Tag Archives: blouses

Support for Chiapas Embroidery Cooperative: Shop Open

Posted on Friday, December 11, 2020 | Comments Off

Aguacatenango is a Chiapas Maya village about an hour-and-a-half from San Cristobal de Las Casas. The altitude is lower and temperatures warmer. The women there embroider exquisite natural cotton blouses, and we found the best of the best. Her name is Francisca, and along with her family members, she creates completely made-by-hand blouses — there are no sewing machines!

For photos and village story, Click Here!

Usually, we bring Chiapas Textile Tour travelers to Aguacatenango to meet Francisca, but not this year! As covid-19 rages unchecked in Mexico and the USA, you know we have cancelled all our programs until late 2021. Artisan villages throughout Mexico are hard hit economically. There is no tourism to help sustain even the most talented. That’s why I contacted Francisca a few months ago to see how we could help by bringing this workmanship to us.

This time, I asked for larger sizes and specified the dimensions, along with the color-ways. This is a custom order that you will not find anywhere else!

12 pieces are available for sale. Limited selection.

Size XL — Bodice is 15″ wide, sleeve is 23″ long, blouse is 24″ long from shoulder to hem — 4 pieces
Size L — Bodice is 14″ wide, sleeve is 22″ long, blouse is 24″ long from shoulder to hem — 4 pieces
Size M — Bodice is 12″ wide, blouse is 24″ long from shoulder to hem — 3 pieces
Size S — Bodice is 10″ wide, sleeve is 21″ long, blouse is 22″ long from shoulder to hem — 1 piece

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 DO NOT SELECT buying goods or services–so we don’t pay commissions. We also accept Venmo and I can send you a Square invoice (+3% fee) if you don’t use PayPal.

Extra-Large Selection–4 available — 15″ wide bodice (A):

SOLD. 1. Blue, long sleeve XL, $140
SOLD. 2. Blue, long sleeve XL, $140
SOLD. 3. Red, long sleeve XL, $140
SOLD. 4. Red, long sleeve, XL, $140

Large Selection–4 available — 14″ wide bodice (A):

SOLD. 5. Large, Red, $120
SOLD. 6. Large Blue, $120
7. Large Blue, $120
8. Large Blue, $120

Size Medium Selection–3 available — 12″ wide bodice (A):

9. Beige, short sleeve Medium, $120
10. Beige, short sleeve, Medium, $120
11. Beige, short sleeve, Medium, $120

Size Small Selection–1 available — 10″ wide bodice (A):

12. Beige long sleeve, Small, $120

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 steam heat to iron if needed.

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 DO NOT SELECT buying goods or services — so we don’t pay commissions. We also accept Venmo and I can send you a Square invoice (+3% fee) if you don’t use PayPal.

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Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged Aguacatenango, blouses, Chiapas, Embroidery, French knots, Mexico, sale

Pssst. Embroidered French Knot Blouses Are Back

Posted on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 | 2 comments

I’ll be putting them up here for sale on Friday, December 11, at 1 PM Eastern Time. This time, I have mostly large and extra-large sizes, and 90% of them are long-sleeve. The French knots are densely embroidered on the bodice with accent touches on the sleeve cuffs.

Color choices are peacock blue and red in the large sizes. I also have a few mediums in short sleeves, beige color, and one size small.

Prices are $120 for small, medium and large, and $140 for the extra large. Mailing is $12.

Small measures 10″ across the bodice — 1 available, beige, long-sleeve
Medium measures 12″ across the bodice — 3 available, beige, short-sleeve
Large measures 13-1/2″ across the bodice –6 available
Extra-large measures 14-1/2″ across the bodice — 3 available

Sorry, I’m not able to do pre-sales. Shop opens here on Friday, December 11.

Our embroiderer is Francisca from Aguacatenango, Chiapas. A few years ago, we met her in the village courtyard under the big oak tree, along with about 30 other embroiderers who live there. We could tell her work was far and away among the best! Our group traipsed down the road to her house for a demonstration and sale. Now, during the pandemic there are no tourists, so I contacted her to see if should would make a custom order.

I specified sizes made for our body shapes and sizes — most of us are not the petite stature of Maya women of Chiapas! So, you won’t find these anywhere else but here. Sale is first-come, first-serve. Set your alarm and don’t miss it.

Francisca demonstrates embroidery techniques

2 Comments

Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged blouses, Chiapas, Embroidery, French knots, Mexico, sale

Coming Today: French Knot Blouses From Chiapas

Posted on Friday, October 23, 2020 | Comments Off

Our shop will open at 1 PM Eastern Time today! Don’t miss it! Limited sizes in long and short sleeve.

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Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged blouses, Chiapas, Embroidery, French knots, Mexico

Coming This Week: Woven Rugs + French Knot Blouses

Posted on Sunday, October 18, 2020 | 6 comments

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported the artisans whose work I have featured here. The dollars I have sent back to them in Oaxaca and Chiapas have helped sustain families through this health crisis — Covid-19 — when there is no tourism.

