Tag Archives: fabric

Chiapas Textiles + Folk Art Study Tour: Deep Into the Maya World

Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 | 10 comments

We are based in the historic Chiapas mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas, the center of the Maya world in Mexico. Here we will explore the textile traditions of ancient people who weave on back strap looms. Women made cloth on simple looms here long before the Spanish conquest in 1521 and their techniques translate into stunning garments admired and collected throughout the world today. Colorful. Vibrant. Warm. Exotic. Connecting. Words that hardly describe the experience that awaits you.

Tuesday, February 14 to Wednesday, February 23, 2017, 9 nights and 10 days in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas

Small group! Registration limited to 12 people.

Man from Zinacantan with hand-woven straw hat

I am committed to give you a rich cultural immersion experience that goes deep rather than broad. We cover a lot of territory, but it’s not physical! That is why we are spending nine nights in this amazing Pueblo Magico — Magic Town — to focus on Maya textiles and weaving traditions. Our day trips will take us into villages, homes and workshops to meet the people who keep their traditions vibrant. This is an interpersonal experience to better know and appreciate Mexico’s amazing artisans.

Humanitarian healer Sergio Castro with vintage textile collection

Take this study tour to learn about:

the culture, history and identity of cloth
spinning wool and weaving with natural dyes
clothing design and construction
symbols and meaning of textile designs
choice of colors and fibers that reflect each woman’s aesthetic while keeping with a particular village traje or costume
mystical folk medicine practices that blend Maya ritual and Spanish Catholicism

The church at San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, Mexico, February

Chiapas folk art and handcrafts
Chiapas amber — rare and affordable gemstone
market days and village mercantile economy
local cuisine, coffee and chocolate
how to determine the best textile quality and value

I have invited textile collector Sheri Brautigam to join me to give you a special, in-depth experience. Sheri writes the blog Living Textiles of Mexico and is recognized for her particular knowledge of Chiapas Maya textiles. She is author of the Thrums soon-to-be-published Textile Fiestas of Mexico: A Traveler’s Guide to Celebrations, Markets, and Smart Shopping. (I’ve contributed two chapters with photos, one for Tenancingo de Degollado and the other for Teotitlan del Valle!)

San Cristobal de las Casas, international crossroads of great food

San Cristobal de las Casas, international crossroads for great food

I have also engaged one of San Cristobal’s most well-informed local guides who will travel with us to provide bi-lingual services for understanding the nuances in translation. We will travel in a luxury Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van as we go deep into the Maya world.

Daily Itinerary

Tuesday, February 14: Meet me at the Mexico City Airport. We will fly together from Mexico City to Tuxtla Gutierrez and transfer to San Cristobal de las Casas (SCDLC) by pre-arranged van service together. I will let you know which airline/flight to book and meet you at the Mexico City airport as soon as you register. If you prefer to not coordinate air travel, please make your own arrangements to get from Tuxtla to SCDLC. Arrive in time for group dinner at 7 pm. (D)

Textiles from the weaving villages of Cancuc and Oxchuc

Wednesday, February 15: Our first day in San Cristobal de las Casas orients you to the Textiles in the Maya World. You will learn about weaving and embroidery traditions, patterns and symbols, women and villages, history and culture. After a breakfast discussion we will visit Centro Textiles Mundo Maya museum, Sna Jolobil for the finest regional textiles made, and meander the Santo Domingo outdoor market that takes over the plaza in front of the church. We will then guide you along the walking streets to get your bearings. (B, L) Dinner on your own.

Embroidered blouse from Amantenango

Thursday, February 16: Tenejapa is about an hour and a world away from San Cristobal de Las Casas. Today is market day when villagers line the streets filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and often textiles. We’ll meander the market to see what’s there. In years past, I’ve found some stunning shawls, huipils and bags here. Then, we will visit the outstanding textile cooperative founded by Doña Maria Meza Giron who founded the Sna Jolobil cooperative. We’ll also stop in Romerillo to see the larger than life pine-bough covered Maya blue and green crosses. Return to San Cristobal de Las Casas in time for dinner on your own. (B, L)

Hand carved colonial wood detailing on doorway arch

Friday, February 17: Today is a walking day, devoted to visiting textile cooperatives in San Cristobal de las Casas. You will learn about international collaborations and textile design that conserves traditions while meeting marketplace needs for exquisite and utilitarian cloth. In the early evening, we visit Museo de Trajes Regionales and humanitarian Sergio Castro, who has a large private collection of Maya indigenous daily and ceremonial dress representing each Chiapas region. (B, D)

Clay and wood carved artifacts

Saturday: February 18: Amantenango del Valle and Aguacatenango to see the whimsical and functional wood and dung fired pottery – the way its been done for centuries. Wonderful roosters, spotted jaguar sculptures and ornamental dishes. This is a textile village, too, where women embroider garments with designs that look like graphic art. We’ll travel to neighboring Aguacatenango, to visit a well-known embroiderer who has won many awards. (B, L) Dinner on your own.

