From December 26 through January 1, African-Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, a holiday inspired by the centuries-old harvest festivals observed in Africa. It is a time to gather family, in lieu of crops, and celebrate unity, self-determination, responsibility, cooperation, purpose, creativity and faith.
A popular Kwanzaa decoration is the "mkeka," a woven straw place mat that symbolizes tradition. We used felt and ribbon to weave our holiday runner. In fact, it's become such a tabletop hit, we may turn it into a permanent fixture.
DIRECTIONS:
Place a 1-by-2-foot piece of green felt on a flat working surface so that the shorter edges are at the top and bottom. With fabric scissors, cut horizontal slits in the felt, leaving a 1-inch border on each side (adults only). Next, cut red and black ribbon into 24-inch lengths and weave them through the slits. Use fabric glue to attach the ribbon ends to the back of the felt. Then flip the runner over and fringe the ends.
