Barkcloth is a versatile material that was once common in Asia, Africa, Indonesia, and the Pacific. Barkcloth comes primarily from trees of the Moraceae family, including Broussonetia papyrifera, Artocarpus altilis, and Ficus natalensis. It is made by beating sodden strips of the fibrous inner bark of these trees into sheets, which are then finished into a […]
The sarape is a long blanket-like shawl, often brightly colored and fringed at the ends, worn in Mexico, especially by men. The term sarape is for the rectangular woven blanket, though in more recent years it can also be used to refer to a very soft rectangular blanket with an opening in the middle for one’s head, similar to […]
Huipil is the most common traditional garment worn by indigenous women from central Mexico to Central America. It is a loose-fitting tunic, generally made from two or three rectangular pieces of fabric which are then joined together with stitching, ribbons or fabric strips, with an opening for the head and, if the sides are sewn, openings for the arms. […]
Ñandutí is a traditional Paraguayan embroidered lace. The name means “spider web” in Guaraní, the official, indigenous language of Paraguay. The lace is worked on fabric which is stretched tightly in a frame. The pattern is drawn on the fabric and the threads, which go to-and-fro across the circular motif and are either taken through running stitches worked along the […]
Quilting is the process of sewing two or more layers of fabric together to make a thicker padded material, usually to create a quilt or quilted garment. Typically, quilting is done with three layers: the top fabric or quilt top, batting or insulating material and backing material, but many different styles are adopted. The process of quilting uses a needle and thread to join two or […]
Patchwork, also known as “pieced work,” is a type of needlework where small pieces of fabric are stitched together to form a larger design. The design often consists of repeating patterns that are created by combining various fabric shapes, each of which may be a different color. The fabric shapes are meticulously measured and cut […]
Darning is a sewing technique for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting using needle and thread alone. It is often done by hand, but it is also possible to darn with a sewing machine. Hand darning employs the darning stitch, a simple running stitch in which the thread is “woven” in rows along the grain of the fabric, with the stitcher reversing direction at the end of each row, […]
Yarn bombing is a form of street art made by covering objects in public space with colorful knitted or crocheted patches.
Bobbin lace is a lacemaking technique made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread wound on bobbins.
Otomi embroidery is a traditional technique from the Otomi people living on the central plateau of Mexico.
Molas forms part of the traditional outfit of a Kuna woman, handmade using a reverse appliqué technique.
