African juju hats have been seen on stylish walls for several seasons now.  From my research, white and ivory are by far the favorite colors.  The piece seen here has a taupe color center which gives it a bit more depth than some of the pure white varieties.  These highly textural juju hats are hand made and constructed using primarily chicken feathers.  Though you can sometimes find juju hats with more exotic feathers. Bamileke is another term used for these lovely feathered head dresses from Africa.
Photo: Morrissey Fabric

African ju ju hats work with many interior styles.  The white ju ju hat adds depth and texture to a simple blue wall.  These decorative African pieces are called ju-ju or tyns,  They completely hand crafted in the Cameroon.  Ju ju hats are pricey, ranging from $225 up to $800.  This price tag is due to the labor involved as well as the shipping.  A typical 30 to 32 inch diameter ju ju hat weighs in at five to six pounds so the international shipping adds to the cost.
Photo: Pinterest

Ju ju hats are very easy to install. Most ju ju hats come from Africa with a small loop along the bottom edge for hanging.  There is also a leather or cotton loop in the center on the bottom of all ju ju hats you can use as well.
Photo: decor 4 all

I'm partial to the natural color ju ju hats from Africa.  Natural chicken feathers come in every shade from white, taupe, golden brown, coffee brown, to black.  These natural color ju ju hats are simple to design with.  You can hang them among other neutrals. If you think of the colors like those found in various wood species you realize they go with everything.
Photos: Morrissey Fabric

African ju ju hats come in a wide variety of colors beyond the naturals.  Teal has been a popular color in my shop, as well as navy blue and red ju ju hats..
Photo: Morrissey Fabric

For those who aren't afraid of color, the multi-color ju ju hats are as festive as you can get!  I call the ju ju hat color above, "confetti" because of the variety of hues.  A colorful wall sculpture such as this works like a piece of contemporary art.  It's bold, so you can hang it on a plain color wall. Or, it works just as nicely in an eclectic bohemian space with loads of other colors and textures.
Photo: Morrissey Fabric

Displayed with a mid century credenza and other pieces of art, the confetti color ju ju hat adds a touch of levity to the decor.  African pieces are often very colorful, and this ju ju hat does it's duty.
Photo: Glitter Inc.

A final note about ju ju hats. As you can see in the photo here by Table Tonic, a feathered head dress adds texture to any style decor. You really can't go wrong when you are decorating with natural elements, and feathers are about as OG as you can get when it comes to decoration.
Find a selection of African ju ju hats in the Morrissey Fabric Etsy shop.

Pillows and upholstery made from vintage batik fabrics have a one of a kind appeal.  Hmong textiles, Dong Tribe Textiles, and most any Asian hill tribe vintage batik fabric will lend character and uniqueness to a space.  Vintage batik fabrics from Asia often come in narrow widths because they were originally crafted to make into garments like skirts.  Often, the vintage batik I source comes from a intricately pleated skirt.  The skirt waistband is removed revealing yards of beautiful batik cloth when pressed flat.
Photo: Oriental.bazar.

Pillow covers made from Chinese batik textiles are versatile and pleasant additions to a bed or sofa.  Larger pieces of vintage Chinese batik indigo were originally crafted for use as a bed cover.  I find these Chinese bedcovers ranging from mint condition to very worn and distressed.  Each type of vintage batik has it's own appeal wether you are decorating a vintage farm house, a traditional space, or a bohemian enclave.  The pillow seen here was made from a Chinese indigo bed cover that was in excellent condition.  It adds just the right touch of indigo blue color to the serine white linen bed.
​Photo: Desha Peacock

Vintage Chinese indigo batik is also called batik dot print or indigo dot print.  The lace-like graphic keeps the motif from becoming to heavy. Lotus flowers, fans, leaves and fish are just a few of the symbols seen on a vintage Chinese Batik.  
​Photo: Fixxt Collective

Linear patterns are common for vintage batik pieces. The linear indigo batik patterns are also very versatile. The texture of the vintage hemp or linen base cloth creates a multi-dimensional surface.
photo: Morrissey Fabric

Vintage Asian Batik skirts such as this are a popular source for the desirable cloth. This skirt has a deep pink ribbon stitched on top. Sometimes these narrow ribbons are bright orange, hot pink, or black.
Photo: Oriental Bazar

