FREE Shweshwe Sample Want to see what genuine Shweshwe is like? Call us or put 'Shweshwe Sample' and your post details in a message on our contact page HERE and we'll send you some with our compliments. |
NEW FABRICS
New colourways for the Quilters Collection
Christmas prints
Dolphins from the new Gardenia Collection
New Shweshwe Fancy Prints Click HERE for more |
What do you think? We would love to have your feedback on our site, both the good and the bad, because we are passionate about our fabrics and also the enjoyment and satisfaction we want you to get from using these wonderful products. Can we make it easier for you? Tell it to us 'just as it is' on our contact page here |
This is the page where we will have information and useful facts about our site, African fabrics, quilting, patchwork and home sewing that don't fit easily elswhere on the site.
Our Shopping Cart - more here ......
Fat Quarters - more here ......
Long Quarters - more here ......
Caring for Shweshwe fabric - more here ......
When you find fabric that you like, as you browse through our ranges;
- Click on 'Options' and select the measurement or item that you want from the drop down list.
- If you want more than 1 of that item then choose a quantity from the 'Quantity' drop down list.
- Click on 'Add To Cart'.
This will take you to the secure shop area where you can change quantities and where it will show you the additional cost of postage and handling.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you choose your 'Country' as this will ensure that the correct postage and handling is applied to your order.
You then have the choice of continuing to shop, checking out or emptying your shopping cart.
Back in the shop, at any time you can click on 'View Cart' button at the bottom of the page to see or change what you have in your shopping cart.
When you are ready to check out you can either do so when you have selected your last item or by clicking on 'View Cart' and following the instructions.
This is a way of cutting a metre of cotton fabric in four. You cut a half metre length of fabric and then cut this piece in half across the length. This gives you a piece of fabric that is always 50 cm along one side and - for traditional quilting fabric - approximately 55 cm along the other (19¾"x approx. 22").
For Shweshwe fabric (3 Leopards, Toto and Fancy Prints) the fabric is 90 cm wide, so a fat quarter will be 50 cm by 45 cm. (19¾ x approx 17¾ 3/4).It is versatile for lots of projects.
There are lots of patterns nowadays that are specifically designed for using fat quarters and they make an ideal way to build up a collection of favourite colours or themes for that project that we all plan to do one day. You can often buy fat quarter bundles of various, often complimentary, shades and/or patterns.
If you cut a quarter of a metre from a length of material you will get a strip 25 cm by whatever the width of the fabric. For example 25 cm by 90 cm in the case of Shweshwe fabric or 25 cm by 110 cm in the case of the Quilters Collection.
These dimensions tend to be less practical than fat quarters.
We would always recommend that cotton fabrics are washed before using them on your project.
Shweshwe fabric is no different.
When new, Shweshwe has a slightly stiff feel to it as a result of the starch used during the production process - you can read more about the historical reason for this on the history page here - and like most cotton fabrics there will be slight shrinkage during washing that you probably wouldn't want to happen on your finished item.
So in the first instance,
- Wash separately
- 40 degree wash
- Do not bleach
- Do not tumble dry
- Do not dry clean
- Warm iron
When the fabric is incorporated in the final item you can then wash the entire thing without worrying about further shrinkage or colours running.