Whimsical Amantenango chicken pots

Sunday, February 19: This is a big day! First we go to San Lorenzo Zinacantan, where greenhouses cover the hillsides. Here, indigenous dress is embellished in exquisite floral designs, mimicking the flowers they grow. First we visit the church, bedecked in fresh flowers. Then we’ll meet weavers and embroiderers in their home workshops. Next stop is magical, mystical San Juan Chamula where the once-Catholic church is given over to a pre-Hispanic pagan religious practice that involves chickens, eggs and coca-cola. We’ll roam Chamula’s abundant textile market, compare and contrast fabrics and designs, then visit the home workshop of a Chamula woman in her village outside of town who will give us a full demonstration that includes spinning, back strap loom weaving, dyeing, and the unique Chamula process for making the long-haired tunics. (B, L) Dinner on your own.

At the textile museum, an outstanding collection of Maya weaving

Monday, February 20: We will set out by foot after breakfast for a full morning at Na Balom, Jaguar House, the home/of anthropologist Franz Blom and his photographer wife, Gertrude Duby Blom. The house is now a museum filled with pre-Hispanic and jewelry collections. We walk the gardens and learn about Trudy’s work with the Lacandon tribe and relationship with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. After lunch at Na Balom, you will have the afternoon and evening on your own. (B, L)

Jaguar pot, Amantenango, Chiapas

Tuesday, February 21: Today, we want to give you enough time to know and discover San Cristobal de Las Casas. We will suggest destinations to explore on your own: the Maya Medicine Museum, Jade Museum, Chocolate Museum, and Coffee Museum. We can also recommend an optional cooking class with one of the city’s top chefs and make those arrangements for you in advance for an added cost. You may want to use your time to explore the town’s wonderful churches, learn about the Zapatista movement, revisit textile shops or just stroll the lively walking streets stopping for a great cup of Chiapas coffee and people watching. A surprise artisan demonstration, show and sale may pop-up sometime during the day, too. (B)

The best of the best vintage from San Andres Larrainzar, Chiapas

The best vintage from Magdalenas, Chiapas — if you can find it, buy it.

Wednesday, February 22: Men from Magdalena Aldama who weave bags made from ixtle, agave cactus leaf fiber, join us at our hotel after breakfast. Accompanying them are the women who make flashy beaded necklace strings and beautiful hand-woven huipils. Afternoon is on your own to do last minute shopping and packing in preparation for your trip home. We end our study tour with a gala group goodbye dinner. (B, D)

San Juan Chamula Sunday market in February

Thursday, February 23: Depart. We will coordinate departures with included van service from San Cristobal de las Casas to the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport. You will connect from Tuxtla to Mexico City and then on to your home country. Please wait to make you airplane reservations until you hear from us about van departure time.

What Is Included

9 nights lodging at a top-rated San Cristobal de las Casas hotel within easy walking distance of the historic center
9 breakfasts
6 lunches
3 dinners
museum and church entry fees
luxury van transportation
outstanding and complete guide services
transfers to/from Tuxtla Gutierrez airport

The workshop does NOT include airfare, taxes, tips, travel insurance, liquor or alcoholic beverages, some meals, and local transportation as specified in the itinerary. We reserve the right to substitute instructors and alter the program as needed.

Cost

$2,395 double room with private bath (sleeps 2)
$2,795 single room with private bath (sleeps 1)

There will be a sign-up in advance for a cooking class on Tuesday, February 21. Please let me know if you are interested in this option. Cost to be announced.

Home goods from Chiapas textile cooperative

Who Should Attend

Textile and fashion designers
Weavers, embroiderers and collectors
Home goods wholesalers/retailers who want a direct source
Photographers and artists who want inspiration
Anyone who loves cloth, culture and collaboration

In years past, I have purchased lengths of used hand-woven ikat Maya skirt fabric to repurpose into clothing and upholstery.

