Volume 23, Number 4 - Winter 2016 The Tentmakers of Egypt Molly Martin Throughout history, the Middle East many celebratory occasions. If you are Creating A Connected has been known for large decorated lucky enough to happen upon one, it Textile Community tents, a type of architecture that com- will take your CreatingCreating Aa Connected bines shelter and ornamentation. breath away. TextileTextile Community Community The visitor to It is often set Egypt who passes up with el- To foster a global network of through the im- egant furni- To fosterenthusiasts a global network who value of enthusiasts the posing 10th cen- ture, dishes, whoimportance value the of importance textiles to ofgrassroots textiles to tury gate called carpets, and grassrootseconomies economies Bab Zuweila in old lighting for Cairo comes to one night. By a square leading dawn the su- to the Street of the Tentmakers. At least radeq is gone, A 1798 weaving studio in Cairo; the tentmaker copied an engraving Exchange information since the Fatimid period (909-1171 AD), a mirage leav- from Napoleon’s Description of this covered alley ing no trace. Egypt. Photo by Terry Martin RaiseRaise awareness awareness of of the the importance importance of has housed the Khayamiya is constructed on a heavy textiletextile traditions traditions to grassroots to grassroots economies workshops of the cotton canvas base; sometimes there is economies men skilled in the another layer of cotton between canvas Mobilize textile enthusiasts Mobilize textile enthusiasts cotton appliqué, and appliqué. It is designed to be hung Create conversations that result in action which decorates vertically as an element of the suradeq, Create conversations that result in the large tents action used for wed- dings, funerals, and religious holidays. Their ornate and colorful work is called Textiles are an important component of khayamiya, (from Textilesthe are human an important experience. component khayam, meaning Networkingof the humanand sharing experience. information tent). Archeologi- Networkingcreates andan environment sharing information for cal evidence sug- constructive action. gests that khay- creates an environment for constructive action. amiya art may The tentmakers booth at the 2016 International Making connections between textile go back to the Folk Art Market. Photo by Ann Schunior artisansMaking worldwide Connections promotes between positive Pharaonic period Cushion covers with textile artisanssocial worldwide change. promotes (3100 – 332 BC). Arabesque designs. though now pieces for cushion covers Interactingpositive with people social change.who have similar Currently the large Photos by Terry Martin and smaller wall hangings comprise much values enriches our lives. dazzling appliquéd tents (called suradeq) of the work being produced. As factory Interacting with people who have are rented and assembled in the city for similar values enriches our lives. continued on page 10 1 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 Aleppo’s Great Bazaar: A Eulogy Cathy Peppers As the Syrian crisis continues to unfold, At a fair in Germany this summer, I severely impacting the country’s famous myself had the opportunity to speak textile and handicrafts industries, let us to Middle Eastern traders who had had not forget that until recently, the shim- to give up their textile export business WARP Newsletter mering threads woven on Syrian looms formerly located in the Great Bazaar of published quarterly by clothed royalty, Aleppo. Their business had employed Weave A Real Peace church dignitar- local Aleppine seamstresses, known to be Volume 23, Number 4 ies, rabbis, imams, highly skilled at needlework, to tailor and Winter 2016 and glitterati. embroider dresses destined for export to Editor: Linda Temple Prior to the countries of the Gulf. In fact, it was the tan-

crisis, the textile talizing assortment of long, marvelously Send address embroidered dresses which had drawn corrections to: sector of Syria had [email protected] been the second me to their stall at the fair in Germany— or mail to most important Weave a Real Peace source of income c/o 6182 Pollard Avenue for the country’s East Lansing, MI 48823 economy. By now, textile businesses have suffered such Dress embroidered by The deadline for losses that they local women in Aleppo contributions to the are no longer op- Spring issue of the WARP erational or have relocated abroad, having newsletter is been exposed to extortion and sabotage. February 24, 2017 Even traditional and highly respected Embroidery in Aleppo used to be famous Send articles and textile workshops have been affected. correspondence for We read, for example, that the famous I’d seen nothing like this in Europe before! the newsletter to: 200-year-old Nassan workshop of Damas- Pleased by my interest, the vendors pro- Linda Temple cus which produced possibly the most ceeded to tell me that these were clothes 1230 NE 70 exquisite brocade in the world no longer from Aleppo (Syria) and Palestine, “the Oklahoma City, OK 73111 exists. last shipment of dresses to make it out [email protected] of Aleppo before fire destroyed the Great 405/478-4936 (phone) Bazaar.” Aleppo! What images that con- jured—of an ancient city dominated by commerce in cloth for countless centu- Information about an ries…of a Great Bazaar whose alleyways organization or service in had extended over some 13 km with more this newsletter does not than 1000 stalls, embellished by world- constitute an endorsement by WARP. class medieval monuments, and listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986. Submissions may be Impressed, I asked what the Old City of Aleppo had looked like before fire rav- edited or shortened at the Dresses from Aleppo that were saved before discretion of