blue

Cotton yarns add rich texture to this brilliant kente cloth shawl by the Gobah Tengey-Seddoh Family. Strips of black, white and blue make a dramatic and handsome color combination. Designed and woven of coarse local cotton in the 12th century, the lokpo pattern means "heavy or thick in texture."

Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. However patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns where the warp design is hardly visible can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

Thick yarns add rich texture to this fascinating kente cloth shawl by Gobah Tengey-Seddoh. Strips of black, white and Delft blue make a dramatic and handsome color combination. Designed and woven of coarse local cotton in the 12th century, the lokpo pattern means "heavy or thick in texture."

Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. However patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns where the warp design is hardly visible can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

Woven by hand, three strips of traditional West African kente cloth become a colorful scarf. Deborah Osei Boakye continues her grandfather's craft with this extraordinary design. Each strip of kente cloth requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Each color has its own meanings in Ashanti culture, and the patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names. This design is named Nsatsia, meaning "fingers" in the Akan language. Its motifs suggest interlocking fingers from both hands.

The perfect complement to something as personal as your tablet is a case bursting with charisma, and few things are more charismatic than kente cloth. Made from interwoven strips of different colored cotton, Ghanaian artist Hannah Dodoo uses kente to decorate this case featuring nylon lining and trim, foam padding, and a zipper and velcro closure.

Fatia is a name bestowed upon female children of the Ashanti people in northern Ghana. Hannah Dodoo crafts this set of a tote bag and three accessory cases from abright print, the vivid designs representative of the symbolic kente cloth of the Ashanti culture. Geometric patterns clash in tones of blue and yellow, red and green, resulting in an attractive complement for casual attire.

The tote bag features a convenient cinch cord, while the three accessory cases close by means of a sturdy zipper. Ideal for storing makeup, sunglasses, pens and pencils, and loose change.

Blue and white complement red, yellow and green in a colorful scarf from Rachel Armah. Woven by hand, traditional West African kente cloth depicts a design known as Akyem, or "shield." It's symbolism comes from an Akan proverb and represents bravery, heroic deeds and glorious accomplishment. Its message is that people's good deeds live after them.

Each strip of kente cloth requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, and white is purity.

Blue and white complement red, yellow and green in a colorful scarf from Rachel Armah. Woven by hand, traditional West African kente cloth depicts a design known as Akyem, or "shield." It's symbolism comes from an Akan proverb and represents bravery, heroic deeds and glorious accomplishment. Its message is that people's good deeds live after them.

Each strip of kente cloth requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, and white is purity.