Reservations and Cancellations. A 40% deposit is required to guarantee your spot. The balance is due in two equal payments. The first 30% payment is due on or before October 15, 2016. The second 30% payment is due on or before December 31, 2016. We accept payment with PayPal only. We will send you an itemized invoice when you tell us you are ready to register. After December 31, 2016, refunds are not possible. You may send a substitute in your place. If you cancel on or before December 31, 2016, we will refund 50% of your deposit.

Detail of cross-stitched bodice, called punto de cruz

Required–Travel Health/Accident Insurance: We require that you carry international accident/health/emergency evacuation insurance. Proof of insurance must be sent at least 30 days before departure. In addition, we will send you by email a PDF of a witnessed waiver of responsibility, holding harmless Norma Schafer and Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC. We ask that you return this to us by email 30 days before departure. Unforeseen circumstances happen!

Workshop Details and Travel Tips. Before the workshop begins, we will email you study tour details and documents that includes extensive travel tips and information. To get your questions answered and to register, contact Norma Schafer.

This retreat is produced by Norma Schafer, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC. We reserve the right to make itinerary changes and substitutions as necessary.

Old woven ixtle bag used to hold pulque or lunch

10 Comments

Posted in Clothing Design, Mexico, Photography, Textiles, Tapestries & Weaving, Travel & Tourism, Workshops and Retreats

Tagged back strap loom, Chiapas, clothing, collector, conference, course, design, designer, Embroidery, fabric, fiber art, folk art, home goods, Larrainzar, Magdalenas, Mexico, natural dyes, San Cristobal de las Casas, San Juan Chamula, seminar, Sheri Brautigam, study, Tenejapa, textiles, tour, travel, weaving, workshop

Khadi Oaxaca Clothing Now Comes in Yardage, Too

Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 | 8 comments

Khadi Oaxaca makes hand-spun organic cotton. Over 100 indigenous women participate in this cooperative located in the Oaxaca mountains halfway between the Oaxaca city and the coast. It takes about three hours to get there.

Dress with rolled sleeves and patch pockets.

At the winter Museo Textil de Oaxaca expoventa (show and sale), Khadi Oaxaca presented an extensive selection of beautiful clothing — mostly ponchos, quechquemitls, huipils and men’s shirts. Some of the textiles are woven on the back strap loom and others on the counterbalance pedal loom also called a flying shuttle loom.

There was lots to choose from, including bolts of beautiful handwoven material. The cotton is dyed with indigo, pericone (wild marigold) and Khadi Oaxaca also harvests and spins coyuchi, a caramel-colored, very soft wild cotton indigenous to Oaxaca and becoming very rare.

Khadi Oaxaca fabric close up, with neckline detail. Organic handspun cotton: indigo, coyuchi, pericone.

I was beside myself and had this urge to sew up a dress using a paper pattern I made from a favorite dress. I have made this dress design several times and the Khadi Oaxaca yardage was calling me. Especially the piece woven with coyuchi, indigo and pericone.

Yardage? Not exactly.

We are in Mexico and fabric length is measured in meters, not yards. We measured the dress I was wearing (one of the favorites) and decided I needed four meters, compensating for the fact that the cloth is 15-1/4″ wide. There are 0.914 meters to the yard or 1.093 yards to the meter. Never mind that after cutting out the pattern, I was substantially short! Could I make this dress sleeveless? I think not.

The Museo Textile de Oaxaca has Khadi Oaxaca textile lengths for sale. When I sent a message to Khadi Oaxaca, they told me they would bring the meters I needed to museum! Thank you and hallelujah for great customer service. Price: 350 pesos per meter.

Patch pockets. French seams! Love the slubs and irregularities of the weave.

After the intensity of our Oaxaca Women’s Creative Writing and Yoga Retreat last week that I fully participated in, writing about mother, father, family and home, I loved the down-time that this project gave me. I’ll be writing about the retreat in days to come.

8 Comments

Posted in Cultural Commentary, Oaxaca Mexico art and culture, Textiles, Tapestries & Weaving, Travel & Tourism

Tagged cotton, coyuchi, dress design, fabric, indigo, Khadi Oaxaca, Mexico, Oaxaca, pericone, Sewing, textiles, wild marigold, yardage

Felt Fashion Workshop: Oaxaca Style Art To Wear

Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 | 9 comments

We’ve invited Jessica de Haas back to teach this popular workshop again in 2014. Here is your chance to escape winter, roll up your sleeves and make an extraordinary felted wool garment that will bring ooh’s and aah’s. For seven nights and eight days, from January 30 to February 6, you will experience the textile culture of Oaxaca, and create naturally dyed felt fabric that you will make into wearable art.

