Thank you, Amie, for this touch of Mayan in my life. I will think of you fondly every time I wear it!
Our good friends, Amie and Shawn, recently came to visit us here in Panajachel. They were scouting this area for their own future early retirement and loved so many interesting and unique things that Guatemala had to offer. One of Amie's main hobbies is creating crafts of all kinds and she kept admiring the plethora of colorfully patterned fabrics found everywhere around town. Knowing this, I thought she would really enjoy the twice weekly textile market at the local fire station. Indigenous ladies from the towns around the lake bring their secondhand huipils ("wee-pills") or traditional Mayan boxy-type heavily embroidered blouses and sell them to other locals or to curious tourists looking for a unique souvenir to take home. Amie and I searched through pile upon pile of old blouses. Many were tattered, faded, or had structural issues. She seemed to know exactly what she was looking for, so I just served as her willing assistant during the hunt and together we used our Spanish skills to find just what she wanted. Once she found the exact patterned fabrics she was seeking, the bartering process began. Shawn, her husband, served as our master negotiator and he got some really good deals for Amie's future craft projects. Arriving back at the apartment, Amie's crafty eye was keenly searching for something to do immediately with her new treasures from the market. She and I decided that my plain ol' jean jacket would be a perfect "guinea pig" for one of her first Mayan makeover projects. Once I handed it over to her, she got right down to work. She carefully cut apart the best areas of the huipil and planned which panels were most appropriate to embellish my jacket. Once she had a visual idea of the design, she happily got right to work hand stitching the Mayan fabric scraps onto my jacket. She worked quickly and seemed so content while sewing and chatting with us at the same time. She is a consummate problem-solver, so when she encountered small obstacles such as cheap thread that kept tangling or difficult pockets to sew around, she always came up with the perfect solution. A crafting Amie is a happy Amie! Once she finished sewing in the Mayan panels, she thought that the jacket needed a splash of sparkle to finish it off. So, out we went to the bead stores in town to find the perfect necklaces to enhance the project. Once we found them, back home we went. Amie was on a mission! Amie and I cut apart the necklace and sorted the different sized beads. This is basically the only help I could give because crafting is not my gift (haha!). I did enjoy watching Amie so engrossed in her work, though. I was most amazed with how quickly the jacket was transformed. The entire project only took a few days and not even full days, because we were on the go so much. Amie used every spare moment of down time at the apartment to complete her vision. Here I am modeling my new and much improved jean jacket. The total cost of this transformation, including huipil, beads, scissors, thread and needles, was only $10. Amie is a miracle worker! Here is the back of my jacket. Notice the intricate embroidery from the huipil. So much symbolism is depicted in each and every pattern. This one is from the nearby village of Santiago, represented by flowers and the Quetzal bird. This is a closeup of the front panels of my new jacket. Amie's beading was such a beautiful accent. She knew that I didn't want it to be overly sparkly and end up looking like the very flamboyant pianist, Liberace, so her beading was perfectly subtle.
Thank you, Amie, for this touch of Mayan in my life. I will think of you fondly every time I wear it!
15 Comments
Kimberly
2/25/2016 02:14:55 pm
OH MY GOSH I LOVE IT! I love handmade items that are made with such passion and love. Aimee is a gem!
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Lori
2/25/2016 02:45:10 pm
Thanks, Kimberly! I knew that you, being a fellow crafty gal, would appreciate the work that went into this jacket. :)
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Suzanne Cosmo
2/25/2016 02:16:20 pm
lovely
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Lori
2/25/2016 02:46:08 pm
Thanks for your comment, Suzanne! You've transformed your own lovely treasures during your short time here in Panajachel.
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Karen
2/25/2016 02:42:06 pm
How wonderful and creative! I love your "new" jacket and all the different colors of the local materials!!!
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Lori
2/25/2016 02:47:43 pm
Thanks for commenting, Karen! It's funny to me that all three of you ladies who've commented thus far are all craft queens yourselves. It takes an artistic eye to see the beauty and possibility in everyday items.
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2/25/2016 05:12:47 pm
Amie, A Texas shout out to you. As we Texans say
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laurie
2/26/2016 01:08:32 am
WOW. how gorgeous and impressive... Amie needs to start a business. very impressed, and you are a great model, Lori.
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Lori
2/26/2016 07:55:27 am
Thanks, Laurie! Amie is actually making and selling more Mayan inspired jackets so let me know if you want her info.
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Lori
2/27/2016 10:03:12 am
Thanks for the sweet comment, Corinne! Yes, seeing Amie so happy when she was sewing my jacket made me happy too, even if I was just a bystander. Your gift is photography, so you would have come in handy with out market photos. I captured too much shade or glare in most of mine. Ha!
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Kathy
2/27/2016 07:15:02 pm
Wow! I love the bright colors and how it will compliment an outfit. Now, I am thinking.....could I do this??? Amy, you're very talented! Thanks for sharing.
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Lori
2/28/2016 07:33:58 am
Thanks for your comment, Kathy! I admire craftiness but am quick to say that it's not my gift. Amie makes it look really fun to do, though.
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