This vintage Batik has been on a journey lasting many years. Once a lively and colorful indigo blue skirt, it's now a distressed cloth full of history and character. Someone will likely repurpose this hemp Batik cloth as wall art or pillow covers.
Photo: Morrissey Fabric

My personal favorites are the vintage blue chinoiserie indigo batik textiles. Some are more distressed than others, but Chinese batiks look beautiful no matter what state of fading they are in. Vintage indigo batik cloth has a soothing blue that reminds me of the gorgeous porcelains created in the region for centuries.
​photo: Morrissey Fabric

What would you create with a piece of vintage Asian batik cloth? Be sure to check my shop to be inspired by these lovely vintage batik textiles
​photo: Juxtaposition Home

I recently invested in a collection of African Kuba cloth textiles that came in a variety of sizes, patterns, and techniques of weaving.  Some had conch shells, others had hand-stitched appliques, while several more had what is called Kasai velvet details.  This post is to show a variety of styles of Kuba cloth, but is in no way an in-depth study of African kuba cloth. 

The kuba cloth seen here is a flat weave.  It is all woven by hand and required a skilled artisan's touch.  The piece is small compared to others I carry.  This one measured about 23 inches by 23 inches.  A kuba cloth like this can be used as wall art, a pillow cover face, or placed on a table for display.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

This Kuba cloth is interesting because of the mid century feeling the graphic pattern portrays. The combination of the coco brown ground color with darker brown, natural, and rust appliques keep this kuba cloth relatively neutral.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

The close up photos here show a technique nick-named Kasai Velvet.  The artisan clips the palm fibers after weaving them. When they brush over them the kuba cloth has the appearance of a rich velvet texture. This thickly textured kuba cloth perfect for pillow covers.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

The kuba cloth panel seen here combines flat weaves, hand embroidered edges, kasai velvet, and a piece of wood for hanging.  A kuba cloth textile like this is intended to hang on a wall as a cherished piece of art.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

Kuba cloth continues to be woven in the Congo.  The piece seen above was hand woven within the past year.  While is doesn't possess the vintage charm of the older kuba cloth, it does have an authentic, hand crafted appearance.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

The kuba cloth example here is a Ngongo tie dyed stitch resist textile.  It is more rare than other kuba cloth designs.  The fibers are very light weight and more refined than many other styles of kuba cloth.  This textile is also very long measuring in at nearly 17 feet!

kuba cloth is a highly versatile textile.  Kuba cloth can be repurposed into tote bags, pillow covers, or simply used as a form of fiber art. The piece show above is giant compared to many others I have found.  This lovely hand embroidered and appliqued Kuba cloth measures over 13 feet long and 31 inches wide. a Kuba cloth this size could be used to upholster a chair, maked a dozen pillows, or fill a large empty wall space with texture, color, and pattern.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

African Kuba cloth is quite easy to create with.  If you need some images to get you going, check back tomorrow for kuba cloth as upholstery, pillows, table runners, and wall art.
photo: Anita Morrissey

The Morrissey Fabric showroom is still under way, but a lot of progress was made this week I wouldn't have been able to accomplish any of this without the love and support of my dear hubby James. I should also take a moment to clarify that the global textile showroom is not a traditional retail store, but I do sell to the public by appointment.  Customers and clients do not need a resale number, but I do have to charge retail sales tax if you do not have one on file with me.

Morrissey Fabric had outgrown my home studio and I didn't have the space needed to display all the amazing global textiles I offer on line through Morrisseyfabric.com and my Morrisseyfabric.Etsy.com shop. 2016 turned out to be a year of expanding my vintage textile business into more regions of the globe, so more space became a necessity.
The photo above shows the indigo niche: loads of vintage African indigo and Chinese Batik is available.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

Vintage African textiles as well as newly hand crafted African mud cloth are displayed together in the showroom topped off by a shelf full of juju feather hats. I carry the traditional mud cloth prints in black and white as well as new rust and taupe colors.  Above is a small selection of the vintage Kuba cloth in the Morrissey Fabric showroom.  I recently received a large shipment of small, medium and very large pieces of Kuba cloth from the Congo.  What makes these textiles so versatile is the hand woven quality and the earth tones that coordinate with most every color palette. 
Photo: Anita Morrissey

Guatemalan Textiles are on display at the showroom for those who prefer a South American vintage textile.  The vintage pieces of Guatemalan cloth come from garments like Huipils (blouses) and cortes (skirts).  The decorative embroideries and hand loomed designs are distinct to South America.  I enjoy finding and displaying these pieces for their lively personality.  Customers use them to make pillows, tote bags, and for upholstery.  I'm always adding more to the selection.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

