KENTE CLOTH WORKSHOP
with
Dr. Etoia L. Rivera-Strohm
14, 15 April 2012
Weavers Guild of Miami Valley
Kente cloth is the best known of the African hand woven textiles. It has is origins with the Akan peoples. It was a sacred cloth worn only on very special occasions or by kings. The use of Kente cloth has become more wide spread among descents of the Akan in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and those transported as slaves in Suriname. Now It is used by people who want to honor their African heritage.
Kente cloth is a narrow cloth of dazzling, multicolored patterns of bright colors, geometric shapes, and bold designs. In Ghana it is woven by men on looms they construct with two sets of 2 harnesses. The long warps are tensioned with a heavy stone on a sled and are called drag looms. The cloth has warp faced portions and weft faced portions as well as brocade. They use fine silk and cotton threads. Watch a video here.
The narrow strips are sewn together for stunning draped garments.
You will be learning the Ashanti Tribe’s method of weaving Kente Cloth. Here’s what you will need: 20/2 perle cotton warp and the same for the ground weft. Pattern weft is 10/2 perle cotton. Warp is wound 188 threads, 5 yds long. Sett is 36 epi, suggested reeds are 15, 18 or 12. Project will be 5 1/4 in the reed. You may use a backstrap loom, a rigid heddle loom or a 4H loom. The backstrap and rigid heddle looms require you to make additional string heddles.
Our instuctor, Dr. Etoia Rivera-Strohm is the first female American Master Weaver in the Asante Kente style. She studied Kente Cloth in the weaving village of Adanwomase in West Ghana, Africa. She was trained in both Ewe & Asante styles but only receiving status as a Master Weaver from the Asante tribe as the Ewe tribe would not give such a status to a woman.
Etoia has more than 15 years experience weaving. She is no stranger to slow cloth, she spent 8 years of her weaving career making tapestries and rugs. Her specialty is non-European style weave structures. Dr. Rivera-Strohm is well versed in Navajo, Taaniko and South American weaving styles in addition to Kente Cloth. She is very fond of weaving Kilm and cut pile rugs.
Etoia is passionate about her weaving. She is planning a trip to New Zealand to improve her Taaniko skills and earn her Master Weaver status with the Maori tribe. She is also planning a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico to learn a non toxic form of natural dying. She teaches weaving workshops in her Ohio studio and on the road.
The workshop is two days, Saturday 14, 10-5, and Sunday, 9-4, 15 April at the Beavercreek Fire Station. The cost is $100 for the workshop. You can make your own warp or Toia will make one for you for $25 and advance notice. The warp will be either 20/2 or 120/2 (the traditional size) mercerized cotton in several colors. Traditional colors include gold, green, red and blue. You need to warp your loom before the workshop. Limit 12 participants.
Contact Karren Brito to register for the workshop.