Ewe Strip-Woven Cloth

Hundreds of small decisions, sewn together in narrow strips.

This strip-woven cloth is Ewe, from Ghana in West Africa, 20th century, in cotton and rayon. Ewe weavers built large cloths from narrow woven strips sewn edge to edge, and such cloths were worn wrapped around the body at festivals and other important occasions. Gray blocks alternate with tiny patterned blocks of yellow, red and purple, some striped, some holding small diamonds and triangles. Two rust-toned bands close the ends. One hundred thirty-five inches by eighty-two.

Nobody wove this in a hurry. Nobody could.