just $20 for the 1.5 yard piece.  Imagine, all you have to do is back and bind for an instant quilt or wall hanging, or add borders, but and re-piece, or otherwise enhance.

I’m thinking totebag, and leather will be involved, along with CE leather handbag handles  ; ) It’s my main project for an upcoming retreat I’ll be attending.  Still debating the brown faux tortoise embossed or the smooth black leather, we’ll see…Speaking of bags, a 1.5 yard pre-pieced length could easily result in TWO SewJourn Handbags, as in one for you, and one for a worthy recipient.  Or consider a skirt, vest, headwraps, pants, pillows…

Each piece is unique.  Read more about Ankara on Beyond Victoriana and All Things Ankara, then just email me to claim your patchwork piece.   –lisa

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The Ankara Quilt Made Easy

Today more than ever, Ankara is all around us, in fashion, shoes, handbags, and of course, quilts!  This classic “Chinese Coin” quilt design becomes the Ankara Quilt Made Easy, a simple to sew yet  striking design. Showcase your favorite African prints, whether you purchase the fat quarters specifically for this project, or use up your leftover fashion scraps.

Bold yet beginner-friendly!  I just cut up rectangles of the Ankara prints (these are approx 11″ x 7″), piecing them into three bars, then joining the pieced sections with wide black strips (sashings) in between, and slightly wider black borders all around.  Here’s am alternate basic Chinese Coin tutorial.

To add some interest, I also used scraps of the prints within the top & bottom borders.  One key to making this quilt is to use a really “good black” cotton fabric to frame the prints.

I pieced this quilt top a couple of years ago after a Ghana trip – probably time to get it finished  ; )

See the current 14-piece assortment of Cultured Expressions’ Ankara FQs here…

 

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Four-Hour Fabrigasms at Yara Fabrics

THANK YOU to all who attended our Customer Appreciation Day yesterday in the Bronx!  The Fabrigasm were flying fast & furious, with attendees taking a break from the four-hour fabrigasms only to take in the African appetizers & drinks, and a little junque food, too…

I think it’s safe to say that this is officially an ANNUAL event and we’ve already got some ideas brewing, so stay tuned to Cultured Expressions and Yara African Fabrics for more.  Aside from the fabrics were jewelry, you could find Ghanaian woven bags & baskets and headwraps, plus the chance to win a door prize!

We did have an official photographer so I’m sure we’ll have more to share soon, but here are a couple of pix I caught myself: Moctar Yara with a happy customer (but wait…where is his phone?),  and a view of the fabric frenzy, in one of the calmer moments of the day  ; )

 

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Look What’s Coming to the Fowler Museum

Unfortunately, I’m not scheduled to be in LA until January (damn, Damn, DAMN!).  But if you are fortunate enough to be in the area from late August to late December, you might want to take in two exhibits on African textiles at the Fowler Museum:

and

I wonder if either will be extended into January??  Well, if you do go, be sure to report back!!  Enjoy… lisa

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