For millennia, Native artists on Olympic Peninsula, in what is now northwestern Washington, have created coiled and woven baskets using tree roots, bark, plant stems--and meticulous skill. "From the Hands of a Weaver" presents the traditional art of basket making among the peninsula's Native peoples--particularly women--and describes the ancient, historic, and modern practices of the craft. Abundantly illustrated, this book also showcases the basketry collection of Olympic National Park.
Baskets designed primarily for carrying and storing food have been central to the daily life of the Klallam, Twana, Quinault, Quileute, Hoh, and Makah cultures of Olympic Peninsula for thousands of years. The authors of the essays collected here, who include Native people as well as academics, explore the commonalities among these cultures and discuss their distinct weaving styles and techniques. Because basketry was interwoven with indigenous knowledge and culture throughout history, alterations in the art over time reflect important social changes.
Using primary-source material as well as interviews, volume editor Jacilee Wray shows how Olympic Peninsula craftspeople participated in the development of the commercial basket industry, transforming useful but beautiful objects into creations appreciated as art. Other contributors address poaching of cedar and native grasses, and conservation efforts--contemporary challenges faced by basket makers. Appendices identify weavers and describe weaves attributed to each culture, making this an important reference for both scholars and collectors.
Featuring more than 120 photographs and line drawings of historical and twentieth-century weavers and their baskets, this engaging book highlights the culture of distinct Native Northwest peoples while giving voice to individual artists, masters of a living art form.

The Chiapas Highlands comprise a remote and relatively unknown area of Mexico that possesses among the most interesting, varied, and masterful textile traditions in the world. Separated by extreme terrain and distinct climates, villages in this region have developed weaving techniques and styles of dress that have persisted for centuries. In this richly illustrated, bilingual book, readers will visit 20 villages, learn their history and folklore, get an insider's look at their festivals, traditions, and daily lives, and revel in their stunning handwoven cloth. Ritual transvestites, Virgin statues draped with native blouses, village officials wearing tunics designed to look like howler monkey fur, men and women alike in elaborately floral shawls and ponchos-these are just a few of the unforgettable images captured in this book.

Iridescent fabric shimmers and glows, changing colors depending on how the light hits it. Different colors appear in the folds and pleats, adding surprising layers of color to fabric. To the uninformed it appears magical and difficult, but the truth is that weaving iridescent fabric is accessible to any handweaver who knows the tricks. Bobbie Irwin has been teaching the techniques for weaving iridescence in person and through articles for more than ten years. In this book, she delivers her most comprehensive course yet, covering the details from how to evaluate and choose yarn to achieve your desired effect to the ways weave structure affects iridescence to the best uses for your iridescent fabric. Hands-on project instructions will have you exploring what you've learned right away. If you have been looking to add some shimmer to your weaving, this is the only book you will ever need!