the editor. the Great Bazaar was set on fire aged the Great Bazaar in 2012, and one of the vendors exclaimed “If only you had A Jerusalem cloth trader has run out of seen it—you would never have forgot- the very last bales of his most sought-after ten it! On business trips, we stayed at the textile—brocade woven with 14 karat gold Citadel with views of the old city walls, thread, and only manufactured in Palmyra the fragrance of spices wafting into our up until the crisis. “Weaving 10 meters of rooms…There was even a section of the this brocade would take a worker 40 days,” Great Bazaar reserved for Muslim brides- according to the shopkeeper. continued on page 5 2 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 2017 WARP Annual Meeting in Oaxaca! Judi Jetson Textile traditions in the Oaxaca region nights lodging (single supplement $100) of Mexico go back many hundreds of and most meals. years, to colonial times, and today are There will be a variety of pre- and post- Weave A Real Peace Membership Information alive and well and waiting for WARP mem- conference workshops offered by Oaxaca www.weavearealpeace.org bers to arrive June 8-11, 2017. In a part Cultural Navigator, Tia Stephanie Tours, of the world known for varied weaving and Traditions Mexico for additional fees. 2017 Annual Dues traditions, Oaxacan textiles stand out for Registration will open on WARP’s website $50 - Individual in US/Canada their richness of form and style, and the on January 9th at 5pm. If you’d prefer to $90 - 2 year special - Individual US/Canada $40 - International Individual extensive variety of weaving techniques. receive a paper registration form, please Simple living - Choose an amount With the help of WARP’s program plan- contact our administrator, Rita Chapman, you can live with ning committee, ably chaired by Judy at [email protected]. Newland, who will be joined by former We look forward to seeing you in $50 - Guilds/Organization $30 - Sister/Gift Subscriptions scholarship recipient Rocio Gutierrez, Mexico! $75 - Business Cathy Joslyn, and Gail Ryser, and assist- $75 - Supporting Individual ed by Norma Schafer of Oaxaca Cultural $100 - Friend of WARP Navigator, this promises to be a culturally $150+ - Patron of WARP rich treat for our global network of textile What’s in this Issue All memberships are based on the calen- enthusiasts (more on page 12). dar year and expire on Classic and beautiful, the conference December 31. Members receive hotel—Hostal de la Noria—is just two Tentmakers of Egypt...... 1 access to all publications for the year joined. blocks from the main square of Oaxaca. Aleppo’s Great Bazaar: A Eulogy...... 2 It features patios for relaxing and talking, lovely courtyards, a small pool, and a roof 2017 Annual Meeting in Oaxaca!...... 3 Members have access to annual Membership terrace. The standard rooms are small but 2017 Membership Information...... 3 Directory through a secure comfortable, suites have seating areas From the Office...... 4 members only section of the web site, a and some exterior windows. All rooms quarterly newsletter, and can participate have fans and air conditioning, private Member Profile: Sara Lamb...... 5 in the WARP Google baths, and the hotel has good WIFI and a Thanks to WARP Patrons...... 5 Discussion Group. restaurant serving local dishes open from From the President...... 6 Dues are used for printing, mailing, and 7am to 11pm. The international airport is office expenses. Weave A Real Peace about 15 minutes south of Oxaca, with Best News You Didn’t Know...... 6 (WARP) is designated a 501(c)(3) nonprofit shuttle and taxi transportation available. Textile Techniques: Why India?...... 7 organization by the Internal Revenue Our conference presentations and Service. All donations to WARP Birth and Rebirth to be published...... 7 are tax deductible in the workshops will fill the day of Friday, June United States. 9th and will be held at the San Pablo Cul- Thanks to WARP Donors...... 7 tural Center, next door to the acclaimed WARP on the Web...... 8 For membership or additional informa- Textile Museum. Friday evening will fea- tion, please send your name, address, ture a reception with local cuisine. Sat- Oaxaca Travel Study Opportunities....8 telephone number, and email address with appropriate check, money order, or urday, June 10th will feature an all-day More Oaxaca Activities...... 9 Paypal information in US funds payable to textile tour led by Norma with demon- 2017 Newsletter Copy Deadlines.....10 WARP to: strations and visits to artisans’ studios and homes. The cost of the conference New Members...... 10 Weave a Real Peace c/o 6182 Pollard Avenue will be $525-575 (depending on the type Taproot Video...... 11 East Lansing, MI 48823 of room chosen) for all programs, three 2017 Annual Meeting Programs...... 12 or join online at http://www.weavearealpeace.org

WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 3 From the WARP Office Rita Chapman It’s membership renewal season! site, you are sent directly to the second- Thank you to those who took advantage ary site. You must login to access your WARP Governing of our offer to renew your 2017 member- member profile and conduct any transac- Board ship early and save a few dollars. Several tions. Your USER ID is the email address Philis Alvic also signed up to get the that you gave to WARP when you joined. Lexington, KY newsletter by email in- If you know your unique PASSWORD, you [email protected] stead of by mail, which enter that at the same time, and you’re Term expires 2018 will save several hundred in. If you don’t know your password yet, dollars per year in print- Teena Jennings then click on FORGOT PASSWORD. After Granville, OH ing and mailing costs. It’s it tells you an email has been sent, close [email protected] also