Florinda's (kaqchikel weaver) beautiful woven beaded band coiled into her hair!

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Pat Filzen made this jacket completely from small scraps.

I am back in the States now and the photo is Aura waiting for a chicken bus with her new sewing machine! She also has all the patterns that we designed and left over fabric to continue working!

Jacky, my next door neighbor, modeling my new blouse design! 

In San Antonio the Kaqchikel men actually do most of the weaving.  The fabric that he is weaving is a good example of what is not selling because of the colors. It is called rainbow fabric.

The Kaqchikel weavers, men and women, are poverty stricken because their textiles are not selling. Everyone in the San Antonio village is weaving the same products with the same colors, so  there is a lot of competition and no market.  I can't seem to communicate that new designs, new colors will produce more marketing possibilities. 

I am considering leaving a sewing machine with Florinda, but am pretty sure that she will just sell it to get immediate money.   So, I will continue to work with her and see if I can help her family and the Kaqchikel weaving community.

Florinda weaving.