Who Made My Clothes? Digging Deeper Into Fashion and Consumption
Who Made My Clothes? is a program of the Fashion Revolution. I’ve been following them and its co-founder Carry Somers since she came to Oaxaca in February 2016 to take one of my natural dye and weaving textile excursions. I introduced her to some of the weavers who make my clothes and the rugs that […]
Khadi Oaxaca Clothing Now Comes in Yardage, Too
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. At the winter Museo Textil de Oaxaca expoventa (show and sale), Khadi Oaxaca presented an extensive selection of beautiful clothing […]
Nuno Felt Fashion Workshop 2015: Clothing Design with Pre-Hispanic Flair
Escape winter, roll up your sleeves, and make a nuno felted wool garment you will be proud to wear. For seven nights and eight days, from January 17 – 24, 2015, you will experience the textile culture of Oaxaca, make wearable fiber art from felt fabric, learn about natural dyes and the process to make them, […]
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 […]
Quechequemitl Pattern: Sew Your Own Pull-over Shoulder Cover
Say KECH-KEH-MEE. Here’s a textile museum definition of quechquemitl? Some people call it a shawl. It isn’t. Others say it’s a poncho. It isn’t. It’s not a scarf … exactly. It’s two pieces of rectangular cloth sewn together at a counterintuitive place for the likes of me, finished with a bound hem or some fancy […]
Zapotec Fashionistas Know — It’s All in the Apron
What does the stylish Zapotec woman wear? Why, an apron, of course! Aprons with ruffles, embroidery, scalloped detailing, lace, deep pockets and a secure button closure with waist tie are the ubiquitous fashion statement in the Tlacolula valley of Oaxaca. The center of apron fashionistas is the Sunday Tlacolula Market. There, an entire aisle is […]