faster, helpful if you’re outside the US. that browser tab, and open your email Term expires 2017 It’s not too late to make this choice, just account. Find the message, click the link, follow the instructions below to get into and follow the prompts to get back into Judi Jetson your membership profile and set it up! Weaverville, NC the website. You can set up your own [email protected] The main focus for this article is to password, or continue to use the one the Term expires 2019 help you access our two websites. In early program randomly provided to you with 2015, WARP began using a web-based the link (in either case, you’ll want to write Cindy Lair member management service called Wild it down!). Boulder, CO [email protected] Apricot. No more tracking members in a Once you are signed in, you can Term expires 2017 spreadsheet! It’s allowed us to automate manage your own profile, click the box to many tasks, such as how we contact you, receive your newsletter by email instead Sara Lamb and how we handle new memberships of mail, change any contact information, Grass Valley, CA and renewals. Registration for our annual [email protected] give a donation, renew your member- Term expires 2019 meeting is now easily done online, and ship and, when the time comes, regis- you get confirmation immediately. But, ter for the annual meeting set for June Judy Newland having two websites is confusing, be- 8 – 11, 2017 in Oaxaca, Mexico! Because Longmont, CO cause you need a different password for the Wild Apricot website is somewhat [email protected] Term expires 2018 each. Hopefully by early 2017 we’ll have more secure, it is where you can access integrated the two sites so that you only the ONLINE MEMBER DIRECTORY. Once Karen Searle need one password. For now, here’s how you are signed in, you’ll see a dot on the St. Paul, MN to access the two sites. JOIN button, indicating another web- [email protected] WARP’s primary website is Term expires 2018 page in the pull-down menu there. Click http://weavearealpeace.org. The pass- and you’ll see DIRECTORY, click again and Susan Weltman word is the same as it’s always been, and you will see prompts for using the online Brooklyn, NY you received the password for the ‘mem- member directory! [email protected] bers only’ protected area when you first I hope this information is helpful in Term expires 2019 joined (if you need it, let me know). navigating our two websites. I hope to WARP’s secondary website is soon provide a more comprehensive Rita Chapman http://weavearealpeace.wildapricot.org, guide to all our social media sites, more Administrative Coordinator is now where we handle all financial mat- about our two websites, and how to best [email protected] ters, such as joining and renewing, do- make use of it all. Again, thank you for nations, and registration for the annual your support of Weave a Real Peace! meeting. When you click on MEMBER- Contact Rita at [email protected] SHIP and then on JOIN on the primary

4 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 Member Profile Sara Lamb: Perfecting the bag-to-end-all-bags! Gloria Miller beads and small band weaving. While in my Sara submitted the following Profile Please consider making "bag phase" I learned knotted pile from Orlo for the Newsletter. an end-of-year donation Duker and 17 years later, I am still weaving My home is Grass Valley, a small town to Weave A Real Peace in northern California. I call myself a spin- knotted pile, making bags, and now sewing leather to make them more durable. My im- ner who weaves, or a contemporary weaver WARP is designated a 501(c) mediate goals include perfecting leather using traditional techniques. Most of my (3) organization by the Inter- making takes place in my studio—a red stitching by hand, and some day making nal Revenue Service, and all yurt in my back yard. the most excellent, no questions asked, all donations are tax deductible In the early 1970s after college, I worked encompassing, absolute perfect, all around in the US. If you wish, you in San Francisco. After being exposed to bag-to-end-all-bags. I'm getting close! can designate your donation weaving yarns, I took beginning weav- My foray into weaving has been a study be added to the ing from Kay Sekimachi, a weaver of great in global cultures and traditions Travel Scholarship Fund, the repute, who distilled the basics for a room becomes an investigation into the local Endowment Fund, or the full of neophytes at Fort Mason Art Center traditions—weaving has enriched my life General Fund. in San Francisco. beyond all imagining! Mail donations to WARP Then I had a baby, we moved to the Years ago I joined WARP, hoping my c/o 6182 Pollard Avenue foothills, my Dad built me a loom, and I dues would help further its goals. I've pur- East Lansing, MI 48823 practiced using everything I had--even chased goods and held sales for UPAVIM bakery string! While I held that baby, I saw and Mayan Hands. In 2015, I attended the sheep out the window and knew I could annual meeting and in 2016 was elected to use that wool, so I found a spinning class. the Board. As a maker, I would like to reach My teachers were Marsha Stone and Gloria out to other makers, and encourage them Spencer. Both were weavers, so I missed the to join WARP to help support textile work- memo that forbade using hand spun yarns ers all over the globe. for weaving. I've been a workshop leader, author, I spent the next 40 years weaving all and maker for 40 years, teaching all over the kinds of cloth, doing at least some spin- US and beyond. I wrote three books pub- ning, dyeing, and weaving daily. I joined lished by Interweave: Woven Treasures, the local guild, went to conferences and ex- Spin to Weave, and The Practical Spinner's hibits, learned from others, and eventually