Tag Archives: San Juan Colorado

Shop Open: Las Sanjuaneras Textiles Huipiles, Kaftans, Tunics

Posted on Friday, September 11, 2020 | Comments Off

Call them huipiles, kaftans, tunics or ponchos. Whatever you call them, call them comfortable, cozy, casual cover-ups. Perfect for lounging or working from home. Perfect for a socially distant safe get-together. Perfect for feeling good in times of Covid-19 and related stress. We are looking for beauty in our lives now especially, and this is one way to attain it.

**SOLD.** #1. Margarita. 34×43. marigold, iron oxide, indigo. $375.

Read about the Las Sanjuaneras Cooperative here!

There are 27 pieces I’m offering in this collection today. Some are gauzy, light as a feather hand weaves. Some are mid-weight. Some can be used as a poncho. Others are long, short, wide, narrow or cropped. Some are size large and extra-large. Others are small and will fit the petite among us. Please scroll through and make your selection carefully. All sales are final because I will have already paid the weavers by the time I mail them.

Las Sanjuaneras weaver. Photo by Ana Paula Fuentes

100% natural dyes on native, hand-spun cotton, woven on the back strap loom, with slubs and imperfect beauty

To Buy: Please email me normahawthorne@mac.com with your name, mailing address and item number. I will mark it SOLD, send you a PayPal link to purchase and add $12 for cost of mailing. Please be sure to select Send Money to Family and Friends! We also accept Venmo and I can send you a Square invoice (+3% fee) if you don’t use PayPal.

#20. Andrea. Marigold, iron oxide, native cotton. 22-3/4×30. $195.

Note: All measurements are in inches. Width is across the front (one side). Please double for circumference. Length is shoulder to hem. Most necks have a 7-8″ opening from shoulder to V.

First come. First served. First email in gets first choice.

**SOLD**. #4. Delfina. Marigold, mahogany. 34-1/2×38. $365.

**SOLD**. #11. Margarita. 21×34. Marigold, nanche. $185.

**SOLD.** #5. Cleotilde. Indigo, mahogany. 38×45. $395.

**SOLD**. #6. Andrea. Oak, indigo gauze. 35×44. $395.

Read about the Las Sanjuaneras Cooperative here!

#A. Camerina. Guava, iron oxide, indigo. 34-1/2w x 34L. $285.

**SOLD.** #12. Catalina. Superfine indigo, native cotton. 38×43. $395.

**SOLD.** #7. Maria Lucia. 40×40. Indigo, iron oxide, beet, nanche. $395.

**SOLD.** #8. Andrea. 33×42. Guava, indigo, almond, gauze. $360.

This is the last sale from Las Sanjuaneras for a while. I’m going on a road trip to the Midwest on Tuesday and won’t return until October.

You may purchase until Monday morning. I will be doing the last mailing on Monday. Please don’t wait to decide! As you know, we sold out FAST on the last two shipments from this cooperative.

**SOLD.** #9. Patrocinia. 37-1/2×42. Indigo, marigold. $295.

**SOLD.** #B. Camerina. Indigo, mahogany, banana. 30w x 33L. $225

**SOLD.** #C. Andrea. Oak, marigold, indigo, natural. 33w x 29L. $265.

#10. Andrea. Marigold, chocolatillo. 35-1/2×24. $295.

**SOLD.** #13. Brisaida. 31×23. Beet, mahogany, indigo, iron oxide. $295.

To Buy: Please email me normahawthorne@mac.com with your name, mailing address and item number. I will mark it SOLD, send you a PayPal link to purchase and add $12 for cost of mailing. Please be sure to select Send Money to Family and Friends! so I don’t pay commissions. We also accept Venmo and I can send you a Square invoice (+3% fee) if you don’t use PayPal.

**SOLD.** #14. Patrocinia. 39×28. Indigo, mahogany. Gauze. $295.

**SOLD** #15. Andrea. 33×28. Indigo, marigold, mahogany, natural gauze. $295.

Read about the Las Sanjuaneras Cooperative here!

Textile Care: Dry clean or wash by hand. To wash, turn garment inside out. Immerse in cold water using a mild soap such as Fels Naptha or baby shampoo. Don’t use Woolite — it leeches color. Gently massage the cloth. Squeeze and roll in a towel to absorb excess water. Hang to dry. Use medium heat to iron if needed.

#16. Patrocinia. 38×25. Indigo and native cotton. $195.

#18. Aurora. 19×28. Nanche, mahogany, almond, beet. $195.

**SOLD**. #19. 21×23. banana, almond, indigo, mahogany, brazilwood. $195.

Return Policy: We support artisans and funds get transferred immediately. There are no returns or refunds. This is a final sale.

#21 Margarita. Marigold, iron oxide, beet, brazilwood. 22-3/4×35. $165.

**SOLD.** #22. Camerina. 20-1/2×26-1/2. marigold, mahogany. $165

**SOLD.** #17. Aurora. 21×23. indigo, banana, iron oxide. $195.

**SOLD.** #23. Andrea. indigo, brazilwood, oak, beet, indigo. 32×26. $295.

#24. Aurora. Beet, mahogany, nanche, almond, iron oxide. 38×22. $295.

**SOLD.** #3. Delfina. Iron oxide, indigo, natural. 34×32. $295

**SOLD.** #2. Brisaida. Beet, indigo, natural, 31-1/2×37. $325

Comments Off on Shop Open: Las Sanjuaneras Textiles Huipiles, Kaftans, Tunics

Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged back strap loom, huipiles, kaftan, Las Sanjuaneras, Mexico, natural dyes, Oaxaca, sale, San Juan Colorado, shop, textiles, tunic, weaving

Encore! San Juan Colorado, Oaxaca, Textile Sale Notice

Posted on Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 6 comments

This will be the last sale from this cooperative for a while. Perhaps until Christmas. I’m not sure. In fact, no more sales until mid-October when I will have more blouses coming from Chiapas and a few more rugs from Oaxaca.

Shop Opens Friday, September 11, 12 Noon ET

The texture of hand weaving — from dense to gauzy!

Tomorrow, Friday, September 11, I will have 20+ pieces for sale from the Las Sanjuaneras cooperative in San Juan Colorado, Oaxaca. We sold out the prior two-shipments in one day. So, get this on your calendar!

This coming Tuesday, I’m taking a break from the blog, from masks, from textiles, but not from Covid-19! I’ll be driving to Ohio and Indiana to visit dear friends — playing it safe on the road with mask, face shield, gloves (for gas stations and toilets), and plenty of hand sanitizer and alcohol spray. I likely won’t be back online until sometime in October.

Kaftans or Huipiles???

Fashionistas are telling us that in this Covid-19 era, we are opting for comfortable, free-flowing clothing that we can wear casually — for social distancing get-togethers, working from home or for lounging around. Lounge-wear is in, they say.

Designers are calling this clothing kaftans or tunics. Most likely because this is a style/name most American women are familiar with. Many designers, like those working with indigenous groups in Oaxaca and other parts of Mexico, have appropriated centuries-old textile iconography, branded the pieces under their own label, and are calling what they are selling kaftans or tunics instead of huipiles. Sometimes the woven cloth is cut up and incorporated into a design, something the artisan-makers don’t agree with. The prices can be in the stratosphere. Quadruple what you may find here. We call this cultural appropriation — a human rights issue, I think.

What is a kaftan?

What is a huipil?

What is a tunic?

All natural dyes: beets, mahogany bark, indigo, wild marigold, natural native cotton

My goal is to support a few women artisan weavers who live in remote, inaccessible areas, and who do not have an on-line sales presence. My goal is to sell to people who appreciate the hand-work involved and the time to take a garment from thread to finished piece using the back-strap loom, which is time consuming. My goal is to send funds directly to the artisans so they get paid immediately. I pay them when something sells so your purchase has direct benefit. I pay for shipping in advance so they have no out-of-pocket expenses. So, artisans and I have upfront risk to bring these treasures to you.

We appreciate your generosity and trust!

Why and How Long?

I’m not certain how long I will continue to do this, or if I continue, how frequently I will bring the pieces to the USA. Mostly, it depends on when I return to Oaxaca. It will be more difficult to receive and mail them to you from there. I’m thinking of going back this winter, but this is just a loose confederation of thoughts for now.

One example of 20 pieces we will showcase on September 11

I do this because I can’t think of any better way to directly help the weaving cooperatives I know and who we visit during our textile tours. Since the tours have been suspended for the foreseeable future, I think this is one of the few ways to continuing to give indigenous women a livelihood and purpose. It also helps to keep me focused and purposeful during these times when it is easy to binge-watch a favorite TV show or movie, to bake and eat, to stay in bed longer than I should!

In crisis, there is re-invention, adaptation and evolution. This is what I’m telling myself these days!

Thanks always for your caring, love and support for Oaxaca, for Mexico and her artisans. Con abrazos fuertes,

Norma

6 Comments

Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged Las Sanjuaneras, Mexico, Oaxaca, sale, San Juan Colorado, shopping, textiles

Las Sanjuaneras Huipiles are Here! Shop Open!

Posted on Friday, August 21, 2020 | 9 comments

Las Sanjuaneras huipiles are here! Below are 14 beautiful pieces. On July 29, 2020, I posted the first batch of huipiles and we sold-out on the same day! Thank you for supporting this incredible cooperative of weavers from San Juan Colorado, Jamiltepec, Oaxaca on the beautiful Costa Chica. You can read more about them by clicking on the link above.

SOLD OUT! Next group arriving in 3-4 weeks.

To Buy: Please email me normahawthorne@mac.com with your name, mailing address and item number. I will mark it SOLD, send you a PayPal link to purchase and add $12 for cost of mailing. Please be sure to select Send Money to Family and Friends!

Note: All measurements are in inches. Width is across the front (one side). Please double for circumference. Length is shoulder to hem. Most necks have an 8″ opening from shoulder to V.

First come. First served. First email in gets first choice.

**SOLD.** #1. Andrea. Wild marigold with iron oxide bordado. 37″ w x 44-1/2″ L. $345

**SOLD.** #2. Maria Lucia. Mahogany, nanche, banana, indigo, 31w x 29L. $265.

These textiles are airy and gauzy. They drape beautifully. Even though they are wide, they are beautiful flowing works of art. In summer, wear with a tank top or bra. In winter, layer over a long-sleeve T-shirt or dress. The texture and colors are delicious, just like the natural dye materials used.

**SOLD**. #3. Camerina. Mahogany, beets, avocado, wild marigold. 31w x 30L. $265.

**SOLD.** #4. Camerina. Indigo, beet, mahogany, marigold. 31w x 38L. $285.

**SOLD.** #5. Camerina. Guava, iron oxide, indigo. 34-1/2w x 34L. $325.

The cotton is all locally grown in small plots, hand-picked. The cotton is rolled inside palm mats and then beaten with sticks to soften it. Women sit cross-legged to take out the debris, pods and seeds, caressing each cotton ball as they work. A few women are experts using the malacate or drop-spindle used to make the thread. This is a laborious process. All the threads used in these garments are made this way.

**SOLD.** #6. Brisaida. Indigo, guava, iron oxide. 37w x 30L. $265.

**SOLD**. #7. Camerina. Indigo, banana, mahogany. 31w x 26L. $265.

**SOLD.** #8. Rufina Nicolas. Mahogany, banana, natural. 30w x 34L. $310.

A back-strap loom is warped with this cotton. Then, the weft is woven into the warp threads. The designs are achieved using a weaving technique the Mexicans call bordado. These designs are not embroidered, but actually woven into the garment — a technique weavers know as supplementary weft. Often, as with some of these, the rayas or stripes add diversity to the design and an opportunity for color variegation.

**SOLD.** #9. Aurora. Wild marigold, indigo, banana, iron oxide. 34w x 32L. $240.

**SOLD.** #10. Camerina. Indigo, mahogany, banana. 30w x 33L. $240.

**SOLD**. #11. Andrea. Oak, marigold, indigo, natural. 33w x 29L. $265.

Before the loom is warped, the weaver will decide on the primary color of the piece, along with what colors to use for the patterning. She will take the raw white native cotton and dip it into dye baths she has prepared herself from native plants. Weavers here use wild marigold (sempesuchitl or pericone), mahogany bark (caoba), oak bark (encino), avocado leaves and dried fruit (aguacate), indigo (añil), beets (betabel), guava (guayaba), nanche (a fruit), and baby banana pulp or banana tree bark.

**SOLD**. #12. Aurora. Beet, marigold, iron oxide, banana. 37w x 36L. $285.

**SOLD.** #13. Cleotilde. Oak, avocado, indigo, nanche. 37w x 31L. $240.

Sometimes these may be prepared in an iron pot to yield a dulled color or gray that results from the iron oxide chemical reaction. The plant world is in your huipil!

**SOLD.** #14. Brisaida. Mahogany, marigold, indigo. 32w x 29L. $345.

Thank you very much for your caring and support. We all appreciate it!

Please let me know if you have any questions. norma.schafer@icloud.com

9 Comments

Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged for sale, handmade, Las Sanjuaneras, Mexico, San Juan Colorado, shop online, slow fashion

Arrived: New Box of Oaxaca Huipiles

Posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 | 15 comments

I promised it would give you advance notice about when I received this next shipment of 14 huipiles from Las Sanjuaneras, San Juan Colorado, Oaxaca. The box arrived today! Please keep a look-out for when I will post them for sale. It will likely be on Friday, August 21, 2020 or Saturday, August 22, 2020. Stay tuned!

Only 14 pieces because this is all by hand, limited production. Slow fashion.

The story behind receiving these huipiles: Camerina, the cooperative leader, and Ana Paula Fuentes send me photos and I select the ones I think you will most like. Camerina packages them up and takes them to the nearest town, Pinotepa Nacional, to mail to her daughter Edivigus who lives in Oaxaca. Edivigus had a few to add to the shipment. She found a Maria’s cookie box, put the textiles in a plastic bag, carefully sealed the box and sent it to me via Estafeta.

14 pieces of artisan-made huipiles, thread made by hand using a drop spindle

Estafeta is a domestic Mexican trucking company. Their shipping prices are very reasonable, however it takes two to three weeks for the package to arrive in the USA. When it gets to the border, what happens? They have an agreement with UPS Ground to transfer international packages to the Brown Trucks and get them to their destination. Very efficient, I think!

All natural dyes, hand-woven on a back-strap loom, native Oaxaca cotton

For the next day, I will hang and steam press each garment. Then, I will take the photographs and measurements. I’ll identify the weaver and which natural dyes are used for each piece. I’ll then post each photo along with the descriptive information here. It may be Friday or Saturday before I am able to complete everything.

Natural dyes include wild marigold, indigo, mahogany, beets

These are unique, one-of-a-kind hand-woven textiles made by one of the finest Oaxaca cooperatives. Since there are only 14 pieces I am offering for sale, please be sure you check back in the next few days so you don’t miss out!

Fragile cookies. Handle with care. Don’t step on the box.

Thank you for your support of this deserving group of women and for Oaxaca. All best wishes, Norma

15 Comments

Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged back-strap loom, for sale, huipiles, Las Sanjuaneras, Mexico, natural dyes, Oaxaca, San Juan Colorado, textiles

Las Sanjuaneras Huipils + More to Come

Posted on Friday, July 31, 2020 | 2 comments

I was overwhelmed by the beauty of these textiles and overcome by your response in support of this great women’s weaving cooperative from San Juan Colorado. Thank you all for your incredible support.

This beauty is now SOLD. #5.

**SOLD**. #5 by Catalina Garcia Nejia. Dyes: wild marigold, mahogany bark. 34″w x 41″ long. $265.

To Buy: Please email me normahawthorne@mac.com with your name, mailing address. I will mark it SOLD, send you a PayPal invoice and add $12 for cost of mailing.

The weavers were thrilled we visited last January 2020

And, then there is this one. Blue and gold. Pericone and indigo.

**SOLD.** #17. by Camerina Cabrera. 21-1/2″ wide x 40″ long. $165 + mailing

Now, I’ve just spent the afternoon packing and mailing all the beautiful huipiles and blusas you bought yesterday. Some of you were disappointed because we sold-out early and fast!

So, I’ve contacted Las Sanjuaneras and I am arranging for another shipment of 16 beautiful textiles to come to me from Oaxaca. These will include more blusas and and a few tunics. The selection, again, is magnificent. I have seen preview pictures and chosen the ones I think you will enjoy most.

A selection of beautiful Las Sanjuaneras textiles — at their village

I’ll give you a heads-up when then arrive. I will need a couple of days to prepare them for posting — with photographs and descriptions.

Thank you for being so wonderfully supportive of Oaxaca and her weaving community. We are all deeply appreciative.

Spinning and cleaning cotton in San Juan Colorado

Meet Patrocinia from Las Sanjuaneras, San Juan Colorado, Oaxaca

This is Margarita, another outstanding Las Sanjuaneras weaver

Weavers Rufina with daughter Aurora and her son

Families depend on the work of women in small, remote weaving villages like San Juan Colorado. Husbands are subsistence farmers who are able to feed their families with beans, corn, squash that they raise in the field. But the produce is no commodified because everyone grows what they need to eat. It is the weaving that can bring in the extra money to the household to pay for school, medicine and health care, an occasional chicken or a fiesta.

In times like these, when there are no tourists to visit or to shop in the Oaxaca city galleries, we are doing what we can to help families sustain themselves.