Maybe you're not sure what you're after, but you know that textiles and Africa are part of the equation. Well look no further.
From easy-to-make quilt kits, bags kits and jewellery kits to unique limited edition packs of fabrics from all over Africa - you're bound to find something you can't resist.
Have a browse.
Limited Edition Fabrics
Why are our Limited Edition fabric packs so special?
- Colour co-ordinated collections of African fabrics
- Combinations of half metres, fat quarters and fat eighths
- Some include special feature fabrics or panels
- Some include beads and embellishments
- All fabrics 100% cotton, some on subtly woven damask
All carefully auditioned and selected by Magie and Jenny.
African Adventure Packs
We have so many different types of African fabrics - from genuine African wax print and Shwe Shwe to hand-dyed batiks and sunprints - that sometimes you just can't make up your mind.
That's exactly what one customer said to us once: 'I can't make up my mind so I'll have them all!'
Our large range of Adventure Packs gives you all sorts of options:
- Go small with a Mini Adventure of 20 small pieces.
- Or go big with a bumper bundle of up to 25 Fat Quarters.
The choice is yours.
Textile Fragments
An ever-changing array of textile fragments...
...handpicked by Magie, of course.
If you're looking for unique bits of fabric to use in your next textile art creation, look no further.
These pieces are up to 25 years old and show some wear and distress - all part of their character.
Quilt Kits
'I really love your African fabrics, but what can I do with them?'
It's a common refrain and Magie usually replies, 'Cut 'em up and put 'em back together again.'
And that pretty much sums up our quilt kits: designed by our friends Alison Farmer, Monika Machon and Helen Conway. Oh, and Magie, of course.
Bag Kits
Our bag kits are designed exclusively for The African Fabric Shop by our friend Dorothy Deane.
Dot is crazy about bags and loves African fabrics. Her bags are easy to make and fantastic to look at. Try one!
Jewellery Kits
Our jewellery kits are designed exclusively for The African Fabric Shop by our friend Isobel Holland.
Isobel is a talented and creative jewellery designer. Her kits are easy to make and really show off our handmade, recycled African beads.
Mitumba Kenya Embroidery
Magie's been to Kenya a couple of times in recent years as guest teacher for the Kenya Quilt Guild. Through the Guild, she met Christine Kibuka.
When Magie saw Christine's beautiful embroidered panels, she just had to have them for the shop. It took some convincing - Christine was worried her stitching wasn't good enough - but they really are lovely and now she can barely keep up with demand. Well done, Christine!
Handprinted Blocks
A limited stock of handprinted and hand-dyed blocks by South African artist Pam Stallebrass.
Safari animal, bird and alphabet motifs.
Chameleon Hand-dyed Threads
Perle No 8 embroidery threads, hand-dyed in South Africa by Chameleon Threads.
The base thread is 100% mercerised cotton, manufactured in France by DMC.
Perfect for any hand embroidery application.
Books
'You know so much about African fabrics. You should write a book!'
That's what people kept saying. So we did. It's called African Wax Print: A Textile Journey and you can buy it right here on our website (much cheaper than Amazon!)
We also stock a few other hard to find, specialist titles about African textiles written by friends of ours like John Gillow and Christopher Spring, both recognised African textiles gurus.
Printing Blocks
These heavy duty wood printing blocks are not just historical artefacts. You can use them yourself to print fabrics.
We acquired these last few remaining blocks from A Brunnschweiler and Co in Manchester when they closed their African wax print works and moved fabric production their sister factory ATL at Akosombo, Ghana