Guide to Silk. had my work recognized and published. I can be reached at www.saralamb.com If you wish to help One of the most seminal weaving classes I or on my blog, saralamb.blogspot.com. rebuild the Old City of took was taught by Ruth Gaines on weaving Gloria Miller is a Sister of Mercy and has been Aleppo, please contact: cotton fabric which led me to weave fabric working with a knitting group in Peru for many for clothing. Another influential class was years. She became connected with WARP when Association of Friends of the with Michele Wipplinger on warp painting she started weaving in 2006 and continues to Old City of Aleppo e.V. with fiber reactive dyes. enjoy weaving and her weaving connections all www.rebuildingaleppo.com I later became interested in embellish- over the world. ment and making bags using wire work, Association of Friends of the old City of Aleppo e.V. c/o SCALA Architekten Aleppo’s Great Bazaar Humboldtstr. 6 continued from page 2 70178 Stuttgart to-be and their Mothers—you could find But many of these traders have vowed the finest henna dresses, gold jewelry, “We will rebuild our cities and our busi- candied almonds of Syria there!” Now, the nesses—just grant us peace!” traders’ former business partners are refu- Cathy Peppers, a student of textiles, can be gees in Scandinavia, their employees dis- reached at [email protected] persed, the Great Bazaar itself reduced to rubble. WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 5 From the President.... Hi, my name is Cindy Lair, but you can was the Artisan Resource Guide, an ex- call me Buttercup. I am the President of traordinary accomplishment for our orga- WARP. I wanted to take a moment of your nization. On behalf of all of us we offer you WARP Membership: time and share with you a very personal a profound thank you. You make us feel at Have You side of Weave A Real Peace. Each and every peace, laughing and happy. Renewed for 2017? member of WARP inspires me day in and Our youngest board members Kelsey day out. Wischerken and Katie Simmons resigned Did you know WARP has Recently, it appears as though the world their seats this year as careers became just over 340 members? Yet, close to 60 didn’t renew is imploding with violence and hatred. We their primary focus. We are so proud and their memberships this wake each morning to random attacks happy for both of them. Thank you for year! You can do this now at around the world, senseless killings all. giving unselfishly of your time, humor, and http://weavearealpeace. And still I have hope because YOU are out incredible talent. wildapricot.org. there in the imploding world making it a We welcome our newest board mem- better place, one generous moment after bers Sara Lamb, Judi Jetson, and Susan Membership dues provide another. Weltman. You will be tasked with moving funding for our quarterly Our annual meeting in Santa Fe WARP forward and I personally have no newsletter, website, and brought that truth home to me, as so doubts about your leadership, talents, and presence on social media. many of you volunteered at the Interna- commitment to fulfilling WARP’s mission. It allows us to communicate tional Folk Art Market. I think we all helped Our unsung hero of the Santa Fe meet- with the world and to reach stimulate the economic status of the art- ing was Judy Newland, who planned and new people. It allows for one part-time administra- ists. Yet the most memorable moment for arranged an incredible program for all of tive coordinator, so that me was during the parade on the square, us to enjoy. Thank you so much Judy. volunteers can focus on the when Jackie Abrams turned to me, with To all of you who joined our tribe in mission of the organization. eyes overflowing and said; person this year and to all of those who If you haven’t yet renewed “This is what I want the world to be. All could only be there in spirit, know that no your membership, please of us at peace, laughing and happy.” matter where you are in the world, you are do so today. Our member- Jackie leaves the board this year after loved, respected, and valued as extraordi- ship dues have increased six long tireless years working toward a nary members of the human race. for 2017. The individual better connection for us all. Her brain child You can contact Cindy at laircowgirl@msn. membership is now $50. If you are able, please con- sider upgrading your mem- bership to the $75 support- ing level, or even the $100 The Best News You Don’t Know Friend or $150 Patron level! WARP’s annual member- Nicholas Kristof, writing in the Sep- “As world leaders gather for the United ships are for 12 months tember 22 issue of the New York Times: Nations General Assembly this week, all from your most recent “The world is a mess, with billions of the evidence suggests that we are at an renew or rejoin-date. We people locked in inescapable cycles of war, inflection point for the ages. The number are a non-profit as defined famine and poverty, with more children of people living in extreme poverty ($1.90 in the IRS tax code 501(c) than ever perishing from hunger, disease per person per day) has tumbled by half (3). Contact Rita Chapman, and violence. in two decades, and the number of small [email protected] “That’s about the only thing Ameri- children dying has dropped by a similar for any questions. Thank cans agree on; we’re polarized about all proportion — that’s six million lives a year you! else. But several polls have found that saved by vaccines, breast-feeding promo- about 9 out of 10 Americans believe that tion, pneumonia medicine and diarrhea global poverty has worsened or stayed treatments!” the same over the last 20 years. Read the entire article at “Fortunately, the one point Americans http://tinyurl.com/gloxm44 agree on is dead wrong.

