Tag Archives: shop

Inside Out: Primer to Buying Mexico Handmade Clothing — Quality Tips

On Friday, I took a 40-minute trip with my friend Laurita to Magdalena Teitepac in the foothills on the other side of the Carretera Nacional Mexico 190 (aka Panamerican Highway) for the purposes of textile shopping, always my favorite past-time.

Magdalena Teitipac church next to the municipal building

The Zapotec village is beyond San Juan Guelavia, the basket-making village. A group of entrepreneurial Magdalena women who do needlework staged this First Annual Embroidery and Weaving Fair, promoted with a banner hanging from the highway overpass. Laurita spotted it coming home one day.

Can you tell if this beautiful embroidery is hand- or machine-stitched?

Spaces Open: Chiapas Textile Study Tour 

  • Study Tour 1 — February 13-22, 2018
  • Study Tour 2 — February 27-March 8, 2018

The visit got me thinking about quality variations in clothing that is sewn, embroidered, woven and crocheted here in Oaxaca and throughout Mexico.

Some of the women showing us their needlework blouses.

We are coming into Oaxaca’s peak tourist season when travelers come from all over the world, and many snowbirds plant their wings here from December through March.

Great cut-work and embroidery with unfinished seams

It is particularly challenging for first-time visitors who are blown away by the quantity of blouses, huipils, rebozos and other garments sold by street vendors, in small markets, and in tourist shops throughout the city.

Beaded blouses finished with French seams on 100% cotton, the best

How do you know what to buy and how much to pay for it?

Tip #1: Shop around. Look before buying. Look at lot. Go in and out of stores. Stop and look at the clothing the vendors have for sale. Ask prices. See what you like. Take your time.

Tip #2: Turn the garment inside out. Look at the seam edges of the cloth. Are they finished with a machined zigzag stitch or serger for reinforcement? Has the cloth edge been trimmed with a pinking shears? It is rough and will it unravel after a few washings? How strong are the stitches?

Softest, finest manta cloth, great embroidery, dense pleating

Tip #3: Check out the fabric. Is it populina?  This is what locals call the commercial cloth mix of cotton/polyester blend. Locals like this cloth because it dries much faster than pure cotton. It is also less expensive. Is it manta? This is 100% cotton cloth, more expensive, and preferred by many of us for softness, wearability and comfort.

Populina has a sheen. You can feel the polyester.

Tip #4: Check out the cloth again. If it’s manta, is it a fine, lighter weight weave or it is coarse and scratchy? Is it yellow color or white? What are your preferences?

#whomademyclothes .... is a Fashion Revolution movement dedicated to sourcing textiles direct from makers, awareness for buying disposable clothing made from cheap materials, assembled by underpaid workers.

Tip #5: If the clothing is embroidered, how fine is the embroidery? Is it by hand or machined? Are the stitches dense or loose? What about the crochet edge? Is it tied off or are there loose threads? Is it shiny, synthetic thread, dense/coarse polyester thread or good quality cotton?

Amazing pleated work from the Mixteca, with coarse embroidery yarn

Tip #6: Shop first in some of the better clothing galleries like Los Baules de Juana Cata or Arte de Amusgos to compare what you see on the street. See what the best looks like. Turn these inside out. Look at the finish work. Are the edges straight? What about the stitches that join two lengths of hand-woven cloth together? How is the neckline finished? What about the hem?

Want to buy direct from artisans? Take a study tour!

Tip #7: Price is usually based on quality, but not always. I recently bought a beautiful deshillado and embroidered blusa in San Antonino Castillo Velasco. I paid 2,500 pesos, quite a lot!  The embroidery is exquisite and the crochet edges are fine. The seams are not finished well and I may need to take it under the needle of my sewing machine to reinforce it. But, I knew that when I bought it.

Locals gather for the Magdalena Teitipac Feria

What are you willing to pay? What is it worth to you? Is there a whimsical design you like and you are willing to sacrifice some of the quality issues?

Tip #8: Don’t hesitate to walk away because you notice stains on the cloth, raveling threads or holes in the seams. Work is done quickly and quality can suffer.

I’ve seen excellent work done on very poor cloth.  I’ve seen embroidered, beaded and woven pieces made by one women that are attached to cloth that doesn’t match. Needlework and sewing can often be made by two different people. The sewing can be haphazard. The corners don’t match up and the joining work isn’t good. It is up to us to educate ourselves and to also say in a gracious, caring way, that we would like a better quality product.

