Backstrap Loom Weaving of Oaxaca

Nicolasa Pascual is a weaver from San Bartolo Yautepec, Oaxaca. Her work is considered to be the best and finest example of Oaxaca weaving. She uses the backstrap loom, with cotton- warp and weft, synthetic dyes, 1 heddle rod, about 35 ends/threads per inch, plain weave + supplementary weft weave technique.

You can see Nicolasa Pascual’s weaving detail.  The needle is used as a shuttle to pass the threads and weave a supplementary weft design at the same time.  The designs are interwoven using the heddle rod — they are not embroidered!

The man featured is Moises Martinez, a weaver who works in silk from San Pedro Cajonos, Oaxaca. He uses the backstrap loom, with silk-warp and weft dyed with Cochineal dye, 1 heddle rod, about 20 ends/threads per inch, plain weave technique.

Photos taken by Eric Chavez Santiago, Director of Education, Museo Textil de Oaxaca, courtesy of the museum.

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