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.

A celebration of female inventiveness and aesthetic sensibility, Shedding the Shackles explores women's craft enterprises, their artisanal excellence, and the positive impact their individual projects have on breaking the poverty cycle. In the first part of the twentieth century, suffering from a legacy inherited from the Victorian era, craft skills, such as weaving, sewing, embroidery, and quilting were regarded largely as women's domestic pastimes, and remained undervalued and marginalised. It has taken several decades for attitudes to change, for the boundaries between 'fine art' and craft to blur, and for textile crafts to be given the same respect and recognition as other media. Featuring artisans and projects from across the globe Shedding the Shackles celebrates their vision and motivation giving a fascinating glimpse into how these craft initiatives have created a sustainable lifestyle, and impacted upon their communities at a deeper level.

Weaving is back! Create beautiful wall hangings and accessories on a loom, with clear charts and step-by-step instructions. Laura Strutt has designed 25 contemporary weavings in a range of stylish colourways, from bright neons to pastels, Navajo-inspired earth tones, monochrome and neutrals, as well as suggesting alternate colours so you can match your makes to your home and your accessories to your mood. With a comprehensive techniques section that covers everything from how to make your own loom, warping (preparing) a loom, basics such as tabby weave, bubbling, Egyptian knots, Soumak weave, basket weave and many more, you will develop the skills you need to make a wide range of exciting projects, such as a stunning gold and cream wall hanging with extra-long Rya knots, a pastel-coloured hanging with ribbons and strips of lace to create a tactile texture, or a pretty phone cover with Aztec-inspired triangles - the only difficult part is choosing what to make first!

Spider Woman's Children: Navajo Weavers Today illustrates the beautiful and complex world of contemporary Navajo life, art and family - a world shaped by history and rich cultural traditions. It offers an intimate view into the life of today's Navajo weavers that will inspire and surprise. While many books have been written about Navajo weaving, techniques and style, non has highlighted the weavers themselves. Authors and sisters Lynda Teller Pete and Barbara Teller Ornelas are fifth-generation Navajo weavers, which lends an authentic and in-depth perspective to each story.

Learn how to make colorful, gorgeously patterned rugs using the 200-year-old techniques of the Shakers. The author researched and analyzed textiles at five historic Shaker village sites before developing a method to create new versions of these classics. You'll learn how ten original rugs were woven and then get detailed instructions on how to make ten reproduction rugs, with full explanations of the dyeing, the warp material, the weft materials, and how to weave, as well as instructions for weaving Shaker tapes. Learn about the history of the Shakers in America and the impact of their craftsmanship on our arts tradition. Like all items used in daily Shaker life, these rugs have three outstanding characteristics: they are unusual in their design, they are perfect for the purpose they are meant to serve, and they are beautiful in quality.

Although less well known than its much-admired counterparts in Peru and Bolivia, highland Ecuadorian weaving is an Andean tradition that has relationships with these more southern areas. A world away from the industrialized textile manufacturing of Euro-American society, these handmade pieces reflect the history and artistry of an ancient culture.

This comprehensive study, edited by Ann Pollard Rowe, is unrivaled in its detail and includes not only descriptions of the indigenous weaving and dyeing technology, but also an interpretation of its historical significance, as well as hundreds of photographs, drawings, and maps that inform the understanding of the process.

The principal focus is on backstrap-loom weaving, a major pre-Hispanic technology. Ecuadorian backstrap looms, which differ in various ways from those found elsewhere in the Andes, have previously only been treated in general terms. Here, the basic operation of this style of loom is covered, as are a variety of patterning techniques including warp-resist (ikat) dyeing, weaving belts with twill, and supplementary- and complementary-warp patterning. Spanish colonial treadle-loom weaving is also covered. The weaving techniques are explained in detail, so the reader can replicate them if desired.

Textiles have been an important art form among Andean peoples from remote prehistory up to the present. A greater understanding of their creation process can yield a more meaningful appreciation of the art itself.