We can support artisans and cooperatives who take the time to work on quality improvement.

Banner advertising the event

Tip #9: When is a bargain not a bargain? When the color bleeds. When the seams unravel. When the embroidery stitching loosens. When you get it home and ask, Why did I buy that?

Tip #10: Please know that because you are in Mexico, YOU ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BARGAIN. It is not a culture of bargaining, much to the surprise of many. The average daily wage is 150 pesos, or about $8 USD. We have a big advantage. The exchange rate is about 18-19 pesos to the U.S. dollar. It takes weeks, sometimes months, to create a handmade textile. Let’s pay people a fair wage for their labor and creativity. They will offer a discount because they need to feed their families, not because it is part of the “game.”

On the street, Magdalena Teitipac

Did I buy anything in Magdalena Teitipac? Yes, a lovely, beribboned apron for 100 pesos and some amazing artisan chocolate from Tlacolula, 20 pesos a bag.

Why didn’t I buy a blusa? Because indigenous women here in Oaxaca like their blouses tight across the chest and snug under the arms. Sizes are deceiving and it’s best to try something on first, otherwise you can get it home and find out it doesn’t fit. Nothing fit me!

Basket weavers outside the Magdalena Teitipac market

Cooperatives working with NGOs on product improvement are receiving education about quality control, making finished seams,and patterns to fit women from the U.S.A. and Canada.

If you have any tips you’d like to share, please add them.

Of course, the final caveat is always — if you love it, buy it. You’ll never see the same thing again!

 

 

Mexico Textile Marketplace: Women’s Clothing Sale

I’m Mexico bound next Thursday, November 16, 2017, and this is the last of my collection I will offer for sale now. Stay tuned for when I return in March 2018. These are all one-of-a-kind pieces I’ve collected over the years, most of them new. I buy to support the artisans I visit and send these lovelies on to you.

Scroll down. 4 SOLD. 3 Available.

How to Purchase? Send an email to me, Norma Schafer. Tell me the piece — by number — that you want to buy. Also include your mailing address. I will send you a link to make a PayPal payment that will include the cost of mailing via USPS. If you are in Canada, it will be sent international First Class. Thank you.

Please order by Monday, November 13. That will give me time to package and get to the post office before I leave!

1. San Antonino Castillo Velasco, Oaxaca Wedding Dress, Size L-XL

1. This is a full-length Oaxaca Wedding Dress, $260 USD. Even in Oaxaca, embroidery and crochet of this quality can sell for $400 USD or more. Examine the detail of the little dolls at the neckline that serve as bodice gathers. Look at the intricacy of the crochet work and embroidery. This is a very fine piece! Fabric is a cotton-poly blend. Size Large-XL.

1. Sleeve detail, Oaxaca wedding dress.

1. Bodice detail, Oaxaca wedding dress

2. This hand embroidered floral motif dress is from the remote village San Miguel Soyaltepec — an island in the Miguel Aleman Reservoir, State of Oaxaca. I bought this piece there and never wore it. $235 USD. The stitches are teeny-weeny, dense and beautiful. Size L-XL.

2. Exquisite embroidered dress, fine stitches, Size L-XL

3. SOLD. Birds, flowers and vines are beaded onto the bodice of this beautiful China Poblana blouse from the mountains of Puebla, about 6 hours from Mexico City. The neckline and sleeves have a drawstring to loosen or tighten. The background is entirely filled with translucent clear beads. $135 USD. Size L-XL.

3. Densely beaded China Poblana blouse from Cuetzalan, Puebla State

3. Sleeve detail, Puebla China Poblana blusa

3. Bodice detail, China Poblana blouse

4. SOLD. This 100% wool shawl measures 76″ long and 20″ wide, and is hand-woven on a pedal loom in Teotitlan del Valle by Juan Carlos, an very accomplished artisan. It is dyed with pericone/wild marigold with an indigo over-dye. $125 USD.

4. Green Shawl, hand-woven with natural dyes — indigo/wild marigold

Detail, green wool shawl.

5. The blusa with Pizzaz, this beautiful soft cotton textile woven on a back-strap loom is embellished with traditional designs and some silver floss from the Maya village of Oxchuc, near San Cristobal de las Casas. $125 USD. Super fine workmanship! Can be a blouse or tunic. Size L-XL

5. Oxchuc village, Chiapas blouse, back-strap loomed with embroidered bodice

5. Oxchuc blouse bodice detail

6. SOLD. Lavender blue blouse with rainbow neckline and sleeve embroidery. $65 USD. Textile is hand-loomed and hand-embroidered, very soft and sturdy. Size L-XL.

