Striped blue and green shawl with Jaspe

Unknown artist

The shawl (perraje in Spanish) is woven with cotton and wool in a step loom. The shawl consists of two woven pieces of textile and is sewn together by machine. To colour the threads the Jaspe technique (also known as ikat technique) was used. Jaspe is a dyeing technique in knots with which decorative motifs are produced. In this technique, specific parts of the thread are covered (by knotting the thread at specific places) to prevent these parts from becoming coloured when the thread is dipped in the paint. When the knots are undone, after dyeing, the thread contains dyed and unpainted segments. During weaving, figures are formed with these threads. \In addition, the weaver or wearer has applied initials to the textile in the form of embroideries. Embroidery is a decorative technique whereby extra threads are added to the fabric when it is finished. \A shawl is used exclusively by women to cover the upper part of the body (torso, shoulders). It is a rectangular garment with several functions: it can be used for protection from the cold; for covering the head in church or during processions; and for carrying babies on the back. This shawl is intended for everyday use. \San Cristóbal Totonicapán is located in the department of Totonicapán. In 2007, San Cristóbal Totonicapán had a population of 34,665, of which 32,911 belong to the K ´iche´ culture.