Some aspects of personal ornament...

         A photo I took during a traditional festival in Pátzcuaro, Michoacan

   ITEM #1.  These beautiful belts/ribbons gleam and shine as they are made out of a silky material called artisela (rayon).  They are hand woven in Pátzcuaro on small looms made for narrow objects.  The belts are 2 1/4 inches wide and 47 to 50 inches long including the fringes.  They would be wonderful wrapped around a dress or skirt, or could be slung around the neck.  There is a variety of uses which one could invent.  I only have the five illustrated here right now - multicolour, black & white, maroon & white, bright orange and turquoise.  $15.US/each belt.   (two are remaining, the orange one, and the thin burgundy stripes)
wide fringed belt Cuetzalan   Mexico3 #2.   This wide belt or narrow shawl from Cuetzalan, Puebla is totally made by hand.  The unbleached cotton is woven on a backstrap loom, the fringes sorted and tied and tassels decorating each end.  The piece is 6 1/2 inches wide and 84 inches long.  It has a nice tight weave and is one of the few pieces that I saw that was 100% cotton.   $98.US.

wide fringed belt Cuetzalan   Mexico3 #4.   This wide belt was made by the same woman in Cuetzalan, Puebla as the one above.  The 100% cotton - bleached to a clean white colour has been hand woven on a backstrap loom.  It was knotted and tassels were made just like in the one above.  This is 6 1/4 inches wide and 90 inches long.  It was bought at the market during the annual feria del huipil in Cuetzalan, Puebla.   $98.US. 
woven shawl Cuetzalan   Mexico3 #5.   I bought three shawls in Cuetzalan, Puebla during the annual feria del huipil.  It was an excellent experience and I was interested in buying from the hard working, fabric producing women there.  These shawls are a new idea, and faster to weave on hand looms than the traditional ones.  This shawl is very light in weight, 15 inches wide and 71 inches long.    $28.US.
woven shawl Cuetzalan   Mexico3 #6.   This shawl is a narrower version of the style above.  It is 13 inches wide and 74 inches long (including fringes).   $28.US.

   ITEM #2.   I was amazed to find these two pieces of fabric  (items #2 and #3) (embroidered in order to become traditional aprons worn over long skirts particular to this specific area of the Purepecha) for sale in the market in Pátzcuaro.  The labour in making them is almost endless, cross-stitch after cross-stitch - and they are rarely put up for sale.  One often sees women who are selling vegetables or goods in the market, using spare moments to stitch their aprons.  Since they are done on different occasions you will find that some stitches are backwards from others, and not everything lines up perfectly - please do not look for perfection, but for the value of a woman's hard work instead.   The first one here is stitched with white cotton on one of the favourite types of materials in use now - a small checker design which helps the sewer to keep track of keeping the small squares in line.  The fabric seems to be a cotton/polyester blend.  Women will design their own patterns or use designs which they have bought or borrowed.  Sometimes simple ones are stitched, but these two are quite thoroughly coloured and complex.  A fancy edge is often scalloped around the apron.  The sides of this one have simply been turned over and stitched closed by hand.  They would be easy to undo so that you would have a slightly larger piece of material to work with.  The patterned area is 35 inches wide and 22 1/2 inches tall.  The fabric is 36 by 31 inches plus borders.  You can see aprons being used in the photo at the top of the page - with fully traditional clothing during a dance in honour of a Saint.  They are also worn on a daily basis though, over long skirts with simpler blouses.   $165.US.
   ITEM #3.  This is the second piece of embroidered apron fabric from Pátzcuaro.  It is a nice, deep chrome yellow cotton thread stitched into another small checker cotton/polyester fabric.  It is quite lush with flowers.  This is a curious piece with many odd parts here and there - petals that have remained unfilled in, a cross stitch done in different directions, or unfinished, etc.  The woman doing these don't seem to mind, and I don't mind either as I find the texture and the particular-ness of the pieces to be quite wonderful.  This pattern covers the entire width of the fabric at 38 inches.  The pattern extends almost 18 inches tall on a fabric which is 27 1/2 inches tall.  The edges have been folded and machine stitched, with a ribbon running along one side.  You can unstitch these to give yourself a little more fabric around the edges.  I am a great admirer of the constant work that was done to create this.   $185.US.
