Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Shwe Shwe

Shweshwe is a traditional South African Fabric, which had it's origins in Germany.
The dyed fabric is patterned with its traditional white design by bleaching it with a weak acid solution and rolling it through etched copper rollers. Da Gama are the biggest producers in SA.

Shweshwe has had it's trend ups and downs, but I always remain intrigued with the simplicity and beauty of these traditional designs.
I found a beautiful vintage wool and silk embroidered jersey a while ago, and I decided to felt it and then make it up into a pair of cushions.I backed the cushions with a red and white shweshwe type print. Here they are in dappled shade together with their fairaisle friends from yesterday!

9 comments:

Jesse said...

I had no idea that's how shweshwe was produced (and I had wondered)!

I've awarded you with a 'Be The Blog' award on my blog, by the way.

Estelle said...

Amazing combinations of colour, texture and fabric!
(I'm glad to be back online - my hard drive crashed and I've had some anxiety attacks about getting my "life" and calendar and documents back!)

Heloise said...

Your own shop! Well Done and what beautiful things. I suspected something was afoot when your labels came out. You really do have an eye for things that go together with a freash take. And I have long been in love with Shwe Shwe.

dutchcomfort said...

Wonderful fabrics and I love your cushions. Good luck with the shop!

Alexander Santillanes said...

What an intriguing contrast those fabrics make. I love the pattern of the fourth shwe-shwe in the first photo. -X

Anonymous said...

Great entry! I have been meaning to do one myself on Shweshwe as more and more great products are popping up.

Thanks
Fellow Durbanite

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
jamiela naidoo said...

Can you buy these fabrics in Cape Town? They're beautiful!

jamiela naidoo said...

Can you buy these fabrics in Cape Town? They're beautiful!