We are getting a new home!

Construction started this month on our new work area...it will be great! We will have a place to store our things out of the dust and rain, we will have good lighting to work by, and space to move around. You can see the BIG HOLE that is being built to support the structure. Actually, the new structure is being built by Grupo Cajola and includes this huge basement that will also serve for storage, our workspace, and a large conference room. We will be using the current conference room as part of our work area. Our current space will be converted into the preschool that the group is starting that will care for our preschool children and the children of our sister-business, the Egg Farm of Grupo Cajola. The plan is to complete the construction by the beginning of next year...we will see! We have the worst of the rainy season still to contend with. In the meantime, the hole is quite amazing.

Chatting with the Foot Loom Weavers

We weavers were chatting the other day about our group and how far we have come – and how far we still have to go – and how we really love weaving and we are so pleased to be able to begin to earn a living with our weaving. Nearly all of us learned to weave on the back strap loom when we were young, and we love working with the yarns and the beautiful colors. We had the opportunity to learn to weave on the foot loom after our group decided to start a business weaving. Little by little our work improved, and then we began to gain confidence in designing our own fabrics.

Recently, our challenge was to design a “happy fabric” to use to make cushions for the preschool that Grupo Cajola is starting. (Grupo Cajola is the organization that helped us first organize as a group and has been helping us start up our business.) We got together and thought about what colors are “happy” and picked pink as our warp (the length of the fabric). Then we decided to put broad stripes in red, yellow, and blue, so each cushion will have three broad stripes.

You can see the weaving in the photo; we hope you think it is “happy”!

Our Handbag Clutch with Backstrap Loomed Trim

We have added a new product to our Etsy store, a handsome (we think) handbag clutch in coal black or cobalt blue with embroidered trim.

We thought of this smallish clutch (around 6½” x 8½”) as a way to show off our traditional backstrap weaving with our traditional motifs. The top closes with a zipper – it took us awhile to learn how to set the zipper in nicely. And we fully lined them in our own jade cotton fabric. We have sewn a slip pocket inside that fits credit cards or business cards. (This was our first experience sewing a slip pocket, too!)

We are proud to present our handbag clutches!

Aprons and Sacred Corn

Our towels inspired us to make full aprons from the same striped fabric. On the bib of the apron we have embroidered an ear of corn. Corn is sacred for us Maya -- our creation story tells us that we are made of corn. And of course, corn is the basis of our diet, made into tortillas or tamales or delicious warm drinks called atol.

The growing of corn -- "the milpa" sets the rhythm of our living during the year. Most of us grow our own corn to eat, though sadly some are too poor to own land, and have to buy their corn with their scarce resources. We continue to follow the practice of our ancestors planting beans and squash in amongst our corn. Since corn and the earth are sacred, when we plant the corn we thank Mother Earth for letting us grow the corn.

Growing our corn even changes the appearance of our town. In January and February everything is dry and brown. After the corn has been planted in April or May (depending on the cycle of the moon) little by little the growing corn changes everything to green, until August or September when the cornstalks hide our houses except for the roofs peeking out.