2 women
There is a unique style of traditional clothing in Chenalhó, Chiapas and this lovely woman and her neice posed for me so that I could see how the huipils and skirts work together.  The huipils were originally striped in red, but more yarns are available and very popular colour now is purple.  They have beautifully embroidered scarves too which you will see in the photos below.  The skirts are generally indigo dyed with all hand stitching and some kind of decorative embroidery.  The difficult part is learning how to pleat the skirt around ones waist and bind it in place with the belt.  If you have interest in the textiles/clothing of the part of Chiapas around San Luis Potósi, do order the book:  "A Textile Guide to the Highlands of Chiapas".  It is written in both Spanish and English.
There is clothing from Chenalhó (all vintage) and scarves/shawls (all newly made) from nearby towns listed below.
Chenalhó shawl  
Textile10.   Here is a beautifully embroidered shawl from Chenalhó, Chiapas.  This is a vintage piece - I was very taken with the precision of the embroidery work in wool, and the softness and drape of the cotton of the fabric - acquired after many washings.  The main embroidery is a true red (the photo makes it look on the orange side) and the many colours added in are clear and bright.  The work reminds me at times, of work on Spanish men's clothes hundreds of years ago, or that on matador and charro clothing. The piece is 58 inches long and 29 inches across - here is another view.  There is embroidery on three sides while the bottom side is plain.   $265.US.   (sold)
Chenalhó shawl   Textile11.   This is a beautifully embroidered vintage shawl from Chenalhó, Chiapas.  The vintage pieces are soft cotton (some of the new ones are blends) in a very slightly off white colour.  The wool embroidery is all very precise with wonderful contrast work - zigzags, spots and stripes.  The main work is a rich dark gleaming colour of deep red wine.  This is 51 inches long and 28 inches across - here is another view.  There is embroidery around three sides while one side is plain.  $265.US.   (sold)
Chiapas shawl   Textile12.   This is a traditional embroidered shawl from Zinacantán and is called a mochibal tradicional.  There is quite a lot of embroidery on these shawls which is a lot of work.  Most embroidery is now done on sewing machines but this, being a vintage piece is totally stitched by hand.  There is not a single bit of machine work on this.  The shawls are cut in rectangles and then draped over the shoulders.  This measures 52 inches by 26 inches.  It closes with multicoloured ties with 9 1/2 inch long tassels.  (the tassels might need a little straightening out)   $150.US.   (sold)
Chiapas shawl feathers   Textile13.   This gorgeous brand new shawl is from
Zinacantán and decorated with white feathers - a capa con plumas...  It would look gorgeous over an evening gown, or that simple black dress or with a pair of jeans...  The shawl is woven with black and white threads.  I am not certain of the yarn but it feels like wool.  This has nice multi-colour selvedges and colourful cords to close it - with tassels.  The piece is 56 inches across and 25 inches across.  $225.US.   (sold)
Chenalhó huipil   Textile14.   This is a vintage huipil or blusa from Chenalhó, Chiapas - a very typical style and in the original tradition of weaving in largely stripes of red.   The huipil is all worked by hand - no machine work.  The embroidery is very precise and the same on both sides - I can't tell which is the front and which is the back.  This is largely a piece for display as the head hole is quite small - it measures 4 1/2 inches by 5 1/4 inches - when I stretch it, it is 19 inches around.  The top is 28 inches across and 21 inches high.  You can't see the texture of the black embroidery in the photo but it reminds me of the back of a sheep...   $135.US.
