Why is it every time I think of an indigo vat, the lyrics “Can’t you smell that smell?” pop out of my mouth? Assuredly, Lynyrd Skynyrd was not referring to indigo in his song. But here I was at the … Read the rest
Charmed by Ñawi Awapa, a Peruvian Tubular Weaving
March 1, 2013 by 4 Comments
My fingers became all thumbs. I’d get in a rhythm that would last a few passes, and then I’d lose my cross. Since I spoke a little Spanish, it was assumed a Spanish-speaking instructor would suffice. Heck, I thought so … Read the rest
The Many Hands of Khadi Cloth
February 14, 2013 by 1 Comment
“Khadi is the sun of the village solar system.”-Mahatma Gandhi
Standing in the middle of a Khadi Bhandars (a khadi sales outlet owned by the government), we’re taking turns looking through a thread-count loupe magnifier at the fabric of … Read the rest
We Have Gold in Our Hands
February 7, 2013 by 6 Comments
“We have gold in our hands and we did not even know it.” –Aasif Ansari, weaver
Traveling through the northwest region of India and meeting one artisan after another was beyond exhilarating–it fed our textile-loving souls every second. Each encounter … Read the rest
Call the Search Off: Guatemalan Organic Handspun Cotton Cloth Found
October 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment
When traveling to cloth-weaving villages, there’s generally one “something” that I’m intrigued by or in search for. Three years ago, it was the seemingly rare handspun cotton and handwoven cloth made from the organic natural cotton beige color “ixcaco”, the … Read the rest
Capturing Peruvian Highlanders’ Village Dress
June 25, 2012 by 1 Comment
When the squat woman bent over, my maker’s hands and prying eyes wanted to look at each layer of her underskirt. The delicate lace and sateen-looking fabric poked out from under the top skirt of woven black wool with a … Read the rest
Capturing the Past in Cusco, Peru
May 3, 2012 by 4 Comments
Nilda Callañaupa had a vision decades ago. She imagined a museum that would showcase the traditions and textiles of her people, the Quechua descendents of the Incas of the Andean highlands.
There’s a long story behind that vision, but the … Read the rest
Ikat Weaving in Laos
March 30, 2012 by 5 Comments
I fell apart weaving in Laos. It really didn’t matter that I’d been weaving more than half my life. When it came to weaving weft ikat in fine silk (50 ends per inch) in the humid heat of Luang Prabang, … Read the rest
Dyeing a Woven Shibori Scarf
November 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Woven shibori is the perfect medium to explore natural dyes, resists, and layering of colors. One doesn’t even have to weave on a loom in order to work with this technique if you are using the woven shibori “blanks” that … Read the rest
Peruvian Handspun Alpaca
September 29, 2011 by 1 Comment
In the weaving villages of the Peruvian Andes, almost no one describes herself as a spinner. Yet most women, and many men, spin in every spare moment for their entire lives. The paradox comes from the fact that the … Read the rest