6 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 By: Deborah

Birth and Rebirth: Textile Techniques from Why India? Around the World Embroidery: Kantha—patched cloth em- climatic zone, with its own characteristic by Deb Brandon will broidery, Shisha—mirror embroidery, Toda— flora and fauna, affects the nature of the be published Spring darning stitch embroidery, Chikankari—white crafts practiced by its inhabitants, such as or Summer of 2018 by on white embroidery. sock knitting in Kangra where the weather Schiffer Publishing. This Weaving: Patan patola—double ikat, is cold and local wool is available, and mat is a book that Deb wrote Duhrrie—flatwoven carpets, Kaleen—knot- weaving in the Kanniyakumari district in as a WARP fundraiser and ted carpets, Zari—gold thread brocade. the south where the best grass grows in is based on her newslet- ter articles "Textile Tech- Dyeing: Bandhani—tie-resist dyeing, Katta abundance on the river banks. niques from Around the katradhu—clamp resist dyeing, Ajrakh— It’s also important to note that over- World.” The book will have block printing, Kalamkari—dye-painting. all impression of a medley in geography, twenty-five chapters, each And much much more, including vari- population, and crafts is further enhanced chapter about a different ous applique techniques, quilting, felting. by the fact that itexists within a relatively technique: Berber flat- What is it about India that it has such small area (India is approximately a third weave, Matyo embroidery, an incredible variety in textile traditions, of the size of the US and China)—India is Gyotaku—fish printing, compared to any other country in the one of the most densely populated coun- Miao shiny cloth, Ajrakh— world? Peru and Guatemala also have tries in the world (990 per square mile block printing, Estonian diverse traditional techniques, as does versus 370 in China and 84 in the US). hand knit mittens, Miao pleated skirts, Pina cloth China. But they don’t come near to the I’ve wanted to travel to India ever since from the Philippines, Zari variety that is present in India. What is so I was a child listening to my father’s stories brocade, Patan patola— different about India? of his trips. But now, picturing this pot- double ikat, Bhutanese India has been a crossroad of civiliza- pourri of a country and its textiles, even embroidery weaving, Kilt tions for more than five thousand years. more so. Soon. hose, Molas, H'mong story Multiple religions coexist in the subconti- cloth, Zimbabwe-Sadza/ nent—Islam, Hindu, Christianity, Jainism, Resources: Shona Batik, Kente cloth, Sikhism, Sufism, Buddhism. Well over one Handmade in India: A Geographic En- Adinkra cloth, Vodou flags, hundred different cultures entered India cyclopedia of Indian Handicrafts, Aditi Shisha embroidery--mirror over time—Indo-Aryans, Greeks, Central Ranjan and M.P. Ranjan (editors), Abbe- work, Bandhani—tie-dye, Laheriya and mothra—tie- Asians, Mughals. Each new culture bring- ville Publishing Group, 2009. dye, Bedouin weaving, ing in new ideas and skills. The invasions Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Path- way to Modern World, by Mark A. Norell, Kantha embroidery, Es- also contributed to the diversification of padrilles; Peruvian three- Denise Patry Leidy, American Museum of crafts, by causing the displacement of dimensional embroidery. entire communities within the country, Natural History, and Laura Ross, Sterling each region creating its own variation, its Signature, 2011. Photography of the own identity. The Sari, by Linda Lynton, Thames & textiles is by Joe Coca. If The diverse physical environment also Hudson, 2002. anyone has professional has a significant impact on textile tradi- World Textiles: A Visual Guide to Tradition- quality photos of the tions (and other crafts). India is bounded al Techniques, by John Gillow and Bryan artisans at work please contact Deb at in the north by the Himalayas where the Sentance, Thames & Hudson, 1999. [email protected] weather is cold. Immediately to the south National Geographic Global Atlas, Carl of the mountain range are fertile plains Mehler (editor), The National Geograph- that are prone to heavy flooding. To the ic Society, 2014. west lies the Sindh desert, and in south- Deborah Brandon is a multi-talented math- ern India the weather is tropical. Each ematician and former board member. She can be reached at 412/963-7416 or at [email protected]

WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 7 2017 WARP Annual Meeting Travel Study Opportunities from Tia Stephanie Tours WARP member Stephanie Schneider- Begin Date, June 2, Veracruz (VER) WARP on the Web - http:// man, of Tia Stephanie Tours, is planning End Date: June 8, Oaxaca City www.weavearealpeace. several special tours for WARP members Trip Duration: 6 Nights org features WARP history, attending the Annual Meeting in Oaxaca Price: $1,525, Double Occupancy annual meeting information, next June. More details and registration member access to the direc- information are available on her website, Post-Trip: “The Art of the Ikat Rebozo”: tory, and past newsletters. www.tiastephanietours.com. Traditions and Techniques You can join or renew your Travel to Tenancingo to meet the membership online. Stephanie writes that your registration fee for either the pre- or post-trips includes master ikat dyers of Mexico. We will learn, “Like” WARP on Facebook