Weaving Hands of Atitlan -

Weaving Hands of Atitlan

“Hello, my name is Rosa Hernándes and I belong to a group of women who grew up weaving from Santa Cruz La Laguna in Sololá, near Lake Atitlán.

“Like most girls, we were taught to weave our own clothes and all of the textiles used in the home. We weave to earn our daily bread.

“One day, we met Lily Jacobs, a volunteer in a microcredit program in town. She earned our trust and we asked that she take some shawls and scarves to sell in the United States. She thought it was a good idea, but the bulky ítems took up too much space in her luggage. That’s why she sought a solution to support us. She proposed that we make beaded jewelry.

“We learned fast and bit by bit, more women became interested in this art form and started learning. This art allows us to work from home, take care of our children and receive a decent remuneration. People like our work a lot. We are very meticulous and we like to do our work well.

“We are still dedicated to weaving other things in our backstrap looms, but this craft is a new way to earn income and imprint our patterns and designs in another form that isn’t with thread. We dream about being able to bring our creations to the world so that people may enjoy them and be special pieces for someone.

“We want people to be curious about our town and our craft. We are inspired by nature, the lake, the beaches — basically all of Guatemala, because it is so beautiful!”

Handmade: A Global Artisan Marketplace Guatemala City, Guatemala

“Hello, my name is Rosa Hernándes and I belong to a group of women who grew up weaving from Santa Cruz La Laguna in Sololá, near Lake Atitlán.

“Like most girls, we were taught to weave our own clothes and all of the textiles used in the home. We weave to earn our daily bread.

“One day, we met Lily Jacobs, a volunteer in a microcredit program in town. She earned our trust and we asked that she take some shawls and scarves to sell in the United States. She thought it was a good idea, but the bulky ítems took up too much space in her luggage. That’s why she sought a solution to support us. She proposed that we make beaded jewelry.

“We learned fast and bit by bit, more women became interested in this art form and started learning. This art allows us to work from home, take care of our children and receive a decent remuneration. People like our work a lot. We are very meticulous and we like to do our work well.

“We are still dedicated to weaving other things in our backstrap looms, but this craft is a new way to earn income and imprint our patterns and designs in another form that isn’t with thread. We dream about being able to bring our creations to the world so that people may enjoy them and be special pieces for someone.

“We want people to be curious about our town and our craft. We are inspired by nature, the lake, the beaches — basically all of Guatemala, because it is so beautiful!”

Central America Artisan Empowerment Hub

Explore Central America. Rich rainforests and active volcanoes shelter the vestiges of the Mayan civilization that lives on in the languages and the arts of Central America. You'll discover the weaving traditions recorded on the backstrap looms, the glyphs and geometry that define the jewelry and pottery, and the vibrantly-painted folk art statues and masks among all the unique, handcrafted artisan treasures in our Central America Collection.

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Alternate image for Soothing Teal Wrap Bracelet Crafted by Artisan Group Soothing Teal

$99.99

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Soothing Teal Wrap Bracelet Crafted by Artisan Group 'Soothing Teal'

$99.99

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Comments

Helen My only complaint: the artist was too generous! A bit too long for four wraps, too short for five. I'll have to come up with a fix from my own jewelry kit.

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29 Reviews for

Weaving Hands of Atitlan

December 7, 2023

H Helen

My only complaint: the artist was too generous! A bit too long for four wraps, too short for five. I'll have to come up with a fix from my own jewelry kit.

Weaving Hands of Atitlan

Weaving Hands of Atitlan

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