I also want to add that there is a benefit to my being here in Durham, NC, right now — shipping cost is bundled and covers sending multiple pieces from Mexico to the USA, making these pieces much more affordable. Usually, it is $60-80 USD to send one piece from Oaxaca to the states or Canada. So, while I am here, I will continue to work with cooperatives to bring their work to you. I would not be able to do this were I in Oaxaca!

Tomorrow, October 19, I will feature five (5) rugs from the Taller Teñido a Mano workshop in Oaxaca.

Shop will open Monday, October 19, 1 PM Eastern Time

Elsa Sanchez, proprietor of Taller Tenido a Mano, dyes the wool yarn with natural plant materials and cochineal. Colors include cochineal, indigo, wild marigold, wood barks and nuts. These sturdy rugs are woven by my godson and Elsa’s husband, Eric Chavez. Cost will range from $195 to $295 plus mailing.

Here is one rug example:

2-1/2 ft. by 3 ft. — 100% wool, handwoven. Machine wash gentle. Hang to dry.

At the end of the week, I will offer handmade blouses from Aguacatenango, Chiapas, by Francisca. She works in embroidery using exquisite French knots. The bodice is so dense with embroidery you cannot see the base fabric, which is 100% cotton manta. This time, we will have more long sleeve pieces and more that are sized Large and Extra-Large. They will sell for $120 plus mailing.

Here is an example:

Machine wash gentle, cold water. Use mild soap. Hang to dry.

6 Comments

Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged artisan made, blouses, Chiapas, for sale, handmade, handwoven, Mexico, natural dyes, Oaxaca, rugs, textiles

Shop Open: Textiles from San Mateo del Mar, Oaxaca

Posted on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 | 14 comments

It’s hot on the southern coast of Oaxaca on the Pacific Ocean where it meets the state of Chiapas. Hot and humid. Situated on a spit of sand in the Juchitan district sits the fishing village of San Mateo del Mar. The region is home to about 14,000 Huave speakers, a native indigenous language. The community has been in existence for at least 3,000 years.

Today: Featuring the textiles of Francisca Palafox Heran and family

In all my years of living in Oaxaca, I’ve not come across these many pieces woven by the master Francisca, who Remigio Mestas selected as the most outstanding weaver in San Mateo del Mar.

**SOLD.** #15. Collector’s Piece. Silk, Egyptian cotton, indigo, cochineal gauze blusa, 29″W x 33″L, $995

#15. detail, woven by Jazmin Azucena with her initials JAPP

As you can imagine, there is a need there for flowing, lightweight textiles, and the women are talented back-strap loom weavers who can produce extraordinary, fine, lightweight and gauzy fabrics that are replete with images of birds, fishing scenes, palm trees, sea creatures. The figures are woven into the cloth and are NOT embroidered — a remarkable talent.

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.

Notably, the finest weaver of the village is Francisca Palafox Heran. Her daughter Jazmin Azucena is following in her footsteps. Their textiles and those of the family are featured today.

**SOLD.** #2 Natural dyed mahogany cotton with indigo, 24″x39″, $455

A few of these pieces are for collectors. Most are perfect for summer into fall and back to spring daily wearing. You can layer them over a silk T-shirt for colder climates.

**SOLD**. #3 Signed JAPP, indigo, cochineal, wild marigold, cotton/silk, 28×28, $695

#3 Detail with weaver Jazmin Azucena’s initials

**SOLD.** #4 Indigo, mahogany dyes by Francisca Palafox. 23×28. $525

#4 Detail. Palm trees, turtles, crabs, by Francisca Palafox. Find FPH initials.

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.

**SOLD**. #5. Red/black cotton blusa. 25×28. $335

**SOLD.** #6 Signed FPH Francisca Palafox Heran, cotton/silk, 38×32, $395

#6 Detail with signature — white threads are silk

#7 Detail, reindeer, crab, fish, lightening motifs

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.

**SOLD**. #8 by FPH Francisca Palafox Heran, 30×28, $395

#8 inside out! Threads woven back into the fabric!

#9, mid-weight cotton, black contrasted with purple, 25×27, $265

**SOLD.** #10, airy-weave cotton, 27×27, $335

**SOLD.** #11 FPH by Francisca Palafox Heran, mahogany + indigo, 27×31, $425

#11 detail. Can you find FPH initials near the boats?

These three ponchos below are a heavy weight cotton, all made on the back-strap loom by Jazmin Azucena Pinzon Palafox. They are perfect for transitioning from summer to autumn, from winter to spring. An easy-to-wear cover-up — for style and comfort, almost like wearing your own cozy blanket! One size fits most. A pullover with open sides.

Inside poncho detail — amazing back-strap loom finish work

**SOLD**. #14, Poncho, cotton, 37×31, $450

**SOLD.** #16 Traditional machine embroidered Juchitan huipil, $85 — sew the sides to fit you!

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.

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