6. Daily wear in Chiapas is a hand-loomed blouse with neck and sleeve embroidery

6. Bodice detail, Chiapas blouse

7.  SOLD. This simple blouse has an attention-grabber neckline, with little embroidered details on the shoulder and down the front. Hand-embroidered on commercial cloth. $35 USD. Size L-XL.

7. Natural cotton with embroidered bodice blouse

7. Detail of simple cotton blouse

Take 50% Off the Handbags! Oaxaca Textile Marketplace

Can I make this more inviting? I’d like to sell these. Take 50% off the prices marked below. You can’t buy them in Oaxaca at this price!

How to Purchase? Send an email to me, Norma Schafer. Tell me the piece — by number — that you want to buy. Also include your mailing address. I will send you a link to make a PayPal payment that will include the cost of mailing via USPS Priority Mail. If you are in Canada, it will be sent international First Class.

Four tapestry bags by the Mendoza Family, #1A-#1D Left to right.

Item #1A: SOLD. Traditional Zapotec pouch shoulder bag with cord braided shoulder strap, made by the Mendoza family from Teotitlan del Valle. 100% wool. Tapestry weave. 10″ x 11-1/2″   Shoulder strap is 45″ long where it connects to the bag. $95 USD plus shipping.

#1A, shoulder bag detail

Item #1B: SOLD. Zapotec pouch cotton shoulder bag with flap, woven by the Mendoza Family. Flat weave strap is made on back-strap loom by Abigail Mendoza from Santo Tomas Jalieza. Fine weave. 8-1/4″x 10-1/2″  Shoulder strap is 41″ long from where it connects to the bag. $125 USD plus shipping.

#1B, shoulder bag detail

Item #1C: Zapotec pouch wool, cotton and silk shoulder bag with cord braided should strap, made by the Mendoza family. Fine weave. 7-1/4″ x 8″  Shoulder strap is 53″ long from where it connects to the bag. $125 USD plus shipping.

#1C, shoulder bag detail

Item #1D: Zapotec pouch shoulder bag with cord braided shoulder strap, made by the Mendoza family. 100% wool. Tapestry weave. 7″ x 8″  Shoulder strap is 53″ long from where it connects to the bag. $95 USD plus shipping.

#1D, shoulder bag detail

#2A-#2E, Five shoulder bags, eclectic mix from Oaxaca and Chiapas

#2A: SOLD. Large shoulder bag/tote, all natural dyes, indigo and wild marigold, fully lined with inside pocket and strong zipper closure. Big enough to hold iPad. 11″ x 13-1/2″  with 44″ shoulder strap to where it connects to the bag. Shoulder strap is 1-3/4″ wide and is hand-loomed, too. Hand-stitching details on bag made by Bii Dauu Cooperative. $85 USD.

#2A, shoulder bag detail

#2B: Nice Zapotec diamond design shoulder bag in earthy tones of rust, olive and brown, with traditional braided shoulder strap. 9″ x 9-1/2″  Shoulder strap is 41″ long from where it connects to the bag. Fully lined with zipper closure. Made in Teotitlan del Valle. $35 USD plus shipping.

#2B, shoulder bag detail

#2C: SOLD. Very finely woven tapestry shoulder bag by Bii Dauu Cooperative, with high quality adjustable fine grain cowhide black leather strap, brass grommets, and black leather trim . 8″ x 9″  Shoulder strap adjusts to fit 45″ to 56″ long. $115 USD plus shipping.

#2C, shoulder bag detail

#2D:  SOLD. Tapestry and leather shoulder bag, 9-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ that is fully lined with zipper closure, 44″ long brown leather shoulder strap secured to bag with brass ring, grommets, and with leather trim. $75 USD plus shipping.

#2D, shoulder bag detail

#2E: SOLD. Whimsical hand embroidered on natural gray sheep wool pocket bag with tie down flap from Chamula, Chiapas. 7″ x 8″ with a 53″ long shoulder strap. $18 plus shipping.

#2E, bag detail

Oaxaca Textile Marketplace: Nine Handbags, Shoulder Bags For Sale

Round Two: Oaxaca Textile Marketplace — Handbags and Shoulder Bags

As I prepare to return to Mexico on November 16, I continue to sweep through trunks, storage boxes, closet and drawers to offer for sale pieces I have collected, never worn or used. Perhaps there is a treasure here that would be a perfect addition to your wardrobe or to gift to someone special in the coming holiday months.

