Hello everyone!! I’m Kymona Tracey. Who am I, you ask? A woman who never slows down and loves it. Yes… I am the energizer bunny’s sister! I keep going and going. I’m a single mother of two beautiful children who are eight years apart. I work full-time at a hospital and craft at night. You can find me as Kreative Kymona on all social media platforms, Instagram being my favorite.
I’m here today to show you how to make a set of beautiful authentic mud cloth coasters. This project is easy, fun, and doable.
History of Mud cloth coasters
First, let’s learn about the fabric I chose for this project: Mud Cloth!
Bokolonfini is the Bambara name for the strip woven cotton cloth that women in Mali use. Commonly, this is referred to as mud cloth. That’s because the cloth is first soaked in a dye made from bark and leaves, then the design is painted on with a thick mud containing iron acetate collected from the bottom of lakes. This process is passed down generationally, and often, pattern meanings are known only to small communities of people.
Hunters wear mud cloth as ritual protection and a badge of status. Immediately after childbirth, women are wrapped in the cloth, as it is believed to have the power to absorb pain and defect anything harmful or dangerous.
The pattern on the Mud Cloth used to make these coasters is called Wosoko. The design is named for the back of a farmer’s sickle blade.
Now that you have some history on this beautiful fabric, let’s make some coasters.
How to Make a Set of Authentic Mud Cloth Coasters
Materials
Authentic Mud Cloth
Solid Scrap fabric
Coordinating Thread
Rotary Cutter and Mat
Quilting Ruler
Clips
Serger/Sewing Machine
Instructions
Wash the fabric: Since dye transfer is possible, wash the mod cloth on a delicate cycle or hand-wash it to remove excess dye.
Cut the fabric: Using a quilting ruler, cut 4 pieces of the mud cloth and 4 pieces of the scrap fabric to 5″ x 5″.
Prepare to sew the fabric: With right sides together, sew or serge all four sides, leaving a 3″ hole for turning using a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Trim and turn the fabric: Trim any excess fabric and round the corners. Turn the coaster inside out and clip the opening.
Topstitch: Using a 1/8″ seam allowance, topstitch around the entire coaster closing up the opening.
Now you have a beautiful set of coasters made with Mud Cloth!
They are perfect for everyday use in your home.
They are also perfect for gift giving!
Now that you know how to make a set for yourself, in as little as five steps, will you pick up some mud cloth and make your own?
I sure hope so! Let me know! I can’t wait to see which mud cloth you choose and what you create with it.
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