What is Shweshwe?
Shweshwe is a 100% South African cotton fabric that is produced using traditional methods.
The indigo fabric “Shweshwe” (also known as “Shoeshoe” or “Isishweshwe”) is named after the legendary Basotho Chief Moshoeshe the First. In 1840, French missionaries presented Moshoeshe I with this material as a gift. The chief and his subjects developed a great fondness for this material. To date, the proud women of Basotho clothe themselves in Shweshwe for special occasions. The fabric is part of the traditional costumes of the Basotho and is carried to important ceremonies in rural areas.
Today, a British-South African Company called Da Gama Textiles, which has the sole production rights, produces “Shweshwe” in Zwelitsha in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Shweshwe is still produced in the traditional way using the so-called “Blue Print” copper-fed printing method. This exotic material has a distinctive fragrance and stiffness before the first wash. These properties are due to the traditional production process. After the first wash, the beautiful cotton fabric is soft and odorless. Recently, Shweshwe has become increasingly popular with western fashion designers.
Shop Shweshwe HERE.
Shweshwe Skirt Sewing Instructions
How to sew a Shweshwe-skirt with 4 shweshwe-material-coupons:
- Take your hip measurements.
- Halve coupons 3 and 4 lengthways
- Front skirt: Sew fabric coupon 1,3A, 4A lengthwise right to right
- Back: Sew fabric coupon 2 and 3B and 4B together as well
- Sew on small flounces (2.5cm length) at the seams (iron in beforehand!) By ironing the upper fabric 2.5cm from the seam and sew the pleats again at the seam.
- Iron the front and back skirt once
- Sew a 2.5cm hem on each side of the skirt (front and back)
- Put skirt sides right to right
- Cut to body measurements and sew right to right front and back together.
- Sew on the loop at the top and pull in the rubber band, sewing on the waist width
Have fun sewing!
Yours, Judith Singer
PATCHWORK CHALLENGE 2013
Dear Ladies, I am delighted to present all 14 participants here and to announce the winners of this year’s Patchwork Challenge.
All participants incorporated a small piece of the same brown Shweshwe fabric into their quilts. Shweshwe is particularly well suited for quilting and is available in our shop.
The 1st prize (a €50 voucher from Trusted Roots Design Unlimited) goes to Almut Höhn (Mittelstetten). Congratulations!
1st prize: Almut Höhn, Mittelstetten, “hand-appliquéd and hand-quilted”
The 2nd prize (two €25 vouchers from Trusted Roots Design Unlimited) is shared, with an equal number of votes, by Namukolo Mukutu Mongwende (Johannesburg) and Kerstin Kohls-Behnken (Verden). Congratulations!
2nd prize: Kerstin Kohls-Behnken, Verden
Prize: Namukolo Mukutu Mongwende, Johannesburg
This participant from South Africa writes (published here for the first time):
“My name is Namukolo Mukutu Mongwende, and I have been working with textiles for more than 20 years. I begin by printing my batik, then I use the batik fabric to sew clothing, sell some of the fabric, and use the batik in my patchwork, which is quite a process. Patchwork allows me to use all fabric pieces and offcuts. I stencil some prints, which I also use, as well as isishweshwe, other local prints, and other African prints. I live in Johannesburg with my husband and two children.”
Each participant receives a small gift from Trusted Roots Design Unlimited as a thank-you for taking part in the PATCHWORK CHALLENGE 2013. Many thanks!
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Prizes and works can be collected on Friday, June 14, from 3:00–6:00 p.m. at the studio.