How to Purchase? Send an email to me, Norma Schafer. Tell me the piece — by number — that you want to buy. Also include your mailing address. I will send you a link to make a PayPal payment that will include the cost of mailing via USPS Priority Mail. If you are in Canada, it will be sent international First Class.

Four tapestry bags by the Mendoza Family, #1A-#1D Left to right.

Item #1A: Traditional Zapotec pouch shoulder bag with cord braided shoulder strap, made by the Mendoza family from Teotitlan del Valle. 100% wool. Tapestry weave. 10″ x 11-1/2″   Shoulder strap is 45″ long where it connects to the bag. $95 USD plus shipping.

#1A, shoulder bag detail

Item #1B: Zapotec pouch cotton shoulder bag with flap, woven by the Mendoza Family. Flat weave strap is made on back-strap loom by Abigail Mendoza from Santo Tomas Jalieza. Fine weave. 8-1/4″x 10-1/2″  Shoulder strap is 41″ long from where it connects to the bag. $125 USD plus shipping.

#1B, shoulder bag detail

Item #1C: Zapotec pouch wool, cotton and silk shoulder bag with cord braided should strap, made by the Mendoza family. Fine weave. 7-1/4″ x 8″  Shoulder strap is 53″ long from where it connects to the bag. $125 USD plus shipping.

#1C, shoulder bag detail

Item #1D: Zapotec pouch shoulder bag with cord braided shoulder strap, made by the Mendoza family. 100% wool. Tapestry weave. 7″ x 8″  Shoulder strap is 53″ long from where it connects to the bag. $95 USD plus shipping.

#1D, shoulder bag detail

#2A-#2E, Five shoulder bags, eclectic mix from Oaxaca and Chiapas

#2A: Large shoulder bag/tote, all natural dyes, indigo and wild marigold, fully lined with inside pocket and strong zipper closure. Big enough to hold iPad. 11″ x 13-1/2″  with 44″ shoulder strap to where it connects to the bag. Shoulder strap is 1-3/4″ wide and is hand-loomed, too. Hand-stitching details on bag made by Bii Dauu Cooperative. $85 USD.

#2A, shoulder bag detail

#2B: Nice Zapotec diamond design shoulder bag in earthy tones of rust, olive and brown, with traditional braided shoulder strap. 9″ x 9-1/2″  Shoulder strap is 41″ long from where it connects to the bag. Fully lined with zipper closure. Made in Teotitlan del Valle. $35 USD plus shipping.

#2B, shoulder bag detail

#2C: Very finely woven tapestry shoulder bag by Bii Dauu Cooperative, with high quality adjustable fine grain cowhide black leather strap, brass grommets, and black leather trim . 8″ x 9″  Shoulder strap adjusts to fit 45″ to 56″ long. $115 USD plus shipping.

#2C, shoulder bag detail

#2D:  Tapestry and leather shoulder bag, 9-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ that is fully lined with zipper closure, 44″ long brown leather shoulder strap secured to bag with brass ring, grommets, and with leather trim. $75 USD plus shipping.

#2D, shoulder bag detail

#2E: Whimsical hand embroidered on natural gray sheep wool pocket bag with tie down flap from Chamula, Chiapas. 7″ x 8″ with a 53″ long shoulder strap. $18 plus shipping.

#2E, bag detail

Let’s Go Shopping: Eleven Mexican Shawls, Scarves, Rebozos for Sale

Rebozos are part of Mexican female identity and culture. Frida wore them. So did the women of the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1920. Aristocrats from Spain loved their shoulder coverings as they strolled the Alameda. Indigenous women still rely on them to swaddle and carry infants. Women in El Norte (USA and Canada) find them comforting on a chilly fall evening or to adorn a favorite outfit.

These rebozos I am offering for sale today are part of my collection. They are new and never worn. Most are from Tenancingo de Degollado, Estado de Mexico, where the men weave ikat cotton and women hand-knot elaborate fringes. I have one piece from Zinacantan, Chiapas, two from Santa Maria del Rio, San Luis Potosi, and one from Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca.

How to Buy: Send me an email and identify which one you want by NUMBER, plus your mailing address. I will then send you a PayPal invoice that will include mailing costs.  I will mail on the next business day.

