A size “Grande” blouse which will be recut to fit…
I have to admit, I am easily seduced by beauty, and when it comes to handcrafted beauty, well, I am helpless…
The states of Oaxaca and Chiapas are famous for their handicrafts, especially textiles. Along with Guatemala, I’d say these three are the perfect storm of textiles. There is breathtaking beauty, complexity, and diversity in the embroidery and weaving in these regions.
The Textile Museum of Oaxaca does a great job of bringing textiles (and their makers) to the museum from remote locations in Oaxaca for exhibitions and sales events. When you are in Oaxaca, check www.oaxacacalendar.com for a list of exhibitions and activities there.
Strangely, despite the multi-generational history of textiles, there is no tradition of tailoring…Why? good question… More than likely it was a lack of exposure (more on that later).
As we work with indigenous women in the pueblos to create more tailored clothing, some of the results we get are almost comical (see above). One needs to have a sense of humor in this business! So, one solution has been to use “blanks”– unembroidered, blouses we make in Oaxaca which the ladies in Chiapas embroider.
They seem relieved to not have to create the entire blouse and we get to control the shape and sizing…
The talent of these women is ALMOST limitless…
If you are planning a trip around textiles, do try to make it to these areas, you will not be disappointed!
Artist, traveler, and social entrepreneur, Adele Hammond divides her time between Hood River, Oregon and the home where her heart is, Oaxaca, Mexico. The raw texture and color of Mexico became a part of her life when a year abroad with her family in a small Zapotec pueblo outside the city of Oaxaca gradually evolved into an extraordinary five.
Adele blogs about the culture, the crafts, and the people of Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico as well as her experiences in working with indigenous artisans there. Her travels take her down the back roads and into the workshops and homes of these people, where their diverse, ancient traditions and crafts are still being practiced today.
Her business, Latin Threads Trading, showcases and brings to a world market the work of these talented artisans while encouraging enterprise and empowering individuals to flourish independently and through their communities.
