Lisa Shepard Stewart in Conversation with Quiltmaker Magazine

Lisa Shepard Stewart has been passionate about fabrics her entire life. Today, she’s a renowned purveyor of African textiles. She opened her store and event space, Cultured Expressions, in 2017 in downtown Rahway, New Jersey. Clients can shop in person, online, or book virtual shopping appointments for a “personal shopper” experience. Lisa sources African prints, mudcloth, jacquard batiks, beads, brass embellishments, and more — primarily from African countries.

Lisa brings her expertise not only to her retail store but also to traveling “SewJourns” with clients to places like Ghana, Colorado, and New Mexico. She’s the author of three books on sewing and decorating with fabrics from Africa and other countries, and her magazine, FABRIGASM, is a treat for lovers of African textiles. Join me on a journey with Lisa to learn about her love of fabric — and how we can incorporate all kinds of African textiles into our lives.

Let’s Dive In

Jenni: When did you fall in love with fabric?

Lisa: From the age of four, I loved fabrics. I had this little hand-woven blanket made with big yarns, and I was so enthralled by how the threads stayed together. My grandmother was a seamstress before I was born, so I got the gene from her. At 12, I learned to sew by taking classes at a Singer store. Then my grandmother won a sewing machine in a contest and gave it to me… and I burned out the motor from sewing so much!

J: How did you turn that passion into a career?

L: At the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, I earned degrees in marketing and communications, and from there I held a variety of positions in the industry — either buying, selling, or writing about fabrics… or all of the above. If I had to work for a living, I wanted to do something fun. I never saw myself in an office every day.

Where It All Began

J: How did you become an expert in African textiles?

L: In 1986 I went to Senegal in West Africa, and the fabric was amazing; I brought back six duffel bags of it! I started playing with them and got really intrigued. That led to my first book, African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home, which won an award; it was different, and people appreciated that.

Quilt guilds started bringing me in for lectures, and at the first meeting, they were like, “Where’s your merchandise?” That propelled me into procuring and merchandising these fabrics, which led to teaching classes. In my own personal decorating, I started bringing in Indonesian silks, tapestries, all kinds of interesting things to mix with the African stuff, and I thought to myself, “I can’t be the only one who likes this!” So I wrote Global Expressions: Decorating with Fabrics from Around the World.

Eventually, working out of my house (including hosting classes there) wasn’t working, and downtown Rahway was becoming more artsy, so I opened this space that’s cozy and fun. I don’t have to be open every day because people are used to checking to see if a specialty store is open, so I can close for weeklong SewJourns — trips I organize for small groups to places where we get to work with master craftspeople.

For example, my next one is to Santa Fe, where we’ll spend two days with a Nigerian friend, Gasali Adeyemo, who is a master indigo dyer. We’ll also take classes on making pottery, gourd embellishment, and handmade journals. Between the crafting, shopping, eating, drinking, and all the laughter, we have a great time!

Using Indigenous Fabrics

J: What’s the first thing we need to know about using African fabrics?

L: They can be broken into two categories: Those that are indigenous (actually made in Africa), and colorful cotton prints (also called Ankara fabrics). Ankara fabrics have an international history, so much so that I created a separate lecture on Ankara prints alone! A lot of them are also now made in China, India, and other parts of Asia. It’s the category people recognize the most and think of as African fabrics. But when it comes to indigenous fabrics, you have textiles like mudcloth, Adinkra, Kuba cloth, and korhogo — all of which are made by hand and very much tied to the cultures that create them.

J: You just opened my eyes! I had only seen Ankara fabrics. Why are these other textiles also great for quilting and home decor?

L: I like them because of their textures. Handwoven fabrics add a certain weight, like a physical weight, and also a visual weight to a product or project. They just kind of change it. I rarely stick to quilting cotton; I mix weights and textures. It’s also the culture behind these textiles — their symbols and symbolism, and the story behind the fabrics — that I love. I think people sometimes get trapped into thinking that only quilting fabric can be used for quilts. But mixing textures and weights adds an energy to a piece that, to me, flat cotton really can’t. It looks richer. It looks and feels more substantial. And it just has more of a presence.

Ankara and Beyond

J: What should we know about sourcing and using Ankara fabrics?

L: I tell people: If you like a print, use it. If it’s decent quality, use it. The colors are unbelievable, and it’s machine-washable and doesn’t fade. You’re just not guaranteed to know where it comes from. There’s a lot of counterfeiting going on; I go to Ghana and shop in the markets, and they sometimes sell fabrics from China. One of the other fabrics I sell is jacquard batik; it’s made in Ghana, and I know the women who make it. So if you really want something you know is made in Africa, that’s one example. But as far as Ankara prints, manufacturing is worldwide.

J: How important is it for non-African American quilters to understand the origins of African fabrics?

L: It’s really important for anybody to have some understanding of the fabric they’re using. If you at least know some tidbits, it makes it more interesting for you! It’s important to help others understand it, too. You don’t have to deliver a TED Talk when someone compliments your quilt, but part of the creative process is being able to explain your materials.

People talk about appropriation a lot. The difference between appreciation and appropriation is this: When you appreciate it, you know something about it, and you’re giving credit to where it came from. And when you appropriate it, you’re not even acknowledging that it has some cultural reference or cultural meanings. There’s a difference.

Quilting with Color

J: For those who are new to using so many bright colors and patterns, what do you suggest as a first project?

L: Start with a charm pack or layer cake of all different colors and prints, and pair it with a familiar block pattern that’s really simple, like half-square triangles. That way, you’re just experimenting with color and value. If you’re overwhelmed by so much color and pattern at once, mix it with some blenders — or with cream, or black — to kind of space it out. I think there’s a mystique about African fabrics, but you don’t have to just use them all together. They play well with other fabrics! So don’t be afraid to mix them and just play with colors and enjoy the patterns.

Get Quilty with African Textiles

Lisa Shepard Stewart is such an incredible fiber artist — our team hopes you’re as inspired by her as we are! Want to dive in more to the topic of African textiles? Be sure to check out Lisa’s books, Global Expressions: Decorating with Fabrics from Around the World and African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home.

Have you ever used African fabrics in your quilting? We want to hear about your experiences and see your creations! Share with us on Instagram, Facebook, or in the comments section below. Our interviewer, Jenni Grover, is a journalist, quilter, and wellness coach for quilters and other makers. Connect with her at coachjennigrover.com.