'I have only one problem with this fascinating book - it had to end! I felt so well acquainted with the weavers and the authors and the techniques that it seemed like the story should go on forever. Loving, honest, illuminating documentation is how I would characterise the text, augmented by Joe Coca's superb photography.' Janet De Boer, editor of Australia's Textile Fibre Forum magazine for 30 years. What began as a couple's backpacking adventure transformed into a thriving fairtrade business and a renewed sense of well-being. Over the past decade, Joshua Hirschstein and Maren Beck have developed deep connections with the villagers of Xam Tai who raise their own fibre from silkworms, create their own natural dyes, and weave the patterns of their ancestors into healing cloths, ceremonial textiles and daily wear. Their narrative provides an in-depth and rare view into the everyday lives, culture, and craft of Lao silk weavers. Engaging personal stories and intimate photography bring it all into focus: the patience and skill of artisans, the steady pace of village life, and a commitment to honouring the old ways.

Baskets made of baleen, the fibrous substance found in the mouths of plankton-eating whales-a malleable and durable material that once had commercial uses equivalent to those of plastics today-were first created by Alaska Natives in the early years of the twentieth century. Because they were made for the tourist trade, they were initially disdained by scholars and collectors, but today they have joined other art forms as a highly prized symbol of native identity. Baskets of exquisite workmanship, often topped with fanciful ivory carvings, have been created for almost a century, contributing significantly to the livelihood of their makers in the Arctic villages of Barrow, Point Hope, Wainwright, and Point Lay, Alaska. Baleen Basketry of the North Alaskan Eskimo, originally published in 1983, was the first book on this unusual basket form. In this completely redesigned edition, it remains the most informative work on baleen baskets, covering their history, characteristics, and construction, as well as profiling their makers. Illustrations of the basketmakers at work and line drawings showing the methods of construction are a charming addition to this book, which belongs in the library of all those with an interest in the art of basketry and in Alaskan Native arts in general.

Baskets made of baleen, the fibrous substance found in the mouths of plankton-eating whales-a malleable and durable material that once had commercial uses equivalent to those of plastics today-were first created by Alaska Natives in the early years of the twentieth century. Because they were made for the tourist trade, they were initially disdained by scholars and collectors, but today they have joined other art forms as a highly prized symbol of native identity. Baskets of exquisite workmanship, often topped with fanciful ivory carvings, have been created for almost a century, contributing significantly to the livelihood of their makers in the Arctic villages of Barrow, Point Hope, Wainwright, and Point Lay, Alaska. Baleen Basketry of the North Alaskan Eskimo, originally published in 1983, was the first book on this unusual basket form. In this completely redesigned edition, it remains the most informative work on baleen baskets, covering their history, characteristics, and construction, as well as profiling their makers. Illustrations of the basketmakers at work and line drawings showing the methods of construction are a charming addition to this book, which belongs in the library of all those with an interest in the art of basketry and in Alaskan Native arts in general.

For the first time, master Navajo weavers themselves share the deep, inside story of how the best-known, most-admired, and most-collected textiles in North America are created, and how their creation resonates in Navajo culture. Want to weave a high-quality, Navajostyle rug? This book has detailed how-to instructions, meticulously illustrated by a Navajo artist, from warping the loom to important finishing touches. Want to understand the deeper meaning? You'll learn why the fixed parts of the loom are male, and the working parts are female. You'll learn how weaving relates to the earth, the sky, the sacred directions. You'll learn how the Navajo people were given their weaving tradition (and it wasn't borrowed from the Pueblos!) You'll learn how important a weaver's attitude and spirit are to creating successful rugs. You'll learn what it means to live in hozho, the Beauty Way. While many books have been written about Navajo weaving, techniques, and styles, almost no books on Navajo weaving are actually written by Navajos. How to Weave a Navajo Rug is written by two award-winning, professional Navajo weavers. In addition to their acclaim in the Navajo art world, the authors are professional teachers whose weaving workshops in retails shops, museums, and galleries across the country, consistently fill beyond capacity. Their book is based on years of classroom teaching.

The fundamental gesture of weaving in "The Craft of Zeus" is the interlacing of warp and woof described by Plato in "The Statesman"--an interweaving signifying the union of opposites. From rituals symbolizing--even fabricating--the cohesion of society to those proposed by oracles as a means of propitiating fortune; from the erotic and marital significance of weaving and the woven robe to the use of weaving as a figure for language and the fabric of the text, this lively and lucid book defines the logic of one of the central concepts in Greek and Roman thought--a concept that has persisted, woof and warp crossing again and again, as the fabric of human history has unfolded.