a donation to WARP to be matched by Tia step-by-step, the process of warp-faced – Find ‘Weave A Real Peace’ Stephanie Tours . ikat dye resist techniques in Mexico. We in the search bar on your per- will admire the beauty of the multiple sonal Facebook account to Pre-Trip: “In the Footsteps of Irmgard ikat designs, such as “labor doble”, “media follow what WARP members Weitlaner-Johnson”: La Chinantla, Oaxaca Azteca” and others, and we can purchase share and to make posts to Travel to “La Chinantla,” Oaxaca, a directly from the artisans or in the market- the page. Click ‘Invite Friends region that is topographically and cultur- place. to Follow’ to promote WARP ally distinct from the Central Valleys. Bor- Begin Date: Monday June 12, fly to to other Facebook friends. dered by Veracruz to the north and the Mexico City Sierra Juarez Mountains to the south, this End Date: June 15, flights out from WARP Blog - To subscribe to Mexico City receive an email when a new a singular cul- article has been posted, click tural region Trip Duration: 3 Nights on ‘Blog’ in the main menu of Mexico. On Price: $785, Double Occupancy at http://weavearealpeace. this trip, we’ll org. Enter your email address meet Chinan- During Conference: (The Sunday that the where you see ‘Subscribe tec and Maza- Conference Ends, June 11) to the WARP Blog Via Email.’ tec people and Special Natural Dye Workshop: Join the To contribute an article to communities. master dyers of the Centro de Arte Zapo- the blog, please email info@ The trip is teco Bii Dauu to learn of their ancient tech- weavearealpeace.org designed as a niques and masterful use of working with special study natural dyes. We begin with the yellow set Google - You are invited to trip opportu- of dyes, derived from “pericon,” tagetes join our Google Group. If you nity for WARP lucida, a wild marigold, to develop our yel- want to join please email Rita lows and our yellow bases for future over at info@ weavearealpeace. members to observe dress of this region org to be added. from the prior decades and to see how it dyes. Next we will work with reds, and in may/may not have changed or evolved Oaxaca, this means cochineal! We will Katie Simmons also main- today. We will photograph, take notes, learn about this dye source and work with tains a WARP presence on and compare to the early field work of Ir- it to develop our reds and oranges. Finally, ravelry.com, the knitting mgard Weitlaner-Johnson, and meet with we work with our blue, indigo vat. Here networking site; and on her daughter Kirsten, when we arrive in we see the magic unfold as our blues and Weavevolution, http://www. Oaxaca. all our over dyes begin to emerge: greens, weavolution.com. Please purples, and more. send her information at Price: $100 for the day of dyeing and a [email protected]. lunch break of regional foods.

There wasn’t room in this issue for more Books You Want to Know About—which turns out to be publications in all formats by WARP members—and look forward to the continuation of this feature in the Spring issue. LT

8 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 More Oaxaca Suggestions For Sunday Activities From Oaxaca Cultural Navigator Norma Shafer, of Oaxaca Cultural Navi- Master of Oaxaca Folk Art. Includes lunch. gator, is also suggesting several optional $95 per person. Minimum 10 people. No Where to shop this events for WARP members attending maximum. the annual meeting. All will be held on holiday season Sunday, June 11. Contact Norma directly Tlacolula Market Wander. WARP’s updated exclusive at http://oaxacaculture.com for more infor- After breakfast, you will travel by van Artisan Textile Resource mation. to the Tlacolula Market, the large region- Guide at al tianguis that draws local people from http://weavearealpeace.org, Natural Dye Workshop. throughout Oaxaca who buy and sell live- gives you direct links to many This three-hour workshop/demonstra- stock, food, household goods, clothing and rich resources that our mem- tion will focus on making a cochineal dye textiles. Includes transportation and lunch. bers offer. There are beautiful bath and sample yarns to demonstrate the $95 per person. Minimum 6 people. Maxi- handwoven textiles, baskets, variety of colors derived from the insect mum 12 people. and other items—available that lives on the nopal cactus. Cochineal, for both retail and wholesale. native to Oaxaca, was the largest Span- Oaxaca Walking Tour. ish export after the conquest, second only We will lead you on a guided visit and Members of the Fair Trade to gold. Does not include lunch. $95 per meet with two of Oaxaca’s greatest textile Federation - “When you buy person. Minimum 3 people. Maximum 6 collectors/gallery owners to learn more from FTF members, you sup- people. about the indigenous craft and the regions port businesses that respect of Oaxaca’s great textiles. We will also visit the planet, value unique cul- Archeology/history tour to Monte Alban churches and markets. Includes lunch. Tour tural traditions, and empower and the Zapotec pottery center of Atzompa. provider is Norma Schafer, Oaxaca Cultural small farmers and artisans Learn about the Zapotec civilization, Navigator LLC. $65 per person. Minimum 3 around the world.” View the the greatest of Mesoamerica. Visit a Grand people. Maximum 8 people. Fair Trade Holiday Gift Guide at http://www.fairtradefederation.org Taproot Video: www.taprootvideo.com