- Urbanknit
Fabric of the week: Chocolate Roses Ankara
This week our fabric of the week is the Chocolate Rose Ankara fabric. Made in Nigeria by a local textile mill (NICHEM), it features a simple floral motif against a green backdrop.
Here’s what we made with it!
1. CHOCOLATE ROSE ANKARA MEGASNAP CLUTCH
2. CHOCOLATE ROSE BEE BAG (TOTE)
3. CHOCOLATE ROSE ZIPPER POUCH
- Urbanknit
African Fabric for Sale
You can get a range of unique Ankara (African wax print) and Adire (hand-dyed, handmade tie dye) fabric shipped right to your door!
- Urbanknit
How to rock an Ankara Peplum top
The Oxford dictionary definition of a peplum is ‘A short gathered or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a woman’s jacket, dress, or blouse to create a hanging frill or flounce’.
It originates from the Greek word for tunic which is Peplos. The particular reference for the modern day take on the peplum though refers to an ‘overskirt’ that was worn over jackets.
Whatever the case, this modern addition to tops, dresses, skirts and jackets is flattering to all shapes and sizes.
The beauty and perhaps success of the peplum tops and dresses and so on is that the peplum shape accentuates the waist and gives the figure a more curvaceous, feminine look.
Well we have our own take in the form of the Ankara peplum top in a bold African wax print. Available in UK Size 8 to UK Size 16.
Available here: www.urbanknit.com/shop/ankara-print-peplum-top
in Our Products - Urbanknit
Upcycling Workshop with Yinka Ilori
Yinka Ilori is a East London based designer with a degree in furniture and product design. He specialises in up-cycling vintage furniture inspired by traditional Nigerian parables and African fabrics that he grew up with as a child. Each piece of furniture that he up-cycles tells a meaningful, yet humorous story which can be shared with people throughout the world.
He is running his 3rd series of up-cycling workshops starting in May! You’ll get the chance to upcycle your own chair in his studio in the heart of East London! You’ll get the opportunity to up-cycle your own chair inspired by the traditional Nigerian parables you select and decide to work with! It’s a fun experience where you learn about the art of storytelling through Nigerian parables.
You’ll be musically inspired with sweet African music while working on your chairs and possibly luckily for you in this series there will be a live talking drummer throughout the series playing the parables while you work!
Get involved!
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEBSITE: www.yinkailori.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/yinksdesigns
- Urbanknit
Want to Buy African Fabric?!
It is pretty clear I LOVE batik aka Adire aka tie dye fabric.
Soooooooo, I also realise you love it too and I have opened an ETSY store to provide you with some unique finds from across the African continent.
We will continually add new pieces as we get them.
So check out our current stash over on Urbanstax. There is currently Adire and Ankara in-store.
Let me know what you think!
- Urbanknit
Yinka Shonibare MBE: Magic Ladders
Magic Ladders: Yinka Shonibare
Image Courtesy of www.yinkashonibarembe.com/The Barnes Foundation presents Yinka Shonibare MBE: Magic Ladders from January 24, 2014 through April 21, 2014. A British artist of Nigerian descent, Shonibare has exhibited extensively in the United States and Europe. His work alludes to European art and intellectual history and explores race, slavery, authenticity, and commerce.
The works in the exhibition—approximately 15 sculptures, paintings, photographs, and a room installation—address themes of education, opportunity, and scientific and cultural discovery. His sculptures—life-sized mannequins clothed in the Dutch wax fabrics associated with Africa—offer a dramatic, playful, irreverent examination of identity, history, and politics.
This is the artist’s first major exhibition in Philadelphia, since his residency at the Fabric Workshop and Museum in 2004 and it includes a commission entitled Magic Ladders.
Interestingly, the exhibition is sponsored by Anthropologie.
WHERE:
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19130
WHEN:January 24–April 21, 2014 - Urbanknit
Item of the week- Blue Patchwork Super Snap Clutch
We LOVE to experiment and here is the latest thing out of the lab. Crazy print patchwork in the recognisable Super snap style. What do you think of our Blue Patchwork Super snap clutch?
