When researching Guatemala, I found this weaving spot in Xela (Quetzaltenango’s nickname). It’s a textile shop that teaches people how to weave using traditional methods. The shop helps local women sell their products so they can earn an income.

I learned to weave from Amparo, who has been weaving for about 70 years—she had a wealth of knowledge and was a fantastic instructor. I first started with a coaster that actually looks like a Barbie rug since it’s a verrrrry large coaster, and I immediately knew I wanted to start a bigger project. I started brainstorming color ideas and landed on my favorite color, dark red, along with a couple of more neutral tones. I decided to make a table runner, which would take 10–15 hours.

We chose to extend our stay in Xela because we were enjoying the town so much. For me, it was the weaving and the community there. The town has many volunteer opportunities so the other travelers I met were either volunteering at the weaving shop or volunteering at other organizations.

Back in January, I started a pre-master’s program in psychology, so I spent my week splitting time between schoolwork and weaving. It was a dreamy combination and such an amazing week.

Amparo setting up the weaving of my first project:

Winding and prepping my yarn for my second project, the table runner:

Amparo checking my work on setting up the weaving yarn:

Getting started with the weaving:

I split my days between working on school work and weaving:

Viola! Table runner complete :)

A little about Trama Textiles: