Monthly Archives: January 2013

Omar’s Hat: Spinning and Knitting Hand-Dyed Wool Roving in Oaxaca

Knitting IMHO is a form of weaving, so I fit right into Teotitlan del Valle where weaving is the culture.  Fiber and textile artists tend to experiment with different forms of the art.  But first, a bit about the wool.  This is 100% super wash merino roving with a 23u top that I bought from DTK Knits in Apex, North Carolina.  I love the variegation of color that they achieved and the softness of the wool.

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They hand-painted it and put it out in the sun to dry.  Sun-dried, solar dyed!  The 4 ounces I bought cost $18.00 USD.  I brought several of these types of skeins with me to use for felting projects over the next few months, although I will be dyeing wool roving here, too. As I showed Federico and Dolores my stash yesterday, they ahhed and oohed, and we talked about what it might be like to spin the roving.  I could then knit a hat for Omar and then one for Eric.

First project underway.

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Federico grabbed a bamboo bobbin and attached it to the spinning wheel.  We then separated the roving into strands thin enough to spin, but thick enough so it wouldn’t fall apart.  That took both of us.  Then we were ready to go.

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After the bobbin was full, I put it into a sealed plastic bag with one end open to pull the tail of the thread through.  That way, the bobbin stays intact.

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Next, I made a sample swatch to figure out the gauge or how many stitches to cast on to fit Omar’s head.  Since he wasn’t there, I measured Federico.  This wool knit up at about 3 stitches per inch and Federico’s head measures 23″ so I cast on 74 stitches using a #10-1/2 (or 6-1/2mm) needle.

Omar'sHatKnit-6I knit two inches of length and then decreased four stitches in order for the rim to turn up and show the purl side.  Then, I will continue knitting until I have about 7″ of hat.  Then, using double pointed needles, I’ll begin to decrease every two stitches until there are four stitches left.  Take a crochet hook and pull the yarn through the four stitches and tie off.  Bring the yarn through to the underside and weave it in.

Resources

I buy ecru merino roving to dye from Paradise Fibers.  I order dyed roving online from various Etsy resources like Rachel Jones’ On the Round, who spins and dyes near Portland, Maine.  I met Rachel last summer at a street fair and loved her wool.

And, here’s the start of the hat!  Didn’t it knit up beautifully?  And, P.S. We still have space in the Felted Fashion Workshop here that starts February 2.  Ask me about coming to the one-day dye workshop component, too.

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Cultural Dialogs: Dance of the Feather in Teotitlan del Valle

On Wednesday night this week, the San Pablo Academic and Cultural Center hosted the first in a series of community dialogs about indigenous life in Oaxaca.   The restored chapel was filled to standing room only with Teotitecos and friends who came to hear a panel discussion introducing the new book, La Danza de la Pluma en Teotitlån del Valle written by Jorge Hernandez-Diaz, a cultural anthropologist at the state Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca.

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In addition to Professor Hernandez-Diaz, panelists included Uriel Santiago, one of the 2007-2009 group of dancers who made a promise and commitment to God, their church, community and culture by learning and performing this ancient tradition for a period of three years.   Uriel first welcomed guests in Zapotec then moved into Spanish.  Years ago Uriel explained to me that the Dance of the Feather is not a folkloric event designed to entertain people.  It is a serious expression of Zapotec identity and cultural continuity.  We made a documentary film about his experience in 2008 which you can see on YouTube.

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The book, published in Spanish by the Oaxaca Secretary of Culture and Arts, with support from the Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation and the Office of the Governor of Oaxaca, offers three possible explanations about the origins of the dance, how it is interpreted in Teotitlan del Valle, other Oaxaca villages where the dance is an integral part of annual celebration, the rituals and traditions associated with the dance, and how the dance is organized and who can participate, plus lots more.  The professor explains in his book that the dance is expressed with variations in many Mexican states, too.

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Each year in Teotitlan del Valle beginning in early July and lasting for about a week, the Dance of the Feather is performed in the church courtyard.  Every three years the group changes and is organized/trained by a different leader.  The 2007-2009 maestro was Don Antonio Ruiz.  The book recognizes all the members of this particular group by name and the role they danced–Moctezuma, the indigenous kings who succumbed to the conquest, and Malinche/Doña Marina.

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Some of the group members are cousins.  Since the time of the dance, many of them have married and had children.  They have become doctors, educators and skilled weavers.  They remain close, committed to each other and their community, treasuring the time they devoted to transmitting their cultural heritage and ensuring continuity.

