African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home [Paperback]

Lisa Shepard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

Features over 40 how-to projects for home decor done in African textiles like mudcloth, kente, korhogo, kuba and adinkra. The first chapter explains the fabrics, how they are made and used traditionally, and each of the following chapters covers a room in the house. Projects are designed for various skill levels, utilizing a mix of sewing, glueing, fusing, staple gun and other easy techniques. Visit www.CulturedExpressions.com

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-This book offers an exciting glimpse at West African cultures and presents beautiful, tangible, and useful items reflective of those cultures for readers to make. Shepard includes Korhogo cloths, Kente stools, Mud cloth desk clocks, and other traditional art objects and describes their history and symbolism. YAs will appreciate the MTV style of organization and flow. Dramatic photographs of the projects and of West Africans creating traditional art are included. Easy-to-understand drawings and directions assist readers. Most projects are suitable for home and school. Young people will likely be attracted to the wall hanging and rug sections. An eye-catching presentation that has broad appeal.-Brie Weisman, Family Resource Center, Coos County, NH

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Lisa Shepard Stewart is an award-winning writer and designer based in New Jersey. In her books, African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home and Global Expressions: Decorating with Fabrics from Around the World, Lisa encourages others to express themselves creatively through culturally relevant techniques and materials. She promotes her work through classes and other special events around the country and internationally, and and sources unique fabrics and materials from artists in Ghana and other countries. She also produces and conducts Creative Retreats in Negril, Jamaica. Lisa s first book, African Accents, earned the Primedia award of Excellence in the Sewing Books category in 2001, and her website, CulturedExpressions.com, received the Black Web Award for 2007 in the Home Design category. Her third book, African Accents ON THE GO! Designing Accessories with Cultural Style, was released in June 2007. Lisa writes regularly for various web sites, and trade and consumer publications. Lisa has demonstrated several projects & techniques on HGTV , and its sister network, DIY, along with Discovery Channel and sewing & quilting programs on PBS. For four years, she was the craft columnist for the Star-Ledger, New Jersey's largest newspaper with a daily readership of over 450,000. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City with a Bachelor s degree in Marketing and an Associate degree in Communications. She has held various positions in the sewing, craft, and textile industries, including creative director, writer/consultant, fabric buyer, merchandiser, and promotions manager. Lisa has collected African fabrics since 1986, after a visit to Senegal, West Africa.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Krause Publications (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873417895
• ISBN-13: 978-0873417891
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #715,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

LISA SHEPARD STEWART is an award-winning writer and designer based in New Jersey. In her books, African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home and Global Expressions: Decorating with Fabrics from Around the World, Lisa encourages others to express themselves creatively through culturally relevant techniques and materials. She promotes her work through classes and special events around the country and internationally, and travels to Ghana to source artists, fabrics and materials. Lisa produces Creative Retreats at a holistic spa in Negril, Jamaica, and her first Textile & Craft Tour of Ghana in September 2010. Lisa's first book, African Accents, earned the Primedia Award of Excellence in 2001.

Her website, www.CulturedExpressions.com, received the Black Web Award for 2007 in the Home Design category, and again won the 2008 and 209 awards in the newly-created Crafts, Décor & Creative Living category. Her third book, African Accents ON THE GO! Designing Accessories with Cultural Style, is the first to be published by her company, and was released in June 2007.

Lisa writes regularly for various web sites, and trade and consumer publications. She has demonstrated several projects & techniques on HGTV and DIY networks, along with Discovery Channel and sewing programs on PBS. For four years, she was the bi-weekly craft columnist for the Star-Ledger, New Jersey's largest newspaper.

She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City with a B.S. in Marketing and an A.A.S. in Communications. She has held various positions in the sewing, craft, and textile industries, including creative director, writer/consultant, fabric buyer, merchandiser, and marketing manager. Lisa has collected African fabrics since 1986, after a visit to Senegal, West Africa. Some of her other interests include travel, entertaining, handwriting analysis, holistic health and yoga.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully photograhed with easy to follow instructions., November 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home (Paperback)

My recent purchase of African Accents inspired me to redecorate my entire home! Ms. Shepard's book gave me all the information needed to complete this goal. Not only are her instructions clear and detailed, she has also included places in which to purchase materials. What could be easier? Thank you for this beautiful and cultural tool that even looks great on my coffee table!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Than "Just Another" Decorating Book, March 26, 2000

By 

Ruth A. Nelson (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home (Paperback)

African Accents by Lisa Shepard is more than just another book with homey decorator projects for the Do-It-Yourselfer. As Shepard makes clear in her introduction, her passion for genuine African fabrics is based on admiration for their strong colors and designs coupled an educated appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into their creation.

Since she recognizes that collection of these beautiful fabrics may well be beyond the reach of the average pocketbook, she sets out to teach us how to duplicate the look with affordable materials and then provides detailed instructions for sophisticated decorating projects that are reasonably easy to accomplish.

Make your own stamps with potatoes, compressed sponges or rubber stamps to get the look of Adinkra cloth. Shepard provides over 20 different Adinkra symbols to copy together with their African names and meanings.

Choose from over a dozen images to create unique Korhogo designs (and I dare you to resist trying the panels and floor cloth projects in the book). Try mudcloth, Kuba cloth or Kasaii velvet.

The instructions are clear and the power of the designs would enhance just about any room in your home or office.

They would also be fairly easy for a school group or Scout troop to teach children about the strength and beauty of the cultures they represent. I can easily imagine a group of kids having a good time creating Adinkra stamps at a children's birthday party.

Shepard expresses the hope that working on the projects will increase the readers appreciation for the real thing. A quick glance through this lovely book will convince you.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lisa Shepard's African Accents Has Great Decorating Ideas!, September 12, 2000

By 

KAREN E LUCAS (CARY, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: African Accents: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home (Paperback)

Ms. Shepard's knowledge and appreciation for African textiles and crafts is shown with style throughout this book. The craft instructions are clear and easy to follow (even for a novice craftsperson like myself!) The photographs are terrific also, they act as real motivators to try some of these great decorating ideas. How refreshing to see a crafts and decorating book with culturally diverse appeal!