There's a great little store on the Yarinacocha plaza that has maybe 20 stalls of Shipibo women selling their crafts. I'm not sure how it works exactly because the women seem to be operating together or at least helping each other out. Part of that is that only half of them (or so) speak Spanish. The rest speak their native language (Shipibo).

Tim and I went this week to buy cloths for a runner and placemats (not to be used together!) and had a lot of fun.The women always seem friendly and happy, and I love seeing them working on their crafts. These cloths are hand-tinted with natural dyes and then embroidered by hand. They're all different of course. I'm going to "mount" them on dark brown cloths to make a set of 8 table cloths.








You can learn more about the Shipibos and their handicrafts here.

2 comments

1. Unknown on January 21, 2010 at 4:07 PM

   ooooo...i want to get some of these when we come visit you!

    
2. Anonymous on January 24, 2010 at 8:26 AM

   Hannah and Tim ~~ your table textiles are just wonderful! What a lovely keepsake. Of course the women seem happy for there is nothing more spirited to the heart of a woman than gathering to do the work of our creative yearnings. Kind of like a quilting bee or a knitting circle.
   My favorites are the ones you chose with the central circular medallion. Thanks for sharing photos of them all.
   Enjoy the rest of your time in Peru.
   Lots of love,
   Martha
   PS)John and Martha Nichols became grandparents on Christmas Day.