The Truth About Guatemalan Crafts
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COLORES del PUEBLO
All fabric is hand-woven on a traditional treadle loom that was introduced by the Spainards during colonial times. It is a non-mechanized loom that uses no electricity. The weaver opens the warp by stepping on pedals and passes the weft from side to side with a wooden shuttle. The fabric is woven either in the homes of the weavers or in community workshops.
The fabrics woven on a treadle loom often employ ikat or jaspe designs. This is a common design element in Guatemalan textiles that involves the binding and dyeing of warp yarns (and/or the weft) prior to weaving.
Examples of ikat or jaspe designs (see corte fabrics for more examples) below
For excellent examples on back-strap and treadle loom weaving, please see
Fabric Care Instructions
Guatemalan fabric is 100% cotton and 35" to 36" wide.
- Prior to machine washing it is best to hand wash or soak fabric in a combination of water and a small amount of non-iodized salt to set the colors. Rinse well.
- After setting the colors the fabric may be machine washed in cold water using a mild soap.
- It is preferrable to line dry but may also be machine dryed. There may be shrinkage in the length if machine dryed.
