Weave with geometric motifs

Unknown artist

Function:-Fabric to make a huipil with.-The female clothing repertoire consists of a multi-colored top called a huipil; a skirt called a falda or corte; an embroidered or woven belt called a faja; adornment for the head and hair called a cinta; and a cloth for various purposes called a tzute or servilleta.-According to Osborne (1935), the word huipil is derived from the Aztec word Huipili which means "my covering. Most huipils are woven on a hip loom, but in some areas these have been replaced by a step loom or sometimes even huipils made in the factory. There is great variation from one village to another in the way they are made, worn and decorated.Ó The huipil is made up of one, two or three strips of fabric. When more than one strip is used, they are sewn together with a decorative overlap called a randa. The opening for the head is round, square or V-shaped when a huipil is made of one or three panels. The huipil can be worn loose or tucked into the skirt.\The most common method used to decorate the huipil is embroidery.\There are huipiles for every day and huipils used for special occasions like weddings and cofradia. \A woman can spend months weaving a huipil. Through the choice of design, material and finishing technique, information can be read about the woman's origin, her social status, religious background and individual personality.Description:This long white cotton cloth has two decorated pieces; on a black background are horizontal strips woven of a black and white chessboard motif with a yellow strip with purple combs and chessboard motif in between at the top and bottom. In the yellow strip a leaf pattern is depicted. After two bands is a pattern of alternating red and green diamonds, filled with purple and instead of the chessboard motif, an arrow motif next to the ridges. Across the whole decorated piece, purple strips run widthwise.\Technique:\This cloth was woven on a step loom.\According to the instructions, the fabric was made in Totonicapán in a workshop. The fabric is made to make a huipil. These cloths are bought by market women who assemble the huipil between selling and then sell it. These huipils are mainly worn in Quetzaltenango.\Literature:\Library, Lilly de Jongh (1935)\Guatemala Textiles.\New Orleans: Dept. Of Middle American Research, the Tulane University of Louisiana.\San Pedro Sacatepéquez is located in the Department of Guatemala. In 2007, San Pedro Sacatepéquez had a population of 37,420, of whom 30,942 belong to the Kaqchikel culture