Chenalhó huipil   Textile15.   This is a vintage huipil or blusa from Chenalhó, Chiapas.  The colouring changed from traditional when newer multi-colour yarn became available.  There are a few yarn stores in the tiny town of Chenalhó and they have a huge variety for sale.  The red on this huipil is a rich true red that I didn't manage to duplicate in the photos.  The diamond pattern in black looks really gread, with the multi-colour spots brightening it up.  There is quite a lot of work on this piece - on the blue/turquoise, purple and white stripes.  The head opening is 5 inches by 6 1/4 inches.  When I stretch it, it is 22 inches around and I can easily slip it over my head.  The top is 29 inches across and 18 1/2 inches tall plus fringes.  This piece does have a little bit of damage - on one side are two spots measuring about 1/4 inch by 1/8 inch where the fabric has been worn thin.  On display, only one side needs to be shown.  The work is so beautiful on this that I couldn't refuse it.   $145.US.

Chenalho Chiapas skirt   Textile20.   This vintage skirt is one of the few pieces that I have from Chiapas where a sewing machine was used.  This deep indigo coloured skirt has thin white lines in a few places.  It was stitched shut and ribbons and ribbons (1/4 inch wide each) were sewn around.  The skirt is a big circle that you fold to fit around your waist, then hold tight with a belt as you can see on the photo above.  This skirt is 31 inches long and goes 71 inches around.  $120.US.   (sold)
Chenalho Chiapas belt   Textile24.   If you check the photo of the two women in Chenalhó above you will see how the wide firm belt is used to hold up the skirt.  I still haven't gotten the technique quite figured out, but you pleat the fabric of the skirt while holding it around you, then wrap it with the belt nice and tight to hold it in place.  Then whatever you do during the day it continues to sit well.  Vintage belt #1 on the left is quite sturdy as is necessary.  the wide part of the rebozo is 4 inches across and the length is 51 inches.  From that part the cords are 53 inches long at each end finishing with tassels.  Wearing it feels really great - it tucks in my tummy very nicely.  The colour is a very deep purple - almost black.  $55.US.   Vintage belt #2 is a rich purple colour with shiny stripes woven in.  It is slightly under 5 inches wide and the that section is 53 inches long.  The cords extend 62 inches at each end including the tassels.  $75.US.
Chiapas hair ties   Textile25.   These are rather wonderful ties/ribbons for the hair which are often used wound into a woman's long braids in Chiapas.  I bought these in the market in San Cristóbal de las Casas from the Chamula woman who made them.  Here is a pair being worn.  There are two pairs for sale here.  In hair ties #1 the 26 inch long set for each braid is slightly different than the other.  One braid has 3 "ribbons" of magenta, aqua and orange.  The other braid has 3 "ribbons" of magenta, green and pink.  They look great combined especially with the little pom-poms in a variety of colours. $55/pair.   Hair ties #2 is simpler.  Each braid gets one "ribbon" which is 49 inches long.  It would be folded in half before being braided into the hair.  They are both turquoise and have some nice pom-poms over each fringe.  $45.US/pair.    (#1 is sold)

I have a group of 100% cotton scarves here (they are a substantial weight of fabric and can also be used as table coverings or accents in the home), all hand-loomed on backstrap looms in the State of Chiapas, and all in unusual and interesting colour combinations.  The colours have been responses to interest from European countries such as France (there have been a number of exhibitions and sales there) and Italy - a modernization of a traditional craft.  Now there are organizations of weaving communities that sell their work at prices that respect the labour and art of the work.  The ones below were all bought from the cooperatives in Yochib and Oxchuc at fair prices.
I have a very difficult time getting colours absolutely correct in the photos and all of the pieces are more attractive in real life.
shawl Chiapas   Textile26.   This piece is 78 inches long plus fringes.  It is slightly over 19 inches wide.  The colours in the photos are reasonably close but the darkest colour is actually dark purple - a 6 1/2 inch wide stripe with a bright turquoise stripe going down the middle.  In the photo where you can see the full scarf it looks black instead.  $115.US.   (sold) 
shawl Chiapas   Textile28.   This piece combines an olive green with burgundy and a robust colour similar to red wine.  There is a nice slice of pale grey lined on one side by bright red.  What a great combo!  This is 78 inches long plus fringes and 13 1/2 inches wide.   $90.US.
shawl Chiapas   Textile29.   The colours in the full length photo are pretty accurate, everything is just slightly darker though - a more muted  aqua (bluish/green) at the sides and rich dark blue stripes along side deep wine and pink.  The piece is 72 inches long plus fringes and 15 inches wide.   $90.US.
shawl Chiapas   Textile30.   The colourful stripes sit in a wonderful way with the bright lime green background.  The colours in the full image photo are quite accurate, as long as your computer colour settings are carefully set.  This is a very energetic piece.  The piece is 72 inches long plus fringes and 14 1/2 inches wide.   $85.US.
