Can you spare £1
No market means no money
in cash only African economies
We've never asked for
donations before...
but now IS the time
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Welcome to the African Fabric Shop
Magie Relph & Bob Irwin
To boldly go where TripAdvisor doesn't
Courthouse Steps with Attitude
NEW log cabin quilt kit
by Janice Gunner
Featuring a rainbow of genuine
Shwe Shwe fabrics from South Africa
Textiles and fabrics
from across Africa
African beads
Recycled glass, brass, plastic and paper
Shell, bone, clay and stone
Genuine Bolga baskets
Quality baskets - fairly traded
Vintage & collectable African textiles
The textile treasures we couldn't resist on our travels
Inspiration
Talks to textile groups
Quilt, bag and jewellery kits
Sign up for our e-newsletter
Books
about African textiles
Thank you for your generosity: still accepting donations
Since launching our appeal to raise funds for small-scale artisans and traders in Africa - where lockdown means no markets and no money - YOU, our followers and customers, have donated generously. From our friends in Africa, 'Thank you.'
We are still accepting donations, of course - both with and without purchasing from the website.
Online shop open as usual
Obviously you can't come to the shop and all of our events are either cancelled or in limbo for the forseeable future.
The good news is: you can still shop for our fabulous African fabrics, beads and baskets online. Happy browsing.
More info: How are we dealing with COVID-19?
Featured Items
Magie mining for textile treasure: our new Vintage Textile FragmentsNEW online: our vintage textile fragments
When we're in Accra we love diving into Kwasi's shed-full of vintage African textiles. He's a real expert and we've learned a lot from him over the years.
Aside from selecting great Vintage and Collectable African Textiles, Magie always spends time sifting through Kwasi's scraps - the sacks of remnants he's saved to repair old and damaged cloths.
You may have seen these textile treasures on display at a show. Now - with all events on hold - you can browse and buy our Vintage Textile Fragments online.
- Old and worn - at least 25 years old
- Salvaged and distressed
- Seriously gorgeous
- Inspiration for your next textile art project
View and buy: Vintage Textile Fragments
What will you put in yours?Our new flat dish baskets from Bolgatanga, Ghana
NEW from Bolga: flat dish baskets
Over the years, many of you have asked, 'Do you have a flat basket I keep my wool in?'
Alas, the weavers in Bolga rarely make this style of basket.
We do occasionally get a few, which we bring to events.
Now - with all events cancelled - we've put the few we have on the website.
- For your wool
- For your treasures
- For your studio
- For your wall
- For looking beautiful
View and buy: Flat Dish Baskets
Be quick. Limited stock. When they're gone, their gone.
View and buy: Our new Maseru Necklace KitNEW Maseru necklace kit with genuine Shwe Shwe from South Africa
Like many of you, Magie loves her Shwe Shwe.
Plus, she's always experimenting with new ideas for this versatile fabric.
Building on our already popular Zulu Bracelet Kit, she's designed our latest Shwe Shwe innovation: our new Maseru Necklace Kit.
It's colourful. And it's really easy. No special tools required.
And remember. We only sell genuine Shwe Shwe fabrics, designed and printed in South Africa by Da Gama Textiles. No illegal copies from us.
View and buy: our new Maseru Necklace Kit
NEW fabrics and colours for our Batik Beach Tote Bag Kit: Turquoise and Moss/YellowNEW fabrics and colourways for our Batik beach tote bag kit
What happens when you put together a great bag kit design by our own Dorothy Deane with colourful hand-dyed batiks by Esther Amate in Accra, Ghana?
Answer: the NEWEST fabric and colourway combinations for our easy-to-make batik beach tote bag kit.
- Turquoise colourway - two complementery wax stamped batiks
- Moss/Yellow colourway - deep moss green, bright yellow and a zingy touch of red
View and buy: New colourways of Batik beach tote bag kit
Virtual Log Cabin Quilt at 6 April 2020: 105 blocks and countingQuilters worldwide respond to COVID-19
The Virtual Quilt project is up and running
Many of us - stuck in lockdown - are wondering what we can do to generate some good vibes and hope in these strange and stressful times.
- Enter our friend and neighbour Dionne Swift, one of the UK's premier textile artists and tutors...
- Her idea? Let's all make a virtual quilt and publish it online - block by block - as people send in their blocks.
- Enter another dear friend... Janice Gunner, award-winning quilter. Called to the cause, Janice quickly created the easy-to-follow instructions for a log cabin block.
- Enter The African Fabric Shop... when you order any of our fabrics online, we're putting Janice's instructions in with your order - plus a small pack of fabrics. That's to encourage you to make a block for the Virtual Quilt.