The African Fabric Shop

Our NEW hand-dyed embroidery threads

We've been looking for threads of this quality and pedigree for a while and we've finally found them!

On our winter trip to Johannesburg we connected with Aldo and his team at Chameleon Threads.

Now you can view and buy Chameleon's wonderful Perle No 8 embroidery threads right here on our website, at the shop and at our various events like Festival of Quilts and World Textile Days around the country.

• Superb quality DMC threads, made in France
• 100% mercerised cotton
• Hand-dyed in small batches by Chameleon Threads in South Africa
• Perfect for any hand-embroidery application
• Excellent value

Per 16 metre skein: £2.40

Mix 'n' Match Discount

Any 11 for the price of 10

View and buy: Chameleon hand-dyed threads

Shop Open Day & African Fashion Parade : Saturday 14 July, 10 - 4

We always try to do something a little bit special on our monthly shop open days.

So for our next one, why not:

• Join us in the spirit of African fashion
• Wear your best African outfit to our next shop open day
• Find out what crazy outfit Bob decides to wear
• Drop by Cafe 33 or The Foxhole for lunch - both yummy!

Find us at: 33B Greens End Road, Meltham, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 5NW.

Our Shwe Shwe celebration

The new Shwe Shwe's here from South Africa - always cause for great celebration.

Of course, we have a some great new colours and designs. No surprise there.

Even better, though... Isobel has designed some brilliant new beaded jewellery kits mixing genuine Shwe Shwe fabrics with recycled glass beads from Ghana. Very clever and very easy!

• New Shwe Shwe indigos
• New Shwe Shwe colours
• Zulu bracelet kit
• Zwelitsha necklace kit

New Shwe Shwe book

Isishweshwe - by Juliette Leeb-du Toit - is a meticulously researched and creatively presented history of a blue print fabric in southern Africa.

If you love Shwe Shwe fabric, you'll be totally absorbed by this story.

Our jewellery kits: now even easier to make

All of our new jewellery kits - designed exclusively for The Africa Fabric Shop by our own Isobel Holland - are now even easier to make.

• Improved easy-to-follow instructions
• All beads, fabrics and cord included in your kit
• No special tools required
• Just thread, knot and enjoy!

View and buy: Jewellery Kits

NEW wax prints galore

African wax print says 'Africa' more than any other fabric.

All of our wax prints are the real McCoy: genuine wax prints produced in Africa - not Chinese copies.

How can you tell?

Genuine wax prints are printed on both sides of the fabric - a difficult and expensive process. Copies - sometimes called imiwax - are printed only on one side.

Genuine wax prints have two distinct irregularities: a slight misalignment of colour and design, plus a distinctive crackle effect caused by tiny cracks in the resin resist. We call these irregularities 'the perfect imperfection'.

Genuine wax prints are printed on top quality 100% cotton. Copies are printed on inferior cotton.

Genuine wax prints are very robust. You can wash them over and over again. Copies do not last as long as genuine wax prints.

View and buy: our latest genuine African wax print fabrics

Learn all about wax prints in our acclaimed book African Wax Print: A Textile Journey

NEW Recycled brass hooks

We've got recycled brass hooks made by our pals in Ghana all over the house.

Magie's African scarf collection. Tea towels. Keys. They're all hung on recycled brass hooks.

Now we've put a few special pieces up on the website for you.

Each piece is a one-off, unique creation, made using the ancient lost wax method of casting metals.

Be quick. We only have a few!

View and buy: Recycled brass hooks & figures

Kenyan Kikoys back in stock

What's not to like about our traditional Kenyan Kikoys?

• Is it a colourful wrapper? Yes!
• Is it a soft shawl? Yes!
• Is it a baby carrier? Yes!
• Is it a lightweight towel? Yes!
• Is it a table cloth? Yes!

We never leave home without one each in our bag. When you're on the road, you never know when your Kikoy will save the day.

100% cotton, of course.

View and buy: Kikoy Wraps

African Textile Stories

'Telling the stories' is a big part of what we do in helping you understand and appreciate African textiles and fabrics.

Over the years we've published many articles documenting our travels and our textile discoveries.

Now we've decided to share these stories with you on a dedicated page here on our website. We hope you enjoy them. We'll be adding more soon.

Read and print: African Textile Stories