No vintage global textile showroom would be complete without a shipping area.  It's such a pleasure to have all the boxes and packing supplies is one space, but I'm still looking for a permanent spot for the microwave. The sewing and mending station has yet to get humming along as other priorities like the Christmas holidays took over.  But more mending and creative sewing projects are scheduled to begin any day.  I should mention that all my shelves are anchored to the walls since this is earthquake territory.
Photo: Anita Morrissey

If you plan to be in the Long Beach region of Southern California, you are more than welcome to set an appointment to stop in. You can reach me by email, Instagram direct message, Face Book message, or phone.  Please call at least 24 hours in advance as I am often traveling or in the market searching out more vintage finds.

Pillows are to interior spaces as jewelry is to an outfit. When adding accessories like pillows to your mix, you can't go wrong when using natural fibers like cotton, linen, hemp, or wool. So for your next project try a hand woven natural fiber fabric or two.
Photo: Elizabeth Pappas
Fabric: Vintage Yao Hill Tribe hemp textile from Morrissey Fabric Etsy shop.

Vintage African Indigo and Baule cloth from the Ivory Coast rest beautifully with the pink Asian wedding blanket textiles in coral pink and indigo blue. Not only do these pillows have a graphic design appeal, they have a wonderful subtle texture.
Photo: The Woven Home
​

Mud cloth pillows made of cotton and Kuba cloth pillows woven from raffia make a true global style statement. These natural fiber pillows will sit pretty on a contemporary leather sofa or bohemian bamboo egg chair. They also work on a slipcovered sofa of natural linen or how about a gray flannel chair?
photo: Nomadic Decorator

Indigo and Berry colored wedding blankets from Asian hill tribes are woven of cotton and/or hemp. These gorgeous pillows by Penny Worrall have been skillfully decorated with cowry shells. The natural fibers used in these handwoven textiles lend a refined touch while remaining comfortably casual.
​Photo: Penny_Worrall

Vintage Chinese batiks, also called indigo dot print, are textiles that work very well as pillows. Seen above, the Chinese Batik pillow looks cozy next to the African indigo version. Note how the hand crafted hemp and cotton textiles lend a casual flair to the environment.
​Photo: Pinterest

Find plenty of natural fiber fabrics in my Etsy shop!

Globally sourced hand crafted textiles will continue to be a strong trend in fashion and home decor for 2017. Vintage fabrics from Africa, Asia, India, and South America as well as newly hand crafted textiles bring a unique touch to what we wear and to our homes. The hand-maker's mark is much desired among the high tech modern lifestyles we all face.
photo: Mix Furniture, fabrics: African Baule Cloth and solid blue indigo Mossi (mud cloth)

Newly hand-crafted African Mud cloth (Bogolanfini) from Mali compliments the vintage Kuba Cloth pillow covers. Pillows like these will add a sense of history and character when placed in a contemporary space. Or you can add mud cloth and Kuba Cloth textiles to a lush bohemian decor. These global textiles work in just about any context.
photo: maisonboheme.blogspot

Vintage Asian wedding blankets are an alternative to African textiles, These hand crafted hill tribe textiles are densely woven and very durable. Chinese wedding blankets are woven in hemp, linen, cotton, and sometimes silk. Vintage wedding blankets come in a wide variety of colors so there is likely one to suit your color palette. Seen above, Penny Worrall has used cowrie shells to accent her unique and beautiful cushions.
photo: Penny_worral

Vintage Chinese Indigo dot, also called paste resist or Batik, makes a relaxed global Style statement. Duplicated by Designers such as Ralph Lauren, the vintage indigo fabric is trending while remaining a true classic. Chinoiserie style may go up and down in popularity, but it's a pattern that never really disappears. Due to the one-of-a-kind nature of these Chinese Indigo fabrics, you can bet they will remain a staple like a good pair of jeans.
​photo: Mix Furniture

Vintage apparel can sometimes look like current fashion. The African indigo top seen here was crafted in the 1980s when neon colors first came on the scene. It's fascinating that this African top could have been worn in the 1960s, (without the neon), in the 1980s, or present day. It's testament to the fact that hand made items always have appeal.
photo: Morrissey Fabric