DIY African Wax Print Fans

Create these easy DIY African wax print fans to help you enjoy those hot, summer days! Global fabric updates these plain woven fans into fashion statements.

Well the spring break is over here at Casa Watkins. It’s been a while since I’ve dove back into the projects. The kitchen renovation drained me of any desire to create. I’m glad that the spring lull is over and that we are looking towards a bright and chipper summer. To kick off the summer vibes, I’ve joined a group of outstanding creatives to share awesome outdoor ideas today. Hosted by Janine of Happy Happy Nester and Ashley of Modern Glam, this amazing outdoor blog hop includes an assortment of outdoor decor and entertainment goodies. Be sure to visit all these awesome blogs at the end of my diy African Wax print fans tutorial.

I think I’ve been pretty verbal in the past about how I feel about the outdoors. I love sitting and sipping on a fresh cocktail outside, but I’m not too keen on sweating in the heat or bugs. OMG, it would be amazing if I could have a screened deck with a fully functioning outdoor kitchen. Unfortunately, I have to deal with heavy sun that just makes me too hot and doesn’t help me pick up a tan. I get so jealous of people who pick up a beautiful honey tan in the summer and all I seem to pick up are mosquito bites from dragon mosquitos.

Anywho, I was checking out Target’s dollar section and found these great woven fans for $3 each. They reminded me of those gorgeous African bolga fans and had to pick up a few. I can definitely fend off those pesky outdoor bugs with these fans AND keep cool. Since they are quite plain looking, I decided to add a little African wax print fabric aka Ankara fabric to bring these fans to life.

Here are a few ways you can spruce up your own set of woven hand fans for a stylish Summer look.

DIY African Wax Print Fans

Cut Ankara fabric into 1/4 to 1/2 strips. Your size will depend on whether you want to weave the fabric on the outside rim of the fan or the center folds.
Weave the fabric between the folds of the fan, being careful not to break the fan. If you have a large bore needle on hand, you may want to use that to weave. I used my finger to gently push a small portion of the fabric through the weave and then pulled it through the other side.
Repeat weaving the fan around the bottom edges of the fan and continue down the handle. You can add a cute tassel at the end of the fan’s handle to spruce it up.
For the other fan, weave the fabric between the larger fan folds to show larger sections of the print. You can even stack multiple fabrics to create a really interesting look to the fan.
Wrap or tie fabric remnants on the fan’s handle to finish the look of the fans.

That’s all folks! There you have a lovely set of diy African wax print fans ready for you to enjoy the outdoors. These also make a great gift or guest souvenirs for events. Stay tuned for more ideas to get the global look this summer. If you’re looking for more festive summer ideas, check out these ideas below!