If you ever wanted to felt wool and use it to make a garment that is unique, comfortable and stylish, this is the place for you. If you want to build upon what you already know and add to your skill set, join us! We use easy-to-construct indigenous Mexican patterns to show off your design creativity. If you aren’t confident, don’t worry! The place itself is an inspiration.

Our expert instructor is fiber artist-clothing designer Jessica de Haas, from Vancouver, B.C., Canada. She is joined by Eric Chavez Santiago from Oaxaca, Mexico, who will demonstrate natural dyeing techniques. The wool roving we use is dyed by Eric who works with cochineal, indigo, wild marigold and other local plant sources.

About Your Instructors

Jessica owns the clothing design company Funk-Shui in Vancouver, B.C. and is an award-winning, internationally known fiber artist, fashion designer and teacher. Her work is published in leading books and magazines. She recently completed an Arquetopia artist residency in Oaxaca, and taught and exhibited at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca. See her website for bio and designs.

Eric Chavez Santiago, founding director of education at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca, is a weaver and natural dye expert. He has taught natural dyeing techniques in Oaxaca and at U.S. universities and museums since 2006.

I attended the workshop this past year (Feb 2013). Wow! Jessica was a fabulous instructor, practical and inspirational, and a total delight. The village of Teotitlan is an experience in itself and will immerse you in a totally different and vibrant world. The B&B and especially the meals were awesome and conversation around the table with other workshop participants was totally fun and absorbing — a bunch of creative, independent and feisty women! And, you can’t lose — even I made several shawls I’m very proud to wear. Highly recommended! –Leslie Larson

Our Itinerary

Working with Jessica in the courtyard of our B&B, we will first make pre-felts and samples. Then we will embark on creating lengths of felted fabric enough to make one garment. You can also choose to felt on silk or cheesecloth that results in lighter weight and beautifully draping fabric. After your fabric is dry, you will have the option to cut and sew it into one of several indigenous Oaxaca styles: the huipil (tunic), the blusa (blouse), rebozo (shawl), boufanda (scarf) or quechequemitl (cape), or modify the basic pattern into a design of your own. We give you a pattern book to choose your design!

This workshop is for all levels of experience! You do not have to be an artist or experienced felt-maker to attend. We welcome beginners who have never worked in hand felting and more advanced fiber artists. This is a perfect residency for university students, teachers and artists who may want to explore a different medium, too.

We will provide you with patterns for the basic indigenous designs that can be adjusted to fit. If you want to contemporize them, we can help you tweak and make adjustments. If you have sewing or pattern drafting experience and want to experiment on your own, you are welcome to work on an independent design project.

We are based in the weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle where for generations families have created wool textiles. During our time together, we will go on local field trips to gain design inspiration, and meet and talk with weavers who work with natural dyes. Some weave wool fabric for wearable art as well as sturdier floor and wall tapestries. We will see examples of the types of garments that can be created from the felted fabric we make.

Supplies to bring (preliminary list):

Cotton cheesecloth, preferably pre-colored, 5 to 6 yards (3 to 4 meters) or more
Embellishments: beads, sequins, buttons, ribbons, embroidery thread, yarn and other embellishments (we will also have a supply on hand that you can use, too)
Non-stick shelf liner, 20 inches wide x 5 ft. long (minimum length), one roll
Sewing kit: sharp scissors, needles, threads, tailor chalk

Note: The materials listed are enough to make one garment. If you wish to prepare a more complex or elaborate garment, we will offer more dyed wool roving for purchase and we suggest you bring more cheesecloth. We will provide a source list upon registration.

Here is what is included in your registration fee:

all instruction
7 nights lodging
7 breakfasts
6 dinners
naturally dyed merino wool roving for one garment
silk yardage for nuno felting, enough for one garment
pattern booklet and natural dye recipes
sewing machine to share with needles, thread
selected embellishments, yarns, threads
guided visit to Oaxaca textile museum and galleries

Workshop is limited to 10 participants.

Daily Workshop Schedule: Arrive Thursday, January 30 and depart Thursday, February 6. 7 nights and 8 days with options to extend your visit.