continued from page 11 than we can film (we are advising them about the disappearing techniques, docu- how to hire private videographers in their menting the techniques as well as stream- own regions, and produce quality videos) ing the films on the website. Monies earned and under the umbrella of ‘folk arts’ we can from those videos could be sent back to the fit a whole lot of classes. artisans in-country, giving us an immediate, Now comes the interesting part for direct way to make the continuation of the WARP members. Once more the Big Picture skill a financial viability. husband came to me with another idea. This is our plan. And now that it is in We had traveled in 2010 to India and met front of us, I realize this is what I have spent many artisans in the state of Gujarat. Many my whole life preparing to do. This will be of the exquisite folk arts they were doing our retirement: traveling and filming, docu- were showing signs of weakening and even menting, telling their stories. We start with being in danger of being lost, as fewer ar- India, where we have our guide and transla- tisans did them. The skills were simply not tor set and ready to help in the filming, but bringing in the money the young people we also have our eyes on Laos, Guatemala could earn in the city in factories. This dis- (Hi Deborah!), and points beyond. tressed both of us during the trip. Marilyn Romatka (based in Seattle) started Rainer’s idea was this: once the web- out as a scientist, but Life intervened and she site hosted about ten teachers, and those became a teacher of ethnic folk art nation- teachers were drawing in good traffic, we wide. She is now thoroughly enjoying her next should pack up our cameras and fly to metamorphosis into budding filmmaker. Life is India. We could make short documentaries Good!

WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 9 Egyptian Tentmakers continued from page 1 printed cotton copies of khayamiya are Visitors to the 2016 International Folk now cheap and available, the demand for Art Market in Santa Fe saw a range of New Members the creation of the authentic large tents different subject matter in the appliqué. Lena Bartula has decreased somewhat. However, the Hosam and Tarek (the first tentmakers to San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico compensating desire for tourist art in- participate in IFAM) brought geometric creases. Thus, hanging walls have led to and arabesque-patterned pieces, as well Jeanne Brady wall hangings… as representational scenes of birds, flow- Smithville, TN The khayami (appliqué artist) sits ers and trees, horses, Arabic calligraphy cross-legged on the floor of his workshop. and pharaonic elements. Colors were rich Wilma Chambers If he is creating a geometric design, he and varied. On a trip to Cairo in 1998, I was Crossville, TN starts with paper folded in sections: it will interested to see another source used by cover the canvas piece when opened. He the khayamin: the engravings Napoleon’s Nancy Feldman draws the design on the top folded sec- artists made during the French occupa- Evanston, IL tion. With a needle or sharp tool he pricks tion (1798-1801). One pictured on page 1 Gayle Grawemeyer holes through the layers of paper. Next shows a 1798 Cairo weaving studio! Cookeville, TN he opens the paper and spreads it on the International interest in khayamiya canvas. Charcoal dust is brushed across has been furthered by quilters in Austra- Kathi Grupp, Handweavers the paper, penetrating the small holes lia, the UK, and North America. The tent- Guild of America and outlining the design. After remov- makers have been invited to quilt shows, Suwanee, GA ing the paper he can connect the sten- where they bring sell the work of many of ciled dots with chalk or pencil. Now the the artisans on the alley, contributing rec- Loria Malone tailor’s scissors, thimble, and long straight ognition and wealth to the profession as Cookeville, TN needle go to work at lightning speed, cut- a whole. Cairo acquired its present name ting pieces of colored cotton and turning in1069 AD; until then the city was called Carrie Miller CO them under to appliqué with invisible Al-Fustat (‘the metropolis of the tent’), stitches. A variation of this stitching uses named by a general conquering Egypt in Suzanne Puckett white thread and larger visible stitches, a 641 AD. One hopes that the tentmakers Mattawan, MI style prominent during Egypt’s Khedival will be as important in the future of Egypt period (1867-1914). One artist completes and beyond as they have been in the past. Whitney Rimel an entire piece or commissioned panel, Missoula MT regardless of size. The workspaces of the Molly Martin has been a collector and student khayamin also serve as shops, creating a of African textiles for nearly fifty years. Seven weeks in Egypt (two stays) in the 1990s intro- Kristin Alexandra Tidwell suq (stall) along the alley where people Be Well Designed, Inc. duced her to the art of the tentmakers. She lives can buy the textiles. Burnsville, NC in Austin, TX and can be reached at [email protected]. Callie Vandewiele Cambridge, UK 2017 Newsletter Copy Deadlines V24N1 - Spring 2017 - February 24 V24N2 - Summer 2017- May 5 V24N3 - Fall 2017 - July 28 V24N4 - Winter - October 27

Save these dates and send your contributions to the Newsletter! Contact me at [email protected] if you have questions. Thanks!