Chiapas shawl   Textile31.   The full size photo of the entire piece is reasonably close in colour.  The red is a more bluish red though - I couldn't get it right without altering the other colours.  The piece is 78 inches long plus fringes and 14 inches wide.   $85.US.
Chiapas shawl   Textile32.   This is the smallest wrap and the colours to the left are quite accurate - an energetic mix of pink and red.  It would look great in the winter keeping a neck warm and providing a warm colour as well.  This is 68 inches long plus fringes and 8 inches wide.   $70.US.
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huipil Mexico   Textile36.   Huipil  $65.US.
huipil Mexico   Textile37.   This huipil is from Chiapas - from a town close to San Cristóbal de Las Casas.   -   $95.US.
organic cotton scarf   Textile38.   Organic cotton (feels like linen) hand spun, hand woven, naturally dyed scarf from Oaxaca.  11 1/2 inches by 80 inches.   $65.US.
organic cotton scarf   Textile39.  
Organic cotton (feels like linen) hand spun, hand woven, naturally dyed scarf from Oaxaca.  11 1/2 inches by 80 inches.   $65.US.
Mexico blouse   Textile40.   I bought this blouse/huipil in the Port of Veracruz or Veracruz Llave.  It is a combination of unbleached fabric with white crochet work and embroidered contrast in red.  The blouse is assembled with machine stitching but the hem and overstitching on the seams is done by hand.  There is much more hand work than there is machine work.   This is made for someone slim - it fits me with a  34/35 inch bust but not anyone larger.  When laid out the blouse is 26 inches long and 21 inches across the shoulders.  It is very well made.   $75.US.
Mexico embroidered skirt   Textile41.   I bought this vintage Huichol skirt in a small temporary stall in Mexico City where a woman was selling some of her own items to raise money.   I was happy to buy this at her asking price as I found it a great bargain for all of the work involved.  Everything about this skirt was done by hand - it was a tremendous amount of work, and it must have attended many special events perhaps in towns in the Sierra Madre Occidental range of mountains (Nayarit, Jalisco, Zacatecas, Durango).  The skirt has a little damage to it:   An angled cut that is 1 inch by 1 1/2 inches, and a small hole as shown in these pics.  A professional could do a better repair.  There are a few spots here and there of a bit of grey colour - I haven't tried to clean them.  The damage on this skirt is not really noticeable when it is worn though, and with the fantastic cross-stitch work - well wow to the skirt no matter what!   The waist is 30 inches around and the skirt is 32 inches long and 3 yards (similar to 3 metres) around.  It was pointed out to me that the designs within the deer are peyote buttons.  Pure tradition and great for dancing!   An exceptional price for a museum piece - $285.US.
Chiapas blouse huipil   Textile42.   This traditional cotton huipil is from Oxchuc, Chiapas - part of the area of the
Mayas de Tierras Altas.  The wide red stripes are darker and deeper in colour than in my photos - I have a terrible time with digital camera reds.  This is generally worn quite large draping over the body.  The huipil would be considered a small size at 23 inches across (46 inches around) and 23 inches in length.  All the work is done by hand - no machine work.   $65.US.   (sold)
Chiapas huipil Zapatista   Textile43.   This is a Zapatista white cotton embroidered huipil from San Cristóbal de Las Casas.  When laid flat it is 23 inches across and 22 inches tall.  The embroiderd words say "Dice Durito:  que la rebeldia va más alla..."  Don Durito says:  the rebellion continues...  Don Durito is a warrior beetle character created by Subcomandante Marcos of the Zapatistas in Chiapas.   Quite an interesting political piece.   $85.US.