Day 1, Thursday, January 30 – Arrive and settle in to your bed and breakfast posada in Teotitlan del Valle (we send directions)

Day 2, Friday, January 31 – Jump right in to make partial felts and laminate samples with silk and cheesecloth. We will make an actual mini- scarf during this session, as well as fabric samples. (B, D)

Day 3, Saturday, February 1 – Take a morning field trip to the village market and church for pattern inspiration from the local environment. After lunch we will work on designs using the partial felts and inspiration from the morning studies. (B, D)

Day 4, Sunday, February 2 – We take you on a field trip to visit Eric Chavez Santiago for an indigo dye demo. In the afternoon, Jessica will demonstrate her method for using acid dyes and free-motion embroidery. You’ll then start on making felt for your final project/garment. (B, D)

Day 5, Monday, February 3 – Continue working on your project. In the afternoon Jessica will demo the art of making felt flowers. (B, D)

Day 6, Tuesday, February 4 — Field trip to visit local silk weavers. Continue to felt, embellish, sew and finish your project. Completed project Show and Tell with photos before dinner. (B, D)

Day 7, Wednesday, February 5 – Oaxaca City Textile Walk and Shop with Norma (B)

Day 8, Thursday, February 6 – Departure (B)

(This is a preliminary daily schedule and subject to modification.)

Workshop Fee: $1,595 basic cost per person includes shared room and bath, double occupancy. Single occupancy with private bath, add $300.

Extension Options:

Option 1: Stay an extra day and take a Zapotec cooking class on Thursday, February 6, depart February 7. Includes one night lodging, breakfast, lunch, cooking class and recipes. $115 USD each. 2 person minimum.

Option 2: Friday, February 7, Ocotlan Market Day with stops to visit famous wood carvers, embroiderers, and potters. Excursion includes transportation, 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 suppers, and 2 nights lodging on February 6 and 7, with a February 8 departure. (Note: does not include cooking class on February 6. If you choose this option, Thursday, February 6 is on your own.) $165 per person. 2 person minimum.

Option 3: Cooking Class and Ocotlan Market Day Combo. Combine both Option 1 and Option 2 for a special price of $250 per person. 2 person minimum.

Arrive early or stay later! Add on nights in Teotitlan del Valle at $50 per night, or Oaxaca City at $125 per night. Let us know your preference and we make all the arrangements for you.

About Our Workshops, Retreats and Programs. We offer educational programs that are hands-on, fun, culturally sensitive, and offer you an immersion experience. Our workshop leaders are experts in their field, knowledgeable, have teaching experience and guide you in the learning process. Our goal is to enhance your knowledge while giving you time to explore and discover.

About Lodging and Accommodations. To keep this trip affordable and accessible, we stay in a local posada/guest house. The food is all house made (including the tortillas), safe to eat and delicious. Vegetarian options are available.

Your registration fee does NOT include airfare, taxes, admissions to museums and archeological sites, gratuities, liquor/alcoholic beverages, some meals and some transportation.

Deposits, Reservations and Cancellations. A 50% deposit is required to guarantee your spot. The last payment for the balance due (including any supplemental costs) shall be paid by December 15, 2013. We only accept Payment with PayPal. We will be happy to send you an invoice.

If cancellation is necessary, please notify us in writing by email. After December 15, 2012, no refunds are possible; however, we will make every possible effort to fill your reserved space. Your registration is transferable to a substitute. If you cancel before December 15, we will refund 50% of your deposit. We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation, baggage, emergency evacuation and medical insurance before you begin your trip, since unforeseen circumstances are possible.

To register or for questions, contact: normahawthorne@mac.com I am happy to set up a Skype call with you, too. Skype name: oaxacaculture

9 Comments

Posted in Clothing Design

Tagged art, fabric, felt, fiber, Mexico, Oaxaca, textiles, workshop

Felted Fashion Workshop: Making Wearable Art Oaxaca Style with Wool, Silk and Cotton

Posted on Thursday, May 3, 2012 | 7 comments

For hands-on fun, escape winter and come to Oaxaca from February 2 until February 9, 2013. Together, during this one-week workshop, we will be immersed in the textile culture of Oaxaca to create naturally-dyed felted fabric combining wool, silk and cotton that can be hand or machine stitched into an indigenous clothing design of your choice. Our experts, textile and fiber artist-clothing designer Jessica de Haas, from Vancouver, B.C., Canada and Eric Chavez Santiago from Oaxaca, Mexico, will show you how!

