The 2023 Quilt Africa Fabrics Mystery Culture & Heritage Challenge

I'm sooo excited to invite you to participate in this year's

Culture & Heritage Mystery Challenge

What does Black Culture Mean To You?

The goal of this Challenge is to encourage us as creatives, designers and artists to express our celebration and points of view of Black culture and heritage not only in America but across the world.

2023 Challenge Theme:

Black Shines Bright: Stories Of Black Identity

The goal of the Culture & Heritage Challenge is to encourage us as creatives, designers and artists to express our perspectives.

As quilters and textile artists, it's easy for us to take the lead because the creative interpretation of our perspective resonates and encourages others to explore their own feelings and positions on issues that affect everyone.

Past Challenge Submissions

Previous challenges on the Quilt Africa Fabrics Platform have seen incredible participation from quilters and textile artists around the world.

They gave themselves permission to express their creativity in a different way and they lent their skills, talents and voices to shine the light on pertinent issues.

In this 2023 Black Culture & Heritage Mystery Challenge, join us in celebrating Black culture, history and identity.

You are required to create your best interpretation of this year's theme using the fabrics in the Challenge Mystery Bundle.

Click the button below to get yours now.

Legal Sheroes

Submission By

Cheryl Milton

We The People

Submission By

Georgia Williams

Portrait of Henry Louis Gates, Jr

Host & Creator of Finding Your Roots

Submission By

Sharon Buck

Interconnected

Submission By

Sue Griffiths

It Takes A Village

Submission By

Phyliss Petrillo

The 2023 Challenge Brief

Celebrating Black Identity

For this challenge, you will receive a bundle of Mystery African fabrics you will have to use in your submissions.

Each bundle will contain a wildcard piece of indigenous African textile that must be included in some way in your finished work.

Use the fundamental elements of traditional African design to create any one of the following projects listed below:

1

Create a representation of a Black people (e.g. any group, tribe etc) who represent Black identity to you.

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2

Create a portrait to honour a black figure of ANY NATIONALITY who has helped define Black identity.

3

Recreate a popular black symbol or create an original design that represents the symbol of black identity to you.

4

Create a representation of an event or period that perfectly represents the period of time/history when Black identity shone the brightest.

Submission Categories

You may choose to create any one or more of the following pieces.

01 Wall Hangings

Dimensions: 24"×24" - 45"×45"

The length and width of your quilt must fall into the stated dimensions

02 Quilts

Dimensions: 50"×50" - 80"×80"

The length and width of your quilt must fall into the stated dimensions.

03 Wearable Art

May be any garment that is wearable (Must be Displayed on a model or mannequin).

Challenge Rules

01 Use strictly African Fabrics including all the Mystery fabrics in your challenge bundle.

You MUST use the fabrics in your Mystery Bundle.

Additional fabrics you use must only be indigenous fabrics or African wax prints and solids.

02 You can use a pattern or create your own design.

All methods, sewing, quilting and embellishment techniques are eligible.

03 You can have multiple entries.

There are no limits to the number of different quilts or garments you can make and enter.

All submissions will be judged on the following criteria:

1. Interpretation of the challenge theme.

2. Level of technical skill.

3. Use of fabrics.

4. Choice of colours and application of colour values.

5. Overall look and aesthetics of the entry piece.

04 No physical submissions required.

Photos of completed quilt and garments will be accepted.

05 Challenge Start Date

February 7, 2023

06 Challenge Deadline

April 30, 2023

Join the Challenge now !!

Challenge Schedule

1. Challenge Starts: Tuesday, February 7, 2023
2. Challenge Deadline: Saturday, April 30,2023
3. Winners Announcement: Sunday, May 7, 2023

Submission

Share your progress and projects on your social media pages using the hashtag: #quiltafricafabrics

2. Follow the challenge rules and requirements and submit 3 clear digital images of the finished work by April 30, 2023.

Prizes

Winners will receive a Quilt Africa Fabrics Gift Card worth $100 to use at the Store.

Honourable mentions will receive $50 gift cards for use in the store.

All decisions made are final.

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FAQs

I am new to challenges, how do I join?

To join the 2023 Mystery Culture, all you have to do is to purchase the challenge Mystery Bundle.

The Mystery Challenge Bundle is the only requirement to participate in the challenge.

With more than one submission category, you have a choice of deciding which way to go.

Is this challenge for me?

This is a great way to explore and develop the style of quilting that appeals to you.

The Mystery Bundle of fabrics required for the Challenge adds a twist and challenges your creativity to work with what you have to produce a winning piece.

Do I have to use only African fabrics?

The goal of the challenge is to put African fabrics centre stage as we celebrate the black/African culture and heritage.

85% of the fabrics used for any of the challenge categories has to be African fabrics.and 15% fabrics of other origin.

Do I have to use an original quilt pattern or design?

You can use either your original design or someone else's as long as you have the right to use it.

We would like to see a pattern or design that accurately interprets the challenge theme and requirements.

How do I ship my finished quilt or garment?

This is an online challenge and you are not required to send the judges your physical piece.

You will only need to send 3 very clear photos of your finished piece showing the full length and breadth of your item and other distinguishing features.

How do I know if I've won?

The winners of each category will be announced May 8, 2023 by live announcement.

Until the lion has his own storyteller, the hunter will always have the best stories.

African Proverb

My desire is that by hosting the Culture & Heritage Challenge, you are inspired to participate and share your African stories with the world.

As an African who was not familiar with the process of modern day quilting, I was fascinated with photos of beautiful quilts displayed in Pinterest.

This led me to take the plunge and create my first quilt

in 2016, using online resources as there are no quilt shops in Nigeria.

As an architect, the creative process of quilting was familiar and I loved the fact that by using African fabrics, I incorporated a piece of my culture. Making my first quilt and seeing how every one was appreciative of it led to the start of Quilt Africa Fabrics.

The scarcity of resources on quilting with African Fabrics was the deciding factor in birthing the African Fabrics Movement and launching the annual online Quilt Africa Fabrics International Quilt Show and the virtual Quilt Africa Fabrics Members Club, a quilting guild and Block Of Month.

I consider myself honored and blessed to have found a place in the global quilting community.

Quilt Africa Fabrics is a vehicle for introducing and supplying the beautiful, bold and exciting fabrics of Africa to quilters and textile artists the world over.

I'm feel very privileged to have the opportunity to share the stories, symbols, patterns and colours of African Fabrics as a reflection of the African way of life and culture with the whole world.

I live in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria in Western Africa with my husband and 3 children who are very much a part of the African Fabrics Movement.