Kente Cloth Ghana n Kente Cloth Weaving done

Kente Cloth, Ghana n Kente Cloth – Weaving done by men in West Africa – Woven in long narrow strips, then sewn together into large fabrics – Traditionally worn draped across the shoulders

Bobbo sewing Kente cloth together Bobbo’s eldest son

Weaving n Weaving – Process of interlacing threads to form cloth – Based on warp & weft threads

Weaving - Warp n Warp – Threads are strung vertically on a loom – Form the skeleton of the weaving

Weaving - Weft n Weft – Horizontal threads that pass over & under the skeleton – Form the body of the weaving

History of Kente Weaving n Kente weaving – Craft passes from father to son – Patterns given names • Example: “My ideas have run out” Agama: The chameleon signifies patience and trickery

Use of Kente Cloth n Originally made for Kings & Queens n National dress of Ghana – Worn for holidays n Popular with tourists

Weaving Terms n Loom – Structure that holds the weaving together • • Strip loom upright loom Standing loom cardboard loom Strip loom

Weaving Terms n Tabby or plain weave – Going over, under the warp threads n (to) Beat in – To push the weft close to the previously woven weft n Selvedge – Woven sides of the piece

Weaving Problems n Drawing-in – Unwanted waist-line produced if the thread is pulled to tight n Selvage loops – Uneven edges acquired if too much thread is left at the edges

Kente Cloth Design Techniques n Use the tabby weave to develop different colored strips – Create interest with width differences n Create a checkerboard – Going over and under 2 threads n Add a brocade weave on top – Zigzags are common

Master Kente Cloth Weaver, Gilbert “Bobbo” Ahiagble Packed-up for the Bobbo day. The warp isfinished never left stretched out weaving at his loom Two goats, a chicken and a warp A yet to be woven crown and the end of the strip Kente Cloth Bobbo One at Measuring aofthe weaving Bobbo's the demonstration youngest beat of the asons, strip in with Kweku, the a. U. S. notched lending -school with stick a. Denu young hand Aa couple of An young elder weavers Washing from helping yarns Agbozume out on break Boiling yarns in a large kettle on a fire pit, adding A A woman weaver A selling weaver showing yarns winding finished and dyes yarns strip on market onto this pattern bobbins day in is called Hanging a multitude of different colored dyed skeins on loom overnight. Here you can see the warp crown and A woven. Passing strip of Adding cloth Bobbo winding threads at his up to on loom the loom's cloth beam the weft threads through the shed. winding thread admirer. onto a small bobbin starch, dyeing. worgagba, or "corn power". outand to dry. Sunny days are not scarce in Denu its already woven end.

Kente Cloth

Kente Cloth

Credits Created by Jerilynn Packer Resources: – – – Kente Cloth story and slides http: //members. aol. com/davilojo/p 1. htm www. africancrafts. com African Crafts http: //www. marshall. edu/akanart/cloth_kente. html AKAN KENTE CLOTHS http: //mywebpages. comcast. net/kboahene 02001480/kente. htm http: //www. ghana. com/republic/kente/index. html KENTE http: //kente. midwesttradegroup. com/history. html Symbolic Meanings of Colors – http: //www. adire. clara. net/africantextilesintro. htm looms of Africa – www. handsoncrafts. org Hands on Crafts