About Your Instructors

Jessica owns the clothing design company Funk-Shui and is an award-winning, internationally known fiber artist and teacher. She recently completed an Arquetopia artist residency in Oaxaca, and taught and exhibited at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca. See her website for bio and designs.

Our Itinerary

First, working with Eric in his family’s home studio in Teotitlan del Valle, we will dye and over-dye wool roving with natural materials: cochineal, indigo, wild marigold, pomegranates, nuts and other plants to achieve the colors you will use in your piece(s). We will learn about mordant processes to fix the dye and dye extraction to create over 10 different colors. Wool and dye recipes are included!

Then, working with Jessica in the courtyard of our B&B, we will felt our naturally dyed wool fiber on silk or loosely woven cotton or muslin, making a durable and beautiful fabric. After your fabric is dry, you will have the option to cut and sew it into one of several indigenous Oaxaca styles: the huipil (tunic), the blusa (blouse), rebozo (shawl), boufanda (scarf) or quechequemitl (cape). Here is a piece from Jessica’s collection that you might like!

We give you a pattern book to choose your design! Below is a sample pattern for a quechquemitl.

This workshop is for all levels of experience! You do not have to be an artist to attend. We welcome beginners who have never worked in hand felting and more advanced fiber artists. This is a perfect residency for students, teachers and artists who may want to explore a different medium, too.

We will provide you with patterns for the basic indigenous designs that can be adjusted to fit. If you want to contemporize them, we can help you tweak and make minor adjustments. If you have sewing or pattern drafting experience and want to experiment on your own, you are welcome to work on an independent design project after your fabric is made.

We will be based in the weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle where for generations families have been creating wool textiles. During our time together, we will go on local field trips to meet and talk with weavers who work with natural dyes and weave fabric for wearable art as well as sturdier floor and wall tapestries. We will see examples of the types of garments that can be created from the felted fabric we make.

Materials to bring (preliminary):

silk, loosely woven cotton, and/or muslin—3-4 meters (4.37 yards) minimum
beads, sequins, buttons, ribbons, embroidery thread and other embellishments (we will also have a supply on hand that you can use, too)

Note: The materials listed are sufficient to make one garment. If you wish to prepare more than one piece of dyed felted fabric, you are welcome to bring more materials to dye. However, it is likely you will only be able to complete one finished piece during the time allotted.

Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC will provide, included in your registration fee:

all instruction
7 nights lodging
7 breakfasts
7 dinners
all dye materials
merino wool roving for one garment
pattern booklet
dye recipes
sewing machine to share, needles, thread
selected embellishments

Workshop is limited to 8 participants.

Daily Workshop Schedule:

Arrive Saturday, February 2, Depart Saturday, February 9 — 7 nights, 8 days

Day 1, Saturday, February 2, arrive and settle into your bed and breakfast posada in Teotitlan del Valle (we send directions)
Day 2, Sunday, February 3, natural dye workshop to prepare wool roving
Days 3-5, Monday-Wednesday, February 4-6, make the felted fabric on silk, cotton or muslin
Days 6-7, Thursday-Friday, February 7-8, create your pattern, sew and embellish the garment
Day 7, Friday, February 8, evening fashion show and reception
Day 8, Saturday, February 9, depart

(Preliminary daily schedule subject to modification.

Workshop Fee: $1,365 per person shared room and bath, double occupancy. Single occupancy with private bath, add $300. Most travel programs of this type and length cost more than twice as much!

Options:

Option 1: Arrive a day early, on Friday, February 1, and take a Zapotec cooking class on Saturday, February 2 with Reyna Mendoza Ruiz. Includes one night lodging, breakfast, lunch, cooking class and recipes. $110 USD each.

Option 2: Saturday, February 9, guided visit to Yagul and Mitla archeological sites, noted flying shuttle weaver who only works with natural dyes, boutique Mezcal palenque in Matatlan. Excursion includes transportation, lunch, supper, admissions, and overnight lodging February 9. $125 per person.

Option 3: Sunday, February 10, all day excursion guided visit to Tlacolula Market, including apron and rebozo avenues! Includes transportation, lunch, supper and overnight lodging. $75 per person.

Option 4: Saturday and Sunday Nights in Oaxaca City. We will arrange your stay at a lovely Bed and Breakfast in the city where you can explore the shops and dine in great restaurants. We will provide you with a list of our favorites. $125 per night per person.

