As I mentioned a few weeks ago (here), I found an interesting-looking lecture on the use of African fabrics in quilts. Offered through Creative Spark, it is called African Fabrics for Contemporary Quilts, Crafts, and More.
My friend Laura agreed to sign up for the lecture too and we scheduled a time to view it together (from different states). The lecture was specific to African fabrics, and we both had some of those in addition to some other interesting fabrics we hoped to use.
We both enjoyed the lecture. Laura was happy to learn the meaning of some of the designs in her African fabrics, and I was happy to hear Carole Lyles Shaw‘s take on “cultural appropriation”. The question presented was whether it’s acceptable for individuals who are not of African descent to make things with African cloth. Carole’s response was that cultural mixing goes on all the time, so it’s perfectly acceptable for anyone to use the fabric. However, the designs should not be used without attribution, which of course is a basic principle across creative endeavors.
The other presenter for the lecture was Lisa Shepard Stewart. She’s obviously in favor of everyone being able to use African fabrics, because she has an online shop to sell them!
There were two bonus patterns at the end of the lecture, one for a notebook cover and one for a small quilt.
When I went back to my stash, I decided I didn’t have enough different African fabrics to make the small quilt. HOWEVER, a friend gave me this wild fabric from Lunn Batiks several years ago and it seemed to have enough variety all in one piece. And batiks are an ethnic fabric with a long history of use in quilting, so here we go! 
I made some Gwen Marston-type stars, and some of the blocks from the bonus pattern (designed by Carole Lyles Shaw), and combined them into this:
The top is finished, but you’ll probably be seeing it again when it’s quilted and bound.
As for using fabrics from different cultures, I’m with Carole: we’ve been a cultural melting pot for years. Nobody questions whether I can use cottons from India since I’m not of East Indian descent, or whether to use Japanese yukata fabric in quilts. And we’ve been using Indonesian batiks for years. Cultural appropriation is a legitimate concern, but that’s not what this is. As a friend once said, “Worry about something else.”
Zippy Quilts 
I agree with you about the appropriation. To me, one of the big draws of textiles is how they give me an instant connection with people all around the world. I don’t sell anything so I don’t worry about stepping on someone’s market niche; I just make what I like with what I like. 🙂
Same here! And if we’re talking African fabrics, many were originally developed by the Dutch to compete with Indonesian batiks, so around and round we go.
Cultural appropriation is an important issue, but as you say, not to be obsessed over. Where I think it becomes important is in using a motif/design/concept from another culture as inspiration for a “new” creation of one’s own and failing to acknowledge the source. Of course they want us to buy and use their fabric; they don’t want us to design “our own line” based on their design and call it our own. Another option is collaborating as equals, something I heard a Native American fashion designer lecture about. I’m thinking perhaps the stronger voice should be that of the member of the culture whose idea is being used, but I’m not going to be absolute about it.
Agree. Failing to acknowledge a source is a problem whether or not the source is from another culture. The only issue addressed in the lecture was whether people who aren’t of African descent should use the fabrics, which, as you pointed out earlier, didn’t really address cultural appropriation in depth.
To me cultural appropriation is about pretending to be them, its about using their culture to tell their story or make money instead of allowing them to speak for themselves. Using materials to tell your own story isn’t the same thing regardless of where they come from. But agree that acknowledging the source is appropriate and would love to see the designers of these fabrics have more credit
Your definition is excellent–much clearer than anything I’ve come up with! Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Zippy – our ‘getting together’ for this was such fun. Great idea you had to do this. It has caused me to look into ModaGrunge fabrics as recommended for use with the Ankaras. I soon discovered to my delight they **do** work fantastically well together! So of course I ‘dutifully’ bought a yard each of 5 different colors. 🙂
As for the appropriation thread: It’s the same in music, from early times to now. ie-“Variations on a Theme by Mozart” or “La Folia” themes float around in numerous compositions throughout many different centuries. Most creatives understand and allow for using other’s work as springboards for their own – again ‘with permission’ and/or attrition, etc. But then, you ‘get it’. You’re a creative of the Super Nova type!
Haha. Reminds me that I once asserted that the only Brahms piece I liked was his variations on a theme by Hayden. I’ve since broadened my taste 😀
LOL
The fact that folks seem keen to not be “obessessed” about this topic is interesting. I think this post, based on the positive act of taking the Creativebug class – which I, too, took – in order to deepen understanding is the kind of thoughtful step artists of color hope more makers will take and reflect on and share. Giving attention to appreciation vs appropriation is not a matter of obsesson but of conscious and, some might argue, conscientious effort to reccognize of what is just. (Shaw and Stewart give full acknowledgement to the Indonesian origins of African print motifs.)
It’s unfortunate that being aware of, sensitive to, studying and giving acknowledgement via attribution to the cultures continues to be ridiculed and dismissed as something one needn’t be concerned with. If we truly believe in respectful and earnest appreciation of the diverse cultures of our world rather than appropriation, it’s important to know it will take some work – work I hope more people will, with increasing willingness, lean into with at leasat as much energy as we give that new quilt pattern.
Agree! Thanks for your comments. I’m gratified to see how many people engaged with this topic enough to comment. I would love to see a discussion of the ways in which Native American culture has been appropriated and how me might better acknowledge it as well.
Quilting artist Melissa de Leon Mason (https://www.quiltallthethings.com/) does a wonderful lecture (presented at Quiltcon 2022 and available to guilds – her website) that’s worth listening to, that looks at a range of cultures including her own Hispanic/Mexican heritage. Shashiko artisan Atsushi (https://upcyclestitches.com/sashiko-story-to-share-what-sashiko-is-for-us/) also has presentations that feature very thoughtful guidance on navigating these waters. His video series (YouTube) touches on the topic in several posts and specifically in the episode https://youtu.be/kwQSM1wtwes?si=qMtJ-nrkyti_uCAb.
This topic, its importance and my abiding interest in it, came alive for me via one of the most enlightening resources I’ve encountered – the PBS series “Craft in America”. There’s a lot to be learned from the series, primarily because it’s coming from the experiences and voices of the artists themselves. The episode featuring Indian photograher Cara Romero (https://www.craftinamerica.org/artist/cara-romero/) is, in my opinion, quite effective in outlining the core of appropriation of indiginous peoples creative works.
Thank you, Carole, for these resources!
Thanks for your post, Mary, and to everyone who commented. I have collections of ethnic fabric, too, and I try to acknowledge them when I use them. (Example: my quilt Antipodes uses Australian prints and Indonesian batiks. It was accepted into the Wisconsin quilt expo (next month).) What I need to get more comfortable with is mixing ethnic and ‘mainstream’ prints because, as you say, we ARE a melting pot. Hmmm….that would be a good quilt name.
Thanks for a very interesting post. Cultural appropriation is an uncomfortable topic. It’s ironic that some African fabrics originated in Europe. Shwe shwe (also called German print) was introduced to the African people by the missionaries. I read in Selvedge magazine that the bright batic like central African prints were originally manufactured by the Dutch for the Indonesians. They refused to use this inferior cloth, so it was dumped on the Africans!!
Hi Mariss! I thought of you when I looked at these fabrics, though most of them were from Ghana I think. There was no reference to the shwe shwe cloth I see from time to time on your blog, but then Africa is a big continent of many countries and cultures! Thanks for visiting and commenting 😀
That is an awesome quilt top and that sounds like an interesting lecture to attend!
The lecture was worthwhile. The quilt is going to a kids’ camp, but I figure you’re never too young to be exposed to good design 😀