Friday, July 24, 2009
Feedback: Textiles: Mike Davis, US
Just wanted you to know that the Kente cloths arrived a few moments ago: DHL was very efficient. The cloths really are BEAUTIFUL!! I also loved the book marks--certainly a unique constant advertisement and reminder of eShopAfrica. Thank you very much. I look forward to a continuing relationship with your group, even at the risk of having to build a bigger house!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Beads Artisan visiting eShopAfrica
Mr Israel Kumah owner of "Lizzy Beads" has visited eShopAfrica office in Accra. Israel and his wife Elizabeth have been brought up in beads business . The shop is in Somanya in the Eastern region of Ghana where beautiful recycled beads are made.
Mr Kumah works with all types of recycled beads,powdered as wel as painted.
He thanked eShopAfrica for their support to artisans.
"Lizzy beads "you are warmly welcomed to be part of the great family of eShopAfrica.com
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Feedback: Textiles: George Suarez, New York
The Ethiopian shawls arrived in time for the birthday and she loved them. Thanks for getting them to me on time. And congratulations on doing a fine job of connecting African artisans with acquisitive western urban dwellers like me. I admire your enterprise in giving the craftspeople this kind of access to a wider market. I've already started talking up your website to people. Best of luck.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Gallery: Out and About: Ghana Bead Society..a lot to learn about beads!
GBS meets at the W.E. DuBois Center in Cantonments/Accra on the first Friday of every month from 2pm-3:30pm.We meet to discuss all aspectsof beads..history,importance, production….etc .
Bead & Brassproducers as well as traders come & present their products for sale on those days.
We are looking forward to our next meeting in September.................
Monday, June 15, 2009
Feedback: Beads: Greg, Spacetrader Beads, Australia
My order has arrived. Let me say that I very happy with beads and your sevice is the best I have encountered. Thank you so much. Now we will add these to our catalogue and do our best to become known for Ghana beads in Australia.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Gallery: Product: Northern Cloth
Northern Cloth from Bolgatanga in Ghana
We don't currently stock this in our online shop but we may be able to help you get some. Get in touch if you're interested.
Here are the weavers of this traditional strip woven cloth. West African grown cotton is hand spun and dyed using natural dyes such as indigo. This is then hand woven into thin strips which are sewn together either to form pieces of cloth or articles of clothing. But the weavers are innovating... see below for a mixture of old-style traditional products and the new style designed to appeal to wider markets.
Traditional style chief shirts
When Jerry Rawlings, the previous president of Ghana travalled he often wore one of these chief shirts. His family was partly from Bolgatanga where these traditonal shirts woven from Northern cloth that is then embroidered are a mark of high status. Underneath the shirt you can see the rolls of Northern cloth that customers can choose from.
The tradition lives on...
This Ghanain businessman has blended the old and new perfectly. He is wearing an white shirt and tie underneath a traditional chief shirt. We hope this style of office dressing catches on - it looks great as well as being great for the Northern cloth weavers.
Traditional ladies outfit
This ladies outfit is sewn from Northern cloth strips in a traditional dress style popular with Ghainain women.
Old styles in the market
In the markets in the north of Ghana you often find kaftans sewn using Northern cloth.
New colours, new ideas...
The weavers are branching out... they are now using modern dyes in combination with the traditional dyes to make new colour combinations. Also new thread colours gives them more options when it comes to embroidering and decorating their work.
Table runners....
With the new strips colourful table runners like this can be sewn together and then hand embroidered
Wine bottle covers
Lampshades
A Northern cloth living room
Look at how great this living room set - all based on the traditional Northern cloth strips
The latest fashion
And with their new colours the weavers aren't going to be left behind. This stylish jacket is beautifully made from the Northern cloth strips woven in black and orange.
A director's chair
A great way to give a unique look to a directors chair. It has been covered using traditionally coloured Northern cloth strips. Again - a blend of old and new.
More chairs
Even ordinary chairs can be made more interesting with a unqiue pillow and cushion made from Northern cloth strips.
More furnishings
These strips have a red theme and when interwoven with black make a unique textured design.
Goodbye from Bolgatanga
You can see from these pictures that the weavers of Bolgatanga are not about to get left behind. They're constantly innovating their skills and experimenting with new materials and techniques - the results speak for themselves.
We don't currently stock this in our online shop but we may be able to help you get some. Get in touch if you're interested.
Here are the weavers of this traditional strip woven cloth. West African grown cotton is hand spun and dyed using natural dyes such as indigo. This is then hand woven into thin strips which are sewn together either to form pieces of cloth or articles of clothing. But the weavers are innovating... see below for a mixture of old-style traditional products and the new style designed to appeal to wider markets.
Traditional style chief shirts
When Jerry Rawlings, the previous president of Ghana travalled he often wore one of these chief shirts. His family was partly from Bolgatanga where these traditonal shirts woven from Northern cloth that is then embroidered are a mark of high status. Underneath the shirt you can see the rolls of Northern cloth that customers can choose from.
The tradition lives on...
This Ghanain businessman has blended the old and new perfectly. He is wearing an white shirt and tie underneath a traditional chief shirt. We hope this style of office dressing catches on - it looks great as well as being great for the Northern cloth weavers.
Traditional ladies outfit
This ladies outfit is sewn from Northern cloth strips in a traditional dress style popular with Ghainain women.
Old styles in the market
In the markets in the north of Ghana you often find kaftans sewn using Northern cloth.
New colours, new ideas...
The weavers are branching out... they are now using modern dyes in combination with the traditional dyes to make new colour combinations. Also new thread colours gives them more options when it comes to embroidering and decorating their work.
Table runners....
With the new strips colourful table runners like this can be sewn together and then hand embroidered
Wine bottle covers
Lampshades
A Northern cloth living room
Look at how great this living room set - all based on the traditional Northern cloth strips
The latest fashion
And with their new colours the weavers aren't going to be left behind. This stylish jacket is beautifully made from the Northern cloth strips woven in black and orange.
A director's chair
A great way to give a unique look to a directors chair. It has been covered using traditionally coloured Northern cloth strips. Again - a blend of old and new.
More chairs
Even ordinary chairs can be made more interesting with a unqiue pillow and cushion made from Northern cloth strips.
More furnishings
These strips have a red theme and when interwoven with black make a unique textured design.
Goodbye from Bolgatanga
You can see from these pictures that the weavers of Bolgatanga are not about to get left behind. They're constantly innovating their skills and experimenting with new materials and techniques - the results speak for themselves.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Feedback: Textiles: Vanessa & Francesco, Scotland
We received the mudcloth this morning and we like them very much! We will definitely buy some for our shop as well!
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