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Finding a Sewing Machine in Oaxaca, Mexico

First, sewing is alive and well in Oaxaca. Indeed, throughout Mexico women are sewing everything imaginable, from clothing to draperies to furniture coverings.  People here are resourceful and talented.  Sewing is an art and skill we are losing in the U.S.A. as we lack time and seek convenience.  It is difficult to find quality fabric stores in most cities and mid-size towns.  Only in rural America and among immigrant populations is sewing considered a valued skill.  In Oaxaca on the street called Aldama,  just a few blocks from the Zocalo, there is an abundance of stores selling all sorts of sewing supplies and fabrics.  I didn’t even need to bring the dense upholstery foam with me for needle felting.  It is available here!SewingMachine-2

The premier shop is Parisina, the supermarket of sewing.  But, tucked away into small spaces are little notions shops that are family owned and operated, where you can buy thread, needles, lace trims, seam binding, hooks and elastic, zippers, and anything you can imagine that would capture the heart of a seamstress.

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My quest today was to decide upon which sewing machine to buy for our Felted Fashion Workshop that starts on February 2.  And, in the process I learned a new phrase: Buscando por una maquina de coser. We will be using the sewing machine to stitch seams and make optional embellishments.  What to buy?  That was my dilemma.  At home, I’ve been sewing with an Elna portable that I bought in San Francisco in 1970.  It is all metal, heavy, durable, needing repair only once over all those years.  Today’s machines are plastic and most are made in China.

Should it be Singer or Brother?  Janome or Bernina?  After doing my internet research using Consumer Reports, not knowing what was available to buy here in Oaxaca, or the assurances of warranty and repair service, and after demonstrations at Parisina and Sears (yes, there is a Sears in Oaxaca) I decided the best strategy was to go into small women-operated shops to ask their opinion.  My favorite is a tienda on Calle Mina just off the corner of J.P. Garcia.

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The shopkeeper sent me several more blocks away from the center of town, deep into the working class, industrial part of the city closer to Abastos Market to find Moscer, the distributor for Singer and Brother, the two most popular brands of sewing machines in Oaxaca.

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Here I met Jorge (left) and Alejandro (right), who both sell and repair sewing machines — heavy duty Brother commercial and lighter weight models for home use.  When I asked Jorge which machine had a better repair history, he said both Singer and Brother were equal but he hinted at preferring the Brother.  Both of these machines are made in and imported from Brasil, and the price is about twice as much as in the U.S.   I’m going back to Sears where they are now running a big sale on sewing machines.  They are also available at Parisina and Fabricas de Francia (Liverpool department store).  There is no shopping deprivation here!

Moscer and Casa Diaz, sales and service for sewing machines, J.P. Garcia #702a, Centro Historico, Oaxaca, Mexico (past Mina, then past Zaragosa toward the Periferico).

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The Cigar Maker, Puebla, Mexico

On a meander around the Sunday antiques flea market, for which Puebla is famous, I discovered another art form.  The tobacco leaves come from del Valle de San Andrés, Tuxtla, Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico.  The skill is pure traditional Mexican — hecho a mano.   The aroma is intoxicating.  The light is mesmerizing.   From the corner of 4 Norte and 5 Oriente walk on 5 Oriente away from the Centro Historico toward the wide Blvd. Heroes del 5 de Mayo.  Keep your eye out on the right at 5 Oriente #207 for a small shop called Legendaria Cigars.  Here the master is making cigars and cigarillos in the traditional handcrafted artisan method.  If the light is just right through the window perhaps there will be a Rembrandt or Titian in your set of photos.

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Bad for your health!  Beautiful nevertheless!  Fabrica de Puros Legendaria, Tel. 01 (222) 246-3262 or (222) 246-3311, Puebla, MX

Handcrafted Chips in Puebla, Mexico–Close to Heaven

We are getting down to the micro level when discussing chips.  Not the taxi driver variety, but potato chips.  These are not the store bought commercially made chips that we are familiar with in the USA.  No.  Potato chips are a fresh made delicacy here, prepared as you like them, while you wait, plain, seasoned with chili sauce and fresh squeezed lime, or doused with dried hot red pepper resulting in a bright red chip.  A food fantasy extravaganza for all potato lovers.

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To find my favorite potato chip maker, from the Zocalo get to 4 Poniente and head toward 11 Norte.  After you cross 7 Norte look on the left side of the street for the little stall where you will see the young man with the mandoline slicer and a pile of fresh peeled potatoes.  Then, you will be close to heaven.  Go another block or two on the left (between 9 Poniente and 11 Poniente) and you will find Talavera Uriarte — another bit of Puebla heaven.

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