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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 25, 2013 16:46:00 GMT
A month ago I posted some pictures in Local Color showing a doorway and window in the weaving barrio of Xochimilco: To which Tod responded: Bixa - wonderful photos! That's a sure sign of 'cottage industry' when the spools of yarn are in the doorway! Absolutely marvellous! I wish I could tell what he is weaving? & was answered: Thanks so much. I was in the barrio of Xochimilco, which is full of weavers. You can hear the clock-clock-clock of their looms as you walk down the street. I actually passed the window without noticing, then my attention was caught by the vibrating threads in the doorway as they unwound from the spools. I backtracked to the window, held up my camera, & the man nodded okay. Don't you love that some of the figures on the wrought iron are spindles? Now, flash forward to this past Saturday, March 23 ~~ I went to the Pochote market in Xochimilco hoping to buy a particular bedspread, but it was no longer available. Such is life, but another vendor of woven items suggested I go to the workshop where her products were made. Duly trotting there, I found it was the same place where I'd taken the pictures shown above. After dithering over the many choices, I finally picked one out & was graciously allowed to take some pictures by the patriarch, Maestro Chepe. He told me he didn't like school, so at the age of six he began learning to be a weaver. His sons are also weavers, but he was proud that among his grandchildren were a doctor, a lawyer, & an accountant. He said that time would tell if any great-grandchildren decided to learn the family art.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 25, 2013 16:52:00 GMT
father & son ~Want to see what I got? I love the way it looks on my beautiful white bed ~Tod -- or anyone -- if you want to jump in here & tell us exactly what we're looking at in reference to the looms, that would be great!
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Post by mossie on Mar 25, 2013 19:05:06 GMT
Wonderful to see there are still some craftsmen about, lucky girl Bixa to have such a unique bedspread . Thanks for showing us this thread
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Post by mich64 on Mar 25, 2013 19:18:48 GMT
I like it very much Bixa! Do you think you got a better price by purchasing it directly from the craftsman? The white lacquered head board is lovely and I also want to ask about the flooring in your room, is it a stone tile?
They keep their shop in such neat order, a lot of pride in their business.
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Post by htmb on Mar 26, 2013 2:55:32 GMT
Bixa, your bedspread is gorgeous. How exciting to have something so lovingly hand crafted to use on your bed. The pictures of the workshop make it all the more wonderful for us to be able to share!
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 26, 2013 6:24:33 GMT
Thanks to all of you. Mich, I don't know if the prices are any better buying from the source. I paid @the going rate for that kind of bedspread & didn't dicker. Often vendors selling local crafts are either the crafts persons or from their families & will direct you to their workshops & the rates are generally the same in at their stands or at the source. Yes -- the flooring in the bedroom & living room seems to be made of some kind of marble. Mossie & Htmb ~~ I am delighted with the spread, but it's not truly unique, but rather typical of the work from Xochimilco. Here are a couple of pictures from December 2008 showing that work:
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Post by nycgirl on Mar 27, 2013 14:16:18 GMT
What a treat to get to see the weavers at work.
Very nice bedspread. The colors green and white give a cool, peaceful effect.
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Post by lola on Mar 27, 2013 20:37:45 GMT
Beautiful, calming bedspread.
So glad you could charm your way in, so we could see them at work. Thank you, bixa.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 27, 2013 23:21:58 GMT
Thank you, ladies!
I hate to give away all my southern belle, batting-eyelashes charm secrets, but just for you all, I'll tell you how I did it. Pay close attention:
I went to the door and said, "I'd like to buy a bedspread."
Lethal stuff -- use it wisely!
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Post by lola on Mar 28, 2013 1:03:31 GMT
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Post by lola on Mar 28, 2013 1:04:33 GMT
I'm smiling and taking notes, in that order. But still think it has something to do with eyelashes.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2013 12:30:13 GMT
Knowing my penchant for linens and textiles Bixa, you know I went not only green with envy and gaga at seeing this (not to mention how gorgeous your bedspread would look in our bedroom!!!). I'm curious on another note as to why I'm not seeing any of your fabulous rugs on your floor???
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Post by lugg on Mar 28, 2013 19:26:01 GMT
As Mossie said ... it is so good to see craftsmen at their work. Is this usual in Mexico ( as in the norm ) or are there large scale manufacturers pushing out these craftsmen in Mexico ?
I ask that particularly because I come from an area where cotton weaving was once key to the economy, moving from the historical cottage industries to mill/ large scale production- now even that is practically over. Some of my friends who worked in the industry have been lured to US where the industry seems to be thriving still .
I too am envious of your bedspread... it is beautiful in its simplicity .
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 17, 2013 4:49:57 GMT
I don't know how I wandered away from this thread without responding to the last comments, nor answering Lugg's very interesting questions. Sorry! Quickly, to Casimira ~~ I tried some rugs in the bedroom, but found I preferred it stripped down. The rugs gave a heavier effect than I wanted. Maybe I'll find something I like later. Lugg, weaving as an occupation is alive and well throughout the country. Many of the items, in particular rebozos, the typical long rectangular shawl, are in daily use. Certainly the bedspreads get sold, as they keep producing them, including many much finer and more expensive than the one I show in this thread. Probably with time, the wearing of traditional clothing (almost exclusively by women) will fall off. When I first went to Pátzcuaro (the area where Don Cuevas lives), even very young women still carried a rebozo. @six years later, when I visited again, more of them were in exclusively modern dress. Still, weaving is a huge part of the culture of the country and judging by the youth of many of the weavers, will continue to be for some time. You could design a tour completely around visiting weavers and weaving towns. In the state of Michoacán alone you can visit towns fairly close to each other that specialize in quite different styles. I watched a woman weave this style in Aranza, for instance, whereas in the town of Angahuan, only @10 miles away, they turn out these dense, striped beauties.
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