Chiapas textile   Textile44.   I bought a variety of shawls (bufandas) from a Mixteca (Mizteca) co-op in Pinotepa de Don Luis in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.  They weave in the same manner that was used in preHispanic time and use natural dyes that they create themselves.   Each piece is an individual creation.  There are two illustrated here.  Bufanda #1 on the left is woven in white cotton with decorative elements done during the weaving (blanco a blanco) itself so has a wonderful texture to it.  It is fairly firm in construction.  The piece is 41.5 inches long and 12.5 inches wide.  It is not absolute white but has the slightest tinge of natural to it.  $145.US.    Bufanda #2 on the right is woven from natural cotton which is a slightly off white colour and is decorated with cotton yarn dyed with caracol to create a lilac colour.  The piece is 76 inches long plus 4 inch long fringes at each end.  It is 12 inches wide.  It is soft and easy to snuggle within.  It is beautiful as well.  These pieces are expressing a long Mizteca history.  $165.US.
Oaxaca textile   Textile45.  
I bought a variety of shawls (bufandas) from a Mixteca (Mizteca) co-op in Pinotepa de Don Luis in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.  They weave in the same manner that was used in preHispanic time and use natural dyes that they create themselves.   Each piece is an individual creation.  This lovely bufanda has been hand woven with cotton naturally dyed with indigo and with caracol.  The pink is slightly brighter than the photo shows - it is a very difficult combination to show in the correct colours.  The shawl is 65 inches long and 10 inches wide.  It was woven with the selvage in caracol and then the other decorations were applied afterwards.  This is a soft piece so wraps nicely.  $150.US.
Oaxaca textile   Textile46.   I bought a variety of shawls (bufandas) from a Mixteca (Mizteca) co-op in Pinotepa de Don Luis in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.  They weave in the same manner that was used in preHispanic time and use natural dyes that they create themselves.   Each piece is an individual creation.  This is called a bufanda coyuchi and is decorated with naturally coloured fibres.  The coyuchi is a plant which is similar to cotton, but is stiffer and the colour of coffee.  It grows in few areas, generally in the area of Cotzocón and is used in small communities who focus on natural fibres.  There is a movement to plant more coyuchi and expand its use to keep it from being lost.  This is a firm fabric that will soften over time.  It is 80 inches long with 2 inch fringes at each end and is 10.5 inches wide.   There is quite a lot of handwork on this piece.  $185.US.
Oaxaca textile   Textile47.   I bought a variety of shawls (bufandas) from a Mixteca (Mizteca) co-op in Pinotepa de Don Luis in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.  They weave in the same manner that was used in preHispanic time and use natural dyes that they create themselves.   Each piece is an individual creation.   This is a larger piece that was described as a rebozo as it is 96 inches long plus 4 inch long fringes at each end.  The rebozo is 20 inches wide.  The stripes are dark indigo blue (created with indigo dye) and the stripes that look white are very very pale blue.  This is very firmy woven so a fairly heavy piece.  I fell in love with all of the shawls that I bought from Oaxaca.  $210.US.   (sold)
Oaxaca shawl   Textile48.   Here is a shawl or table piece from Oaxaca.  The fabric is machine woven.  If you go to the market (esp. in the towns like Cholula where much weaving & embroidery is done) you will fine people with bolts of unbleached (& sometimes bleached) cotton.  They are always busy selling meters of it.  Lots of embroidery cottons are sold as well in every colour that you can imagine.  The pieces from Pinotepa de Don Luis near the Oaxacan coastline still use hand weaving by the artist creating the piece, but in the more central areas where more is sold to tourists, it is more economical to buy fabric.  The shawl is 78 inches long with 5 inch long fringes at each end.  It is 25 inches wide.  There are 6 birds nicely embroidered onto it.  $45.US.
textile Michoacan   Textile49.   This beautiful vintage cotton (about 40-50 years old) piece is from the State of Michoacan and has cross stitch embroidery decorating it.  Having done cross stitch myself I know how labour intensive that is so this is impressive work.  The colours glare a little in the photo but are much nicer in real life.  Strong colours though.  The shawl is 67 inches long with 18 inch long fringes at each end.   The piece is in excellent condition with only two flaws that I could find, and they are not obvious but need real searching to notice.  The more serious flaw is where the cotton was torn and repaired.  It is in a bottom corner though and quite hidden.  There is also a short grey thread in the shawl (about 1/2 inch long) which could be pulled out if someone was very very careful.  It hasn't bothered anyone for all of these years though.  This is a very memorable and beautiful piece.  $250.US.
