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Quilts are available upon request.
A Short History of African American Quilting:
African American quilting and piece sewing can be traced back to West African symbolism and textile designs. Weaving was originally practiced by men, but when our ancestors were trafficked to the United States, labor was divided according to Western patriarchal standards. Women took up the mantle of quilting. They adapted African weaving patterns threaded with their experience in the country they now found themselves and resulting in a unique art form.
During slavery and the civil war, African Americans used quilting to communicate message and escape routes along the Underground Railroad running. After emancipation, Black Americans continued to use quilting and textile crafts as both a means of cultural expression and a source of income. Our mothers and grandmothers turned their scrap materials into uniquely fashioned household and clothing.
Today’s eco-friendly waste-free trends of revamping wardrobe items into one of a kind personal fashion statements are actually inspired by piece sewing styles rooted in the ingenuity of eras past.
Southern Journeys is proud to continue these traditions. And by incorporating Fair Trade textiles from our sisters in West Africa, we are using craft and commerce to improve lives both here and abroad. We are honored to share this heritage with you.
Quilts are available upon request.
A Short History of African American Quilting:
African American quilting and piece sewing can be traced back to West African symbolism and textile designs. Weaving was originally practiced by men, but when our ancestors were trafficked to the United States, labor was divided according to Western patriarchal standards. Women took up the mantle of quilting. They adapted African weaving patterns threaded with their experience in the country they now found themselves and resulting in a unique art form.
During slavery and the civil war, African Americans used quilting to communicate message and escape routes along the Underground Railroad running. After emancipation, Black Americans continued to use quilting and textile crafts as both a means of cultural expression and a source of income. Our mothers and grandmothers turned their scrap materials into uniquely fashioned household and clothing.
Today’s eco-friendly waste-free trends of revamping wardrobe items into one of a kind personal fashion statements are actually inspired by piece sewing styles rooted in the ingenuity of eras past.
Southern Journeys is proud to continue these traditions. And by incorporating Fair Trade textiles from our sisters in West Africa, we are using craft and commerce to improve lives both here and abroad. We are honored to share this heritage with you.
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