Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Patched together from small rectangles of lattice, with a row of diamonds across the top.

This Shoowa prestige panel is Kuba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is piled raffia. Kuba cloth begins with the fibers of the raffia palm, and the embroidery that covers it is slow, patient work. Brown and cream lattices and tiny diamonds sit in separate rectangular blocks, visibly pieced together, with a band of black and white diamonds at top and bottom. Seams show between sections and the tone is a warm, dusty brown. It measures 20 inches wide and 23 long.

A quilt in spirit, if not in thread.