Oaxaca huipil   Textile50.   I bought this huipil in the city of Oaxaca.  It is made of a commercial manufactured cotton but all of the stitching on it was done by hand in the traditional way.  I couldn't get the digital camera to show the true reds - for instance the line of stitching going up and down in the preview picture on the left is actually red, not pink as it shows there.  The embroidery shows traditional animals and birds in compact little stitches.  The piece is 24 inches wide and 25 inches tall.  $55.US.

HERE ARE SOME TEXTILES FROM MY OWN COLLECTION, ALL BOUGHT IN THE LATE 1980s to 1990 or so...

artisela rebozo   Textile51.   I bought this rebozo around 1990 in the State of Guerrero.  I imagine it was most likely spun and knotted in Michoacan.  The rebozo is woven of artisela, a rayon type material.  The colours are most accurate in this photo.  The silky rebozo is 27 inches wide and 62 inches long.  The fringes are 10 inches long at each end making the total 82 inches long.  These kinds of rebozos are often used in the evenings as something elegant and light over the shoulders.   $125.US.
artisela purple rebozo   Textile52.   $75.US.
Oaxaca blouse   Textile53.   This beautiful vintage blouse (bought in the 80s) was made in V. Carranza in the lowlands of Chiapas.  According to a textiles expert who I checked with, she suggests that the white of the blouse is a mercerized cotton brocaded with the supplemental thread of artisela creating the patterns.  Three short rows of the decorative thread is done in a gold tone.  The decorative shoulders are a bright magenta.  The blouse is for someone slim - with a 35 inch bust or so.  As a rectangle it measures 19.5 inches across and 18 inches tall.  Here is an image of a section of the blouse life size.  And another image of the inside so you can see the thread work.  This is a rare piece - I haven't seen them for years...     $235.US.
Mexico embroidered top   Textile54.   I bought this blouse/huipil in the State of Guerrero around 1990.  It is from Acatlan and worn like this.  The piece is hand embroidered onto commercial white satin.  The pattern is almost the same on both sides as the front has the addition of the Mexican symbol - the eagle with the snake in its beak.  That is not on the back.  The blouse is 36 inches wide and 29 inches tall.  The seams and hem are machine stitched.  Here is a close up view.   $95.US.
Chiapas shawl   Textile55.  
This is a traditional embroidered shawl from Zinacantán and is called a mochibal tradicional.  There is quite a lot of embroidery on these shawls which is a huge amount of work but this was made for wear by the textile artist and not for tourist sales.  Most embroidery today is done sewing machines but this, being a vintage piece (bought around 1990, already vintage) is totally stitched by hand.  There is not a single bit of machine work on this.  The shawls are cut in rectangles and then draped over the shoulders to form a V shape.  You can check the pieces above (textiles 10-13).  This is a smaller shawl with the rectangle measuring 42 inches by 22 inches - so for a small and delicate woman.  The cords are 20 inches long including the tassles.  This is really beautifully done - here is a close up.    $250.US.   (sold)
Oaxaca wool jacket   Textile56.   This jacket (pull over the head) is hand woven of black wool, and cross stitch embroidered in dark coloured wool yarn.  I bought this in the late 80s in Mexico City and never wore it as I am allergic to wool.  I just thought it was beautiful.  It is in perfect condition but for three small moth holes.  They could be repaired, are not noticeable and are close to the hemline on one side.  The piece is made of 3 woven rectangles so that there is no waste other than cutting out the head hole.  The jacket is 21.5 inches from shoulder to hem and 22.5 inches wide.  The sleeves are 17 inches long and 8 inches across.  Measuring from the end of one sleeve to the end of the other sleeve it is 55 inches across.  I pinned up a sleeve so that you can see how they are attached in the photo that you see when you click on the preview picture.  Here is a closer view of the stitching.     $250.US.