Style 1: Zinacantan Chal, machine embroidered on back strap loomed cloth, 45″ x 20-1/2″, with handmade tassels.  Zinacantan is a village outside of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas. Floral motifs are predominant here. $120 USD plus shipping.

P.S. I have two spaces open for the February textile study tour to Chiapas. Email me if you are interested and I’ll send you the program description.

Style 1: Zinacantan Chal, $120

Style 1. Zinacantan Chal detail.

Style 2: SOLD. Large Navy Blue Ikat Rebozo, $175, hand-woven in Tenancingo on a flying shuttle loom with hand-knotted fringe. This large shawl measures 92″ long (including an 11″ hand-knotted fringe) and 29″ wide.

Style 2: Navy Blue Rebozo, $175

Style 2: Navy Blue Ikat Rebozo, detail

Style 3: SOLD. Multi-Rebozo with Blue, Red and Yellow, $175. This is what is known as Grande, 92″ long (including 11″ fringe) and 29″ wide. It is a very fine ikat cotton. Hand-woven in Tenancingo with a hand-knotted fringe.

Style 3, Red, Blue, Yellow Rebozo, extra large, $175

Style 3: Blue, Red, Yellow Rebozo

Style 4: SOLD. This striking contrast of rose and black together with a hand-knotted fringe that says Remember Me gives this very fine quality rebozo a subtle, yet powerfully contrasting design. $125. Size Medium. 88″ long (including a 12″ fringe) and 27″ wide.

Style 4: Rose and Black rebozo, Medium Size, $125 — Recuerdame

Style 4: Recuerdame detail

Style 5: SOLD. Chakira Chalina, $150. Rare, pale blue/gray shawl in plain weave, with intricate fringe that is knotted with beadwork.  Each bead in the fringe is part of the hand-knotting process.  A dying art form! Size medium, measures 82″ long (incuding 11″ fringe) and 29″ wide. Made in Tenancingo de Degollado, Estado de Mexico.

Style 5: Chakira Chalina, $150

Style 5: Chakira Chalina, fringe detail

Style 6: Black and Red Ikat Scarf. $95. This is loomed in Santa Maria del Rio, San Luis Potosi, and woven of rayon, which the locals call seda or silk, because it has a smooth, shiny, silky finish. The scarf measures 90″ long (including an 8″ fringe) and 13-3/4″ wide.

Style 6, Red/Black Ikat Scarf, $95

Style 6: Red/Black Ikat Scarf, detail

Style 7: SOLD. Small Black/Brown Ikat Scarf, $35. Measures 50″ long (including 5″ fringe) by 18-3/4″ wide. A nice addition to keep your neck warm as the weather chills.

Style 7: Black/Brown Ikat Scarf, $35

Style 7: Black/Brown Ikat Scarf, detail

Style 8: SOLD. Indigo-dyed Scarf, $115, by Juan Carlos from Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca. Juan Carlos is my neighbor and his work is exceptionally fine. This is a deep, rich blue, all natural with hand-spun wool. 72″ long (including 4″ fringe) by 14″ wide. The fringe is hand-knotted by his wife.

Style 8: Indigo dyed wool scarf, $115

Style 8: Indigo Scarf, detail

Style 9: SOLD. Super Grande Rebozo, $150. This is made in Santa Maria del Rio, San Luis Potosi, handwoven rayon that the locals call seda (or silk) because of its smooth, silky hand. Color is predominantly dark blue and lime green. Measures 114″ long (with huge 20″ hand-knotted fringe) by 30″ wide. A stunner.

Style 9: Super Grande Shawl, $150

Style 9: Fringe detail

Style 10: SOLD. This Rose Chalina shawl, $125,  is made from the highest quality cotton and has a very fine hand. The fabric is soft and glows. The intricate fringe is all hand-knotted. It’s called a Chalina because it is a plain weave with no pattern. It measures 90″ long (including a 12″ fringe) by 28″ wide. Made in Tenancingo.

Style 10: Rose Chalina, Super Fine and Large, $125

Style 10: Rose Chalina detail

Style 11: SOLD. Black with Coral Accents Ikat Rebozo, $110, size medium, measures 78″ long (including 9″ fringe) by 28″ wide. A graphic masterpiece. Made in Tenanciingo de Degollado, Estado de Mexico on a flying shuttle loom.

Style 11: Black Ikat with Coral Accents, $110

Style 11: Black Ikat Shawl detail