About Lodging and Accommodations. To keep this trip affordable and accessible, we stay in a local posada operated by three generations of women — grandmother, mother, daughter — all great cooks! The food is all housemade (including the tortillas), safe to eat and delicious. Vegetarian options are available.

Accommodations are clean and basic. Shared baths are across the courtyard. (Bring flip-flops and flashlight.) The base price of the trip includes shared room and bath; single supplement with private bath is available (add $300). Please indicate your preference.

Your registration fee does NOT include airfare, taxes, admissions to museums and archeological sites, gratuities, liquor/alcoholic beverages, some meals and some transportation.

Deposits, Reservations and Cancellations. A 50% deposit ($683) is required to guarantee your spot. The final payment for the balance due (including any supplemental costs) shall be paid by December 15, 2012. We prefer Payment with PayPal. We will be happy to send you an invoice.

To register or for questions, contact: normahawthorne@mac.com I am happy to set up a Skype call with you, too. Skype name: Oaxacaculture

7 Comments

Posted in Clothing Design, Cultural Commentary, Oaxaca Mexico art and culture, Textiles, Tapestries & Weaving, Workshops and Retreats

Tagged artist, blogsherpa, class, clothing, course, design, fabric, felt, fiber, Mexico, natural dyes, Oaxaca, residency, retreat, silk, wool, workshop

How to Felt Wool: For Beginners

Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2012 | 3 comments

Ten women gathered together at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca for a felting workshop with Jessica de Haas from Vancouver, Canada. All but one of us were raw beginners. I had knitted and then agitated my wool in a washing machine, but Jessica was quick to say this is NOT felting. Rather it is called fulling–which is the process of creating the wool structure first and then agitating it. Felting, on the other hand, is when you put wool fibers together to create structure.

The Felting Process

1. In a large 2-3 gallon basin, add room temp water and some liquid soap, about 1T. Put aside.
2. Cover a work table with bubble wrap, bubble side up, taping it securely to the underside of the table. Work on a concrete floor or outside. The floor will get very wet. Jessica covers her floors with old towels.
3. Put a bamboo mat on the table. We used a placemat. You can use a mat for rolling sushi.
4. Cut merino wool roving into 8-12″ lengths. We used wool that had been dyed the day before with indigo, pericone, cochineal, and then overdyed to get purple, moss green and brown. The wool was prepped by separating the fibers until it was fluffy. Note: merino wool is softer and also faster to felt.
5. Pull the wool fibers gently until you get a transparent piece about 4-8″ long.
6. Lay the fibers onto the bamboo mat In ONE DIRECTION each overlapping with the one before.
7. You can mix colors and do sections in different thicknesses. Patch areas that look thin.

8. For the second layer, lay down your wool pieces in the opposite direction. You will be creating a horizontal layer if your first layer was vertical or vice versa.
9. For the third layer, it will go in the same direction as the first layer.
10. 3 to 4 layers are preferred for strength and durability.
11. You can add wool, silk or cotton threads for texture.
12. The thinner your layers the stronger your fabric will be.
13. The cloth will expand when wet, and shrink up to 50% when dry.
14. Push the wool evenly into a square when completed, then cover with a clean piece of synthetic window screening.
15. Get a plastic bag and use it to dribble water –in thirds– over your screen covered mat.
16. Pat down each section with two hands u til wool completely absorbs the water. NO RUBBING. ONLY PATTING.

17. Use the plastic bag (vegetable bag) to rub the water into the wool cloth using a circular motion. Do this for about 5 minutes, keeping the cloth constantly wet with the sudsy water. The wool has to be completely saturated for the fibers to begin to break down. Remove the screen.
18. Fold the thin edges over so they are the same thickness as the rest of the square.
19. Roll up the mat with the wool square I side of it and then roll it back and forth in a rocking motion with two hands, using some force like you are rolling dough with a rolling pin. Count to 50.
20. Unroll the mat. Add water. Rotate the mat so you are rolling it up again from the other direction. Repeat Step 19.
21. Repeat Step 20. Do this process for about an hour until the felted wool fibers cannot be pulled from the fabric. From time to time, you can rotate the wool cloth inside the mat to make your cloth more even. Note: there will be wrinkles, but don’t worry. Just dribble more water on and these will even out.
22. Rinse your material in hot water. Squeeze out water. Hang to dry.