Cuetzalan belt   Textile57.   This is a beautiful belt (I have seen them used as guitar straps) hand woven in Cuetzalan.  I bought this in 2002 or so.  This is 64 inches long and 1 3/4 inches wide.  17.5 inches of this is decorated with lace, sequins, and a soft fluffy area of stripes.  Hand made pieces like this are very difficult to come across.  I bought this during a Fería de Huipil when the weaving arts and embroidery were being highlighted.  Here is a life size image.    $155.US.

HERE ARE SOME PIECES FROM GUATEMALA, bought in 1990 or so.
Guatemala blouse vintage   Textile58.   Here is a vintage blouse/huipil from Guatemala.  This is an old piece that has been made and remade, stitched and re-stitched.  This has some unusual stitching on it to give it pleated parts on both front and back.  Most of this piece is hand woven, and hand embroidered.  A sewing machine was used to attach the sides and fit together the front and the back.  The original woven piece might have been a table piece.  There are parts under the armholes that have been restitched and repaired.  This is imperfect yet attractive.  Here is a closer view.   This is 24 inches wide and 23 inches long.  This is quite a heavy huipil.   $125.US.
Guatemala blouse vintage   Textile59.   This vintage top/blouse/huipil from Antigua, Guatemala is a slightly darker red than it appears in the photo.  This is a beautiful hand woven, hand embroidered, hand stitched (no machines used) vibrant top.  This is very easy to wear (thought I never wore it, it was just part of my collection because of my attraction to it) and looks great over a pair of jeans.  The top is 28 inches wide and 22 inches long.  The embroidered flowers are the same front and back.  You can check a more lifesize photo here.  This is one hundred percent cotton and over 30 years old.   $135.US.
Guatemala vintage textile   Textile60.   description to come later.  Here is a closer view
Guatemala vintage textile   Textile61.   description to come later (sold).  Here is a closer view
Guatemala vintage textile   Textile62.   description to come later.  Here is a closer view
Guatemala vintage textile skirt   Textile63.   Guatemalan skirt - description to come later.  Here is a closer view
vintage Nahuatl bag   Textile64.   The Huichol people are famous for their handwork, whether in textiles, beadwork or woodwork.  This style of Huichol morral or bag was typically carried by a man, and I still see these beautifully stitched textiles being used today.  The bags that I have are all vintage, used, and were made decades ago.  They are generally more complex than the bags currently made for tourism.  The imagery is full of symbolism in shapes, colours and patterns.   This bag is  9 1/2 inches tall and 9 1/2 inches wide.  The strap is 38 inches long.  This is all cross-stitch and decorated with pom-poms.   $95.US.   (sold)
vintage Nahuatl bag   Textile65.  
The Huichol people are famous for their handwork, whether in textiles, beadwork or woodwork.  This style of Huichol morral or bag was typically carried by a man, and I still see these beautifully stitched textiles being used today.  The bags that I have are all vintage, used, and were made decades ago.  They are generally more complex than the bags currently made for tourism.  The imagery is full of symbolism in shapes, colours and patterns.  The pattern in this bag was woven together, not stitched, and is quite different on each side.  It was woven as one piece so the front and the back are separated by a fold.  These are quite unusual.  The bag is 7 1/2 inches tall and 7 1/2 inches wide.  Including the pom-poms, the bag is 13 inches tall.  $85.US.   (sold)
vintage Nahuatl bag   Textile66.   The Huichol people are famous for their handwork, whether in textiles, beadwork or woodwork.  This style of Huichol morral or bag was typically carried by a man, and I still see these beautifully stitched textiles being used today.  The bags that I have are all vintage, used, and were made decades ago.  They are generally more complex than the bags currently made for tourism.  The imagery is full of symbolism in shapes, colours and patterns.  This bag is made of quite small up & down stitches.  There are some interesting and unpredictable colour variations in the design.  The bag is 8 1/2 inches tall and 8 3/4 inches wide.  It is made from one folded piece.   $85.US.   (sold)
vintage Nahuatl bag   Textile67.   The Huichol people are famous for their handwork, whether in textiles, beadwork or woodwork.  This style of Huichol morral or bag was typically carried by a man, and I still see these beautifully stitched textiles being used today.  The bags that I have are all vintage, used, and were made decades ago.  They are generally more complex than the bags currently made for tourism.  The imagery is full of symbolism in shapes, colours and patterns.  This is the largest of the four Huichol bags that I have listed here.  It is 10 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches tall, made from a folded cross-stitch piece.  There is a stain on one side of the bag - I do not know if it can be washed out as I suspect it might be ink.   $75.US.   (sold)
Chenalho Chiapas top  
Textile68.   This is a vintage huipil or blusa from Chenalhó, Chiapas - a very typical style and in the original tradition of weaving in largely stripes of red (what looks pinkish in the photo is actually red).   The huipil is all worked by hand - no machine work.  The embroidery is very precise and the same on both sides - I can't tell which is the front and which is the back.  I can actually pull this one on myself (my head is not large) - it measures 4  inches by 7 inches - when I stretch it, it is 21-22 inches around.  The top is 28 inches across and 19 inches high.  You can't see the texture of the black embroidery in the photo but it reminds me of the back of a sheep...  it is very thick and rich.  There is one tiny cut thread close to a shoulder.  The arm openings are just 10 inches around but you can easily open a little of the side seam to enlarge them for comfort.  I absolutely love these pieces.  Here is a life-size photo.  $100.US.
Oaxaca embroidered blouse   Textile69.   This lovely embroidered blouse from Oaxaca is a small size.  It is for a a girl perhaps, or a skinny woman.  I wish that it fit me as I love the deep rich pink cotton embroidered with lime green.  It is an unusual and wonderful combination.  The blouse is for someone with a bust of 32-33 inches or less.  The arm holes are 11 inches around.  The blouse is 20 1/2 inches across from end of sleeve to end of sleeve, and 27 inches long.  Here is a life-size photo.  $85.US.
Frida Kahlo bag   Accessory 1.  I have a group of shoulder bags here, each with an image of Frida Kahlo on them.  The bags are made of nylon with an image on the front and plain at the back.  The shoulder strap is adjustable.  They are more attractive in real life than in the photo as I did get some glare from the windows.  The bags are 7 3/4 inches wide and just over 9 inches tall and can be zippered shut.   $22.US/each.
Frida Kahlo bag   Accessory 2.   Here is a group of nylon bags with images of Frida Kahlo on them.  The bags are 8 inches wide and 4 3/4 inches tall and are zippered shut.  They have images on one side and are plain on the other.  $12.US/each.
Mexico zip bag   Accessory 3.   These bags are made from the same material that is used for tablecloths or for lining kitchen shelves.  They zip shut and are very handy.  The larger ones 9 inches wide and 5 1/2 inches tall.  The small one is 7 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches tall.  $10.US/each.

I have some beaded work here, done by Mayan women and sold in the market.  beads were brought in with the first traders, and were found to be a source of creative ornament from the beginning...
ITEM #10.   There are two necklaces here (corbatas) - - when laid out they stretch 15 inches from one end to the other.  They slip on like North American native Indian ones do, and use the same basic type of stitches.  It is only natural as there is a limited amount of ways that beads could be strung together.  Like all of the seed bead work, they are rich in colour and full of life.   $22.US/each
   ITEM #11.   Here are two bracelets or pulseras to fit tightly around one's wrist.  They each fit a 7 inch wrist - no larger.  The pulsera with the fish is $10.US and the peridot green/gold one below is  $6.US.   (#1 with the fish is sold)
   ITEM #12.   This is a gorgeous little zip topped bag (bolsa).  This is well made and lined with black fabric.  This measured 4 inches by 2 3/4 inches so is perfect for a little change or a safe place to keep a little jewellery in.  It is the same pattern both front and back.   $25.US.
 
 

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to learn more about textiles in Mexico, here is an interesting page