10 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 Taproot Video (www.taprootvideo.com): A Little Website with Big Plans Marilyn Romatka Postcards for WARP I have the best job in the world, really! I different techniques (yes, I counted them travel to interesting countries, learn folk art up one day…) and this sounded like a good Members techniques there, and return to the US to basis for a website. We pulled it off, and If you would like some teach enthusiastic students. beautiful WARP postcards Although I teach at crafting conferences to distribute, contact across the nation, my heart is with the kids Rita Chapman at I started out teaching, way back when. My [email protected]. passion has been to get traditional skills into the hands of the next generation. To that end, my husband Rainer and I self-pub- lished a book in 2012 that taught teachers how to teach 15 folk art lessons to kids. But

Bow Loom Weaving (technique from the Akha Peoples in Northern Thailand) basketmaking Basket weaver in Ghana working with SERRV – a nonprofit organization that promotes social & economic progress by marketing handcrafts in a fair and just manner the website went live this last July Weave A Real Peace Photo courtesy of WARP member & SERRV consultant Jackie Abrams (www.taprootfolkarts.com). gdgcgdgcgdgcgdg My Big Picture husband then ap- proached me with an additional idea: make the site a co-op. He pointed out that I know many of the fiber-arts instructors on the teaching circuit, and that many of them might like to stream their classes but may

KNITTING Knitters on the Capachica Peninsula in Peru Weave A Real Peace Photo courtesy of WARP member Adrienne Sloane gdgcgdgcgdgcgdg Temari Ball (technique from Japan) the world is changing the way it learns, and this past Fall we started putting my classes into video format; the thought being, as I continue to teach home-schoolers in my WEAVING Weaving Hand members demonstrating weaving techniques to community children in New York City region I may influence at most 30 kids a Weave A Real Peace Photo courtesy of WARP member and Weaving Hand founder Cynthia Alberto year, but with video, I could reach more. gdgcgdgcgdgcgdgcgdgcg The idea was well timed. After writing the book, I had two independent requests from two women who worked in Uganda, asking how they could get my Bow Loom Baumschmuck (“tree jewelry”) lesson into the hands of their co-operatives. (technique from Bavaria) They both realized that the simple tool that made the really lovely bracelets (with very not have a tech-savvy husband who knows little money-outlay for materials), had great how to make websites! spinning PAZA member spinning in Boliva • pazabolivia.org potential as a money-maker for the wom- Of course, this was an idea whose time Weave A Real Peace Photo courtesy of WARP member & PAZA organizer Dorinda Dutcher en’s groups they were working with. had come! I contacted many instructors and gdgcgdgcgdgcgdg Then my husband suggested we stream the enthusiasm for the idea has been tre- the classes on a website. I teach some 52 mendous. Instructors are signing up faster continued on page 9 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016 11 Weave a Real Peace c/o 6182 Pollard Avenue East Lansing, MI 48823

Have you paid your dues for next year? 2017 Annual Meeting June 8-10, 2017 in Oaxaca! discussions with a noted cultural anthropologist and Mexi- can art expert who we hope will be our keynote speaker. The list of wonderful artisans and people working with indigenous groups in Mexico is exciting and we hope to offer natural dye experts, a group who raises wild Oaxaca cotton and sews amazing clothing, fashion and design movements, and so much more. It is hard to choose from such a treasure trove of exceptional presenters. We will have time to visit the textile museum, maybe visit behind-the-scenes and wrap up our long day with a relaxing reception. **A note for those who are starting to plan their arrival date. The famed Oaxaca Botanical Garden gives tours in WARP’s Annual Meeting program committee is working English on Thursday and Saturday mornings only. Since our hard to plan presentations, demos, and discussions for our Saturday is packed with the natural dye weaving and textile annual meeting, Friday and Saturday, June 9 -10. Eric Chavez tour, you may want to consider coming early for the Thurs- Santiago, founding director of education at the Museo Textil day morning tour at the botanical garden. de Oaxaca, now heads an entrepreneurial effort for Mexican There will be a variety of pre- and post-conference tours folk artisans for the Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation that owns and workshops offered by Tia Stephanie Tours and Tradi- the Museo Textil de Oaxaca, San Pablo Cultural Institute, and tions Mexico for additional fees. Oaxaca Cultural Navigator, other philanthropic endeavors in Oaxaca. Eric has offered has also organized one-day activities for Sunday June 11 for WARP meeting rooms at the Cultural Institute and will or- those who may have just one extra day to play. ganize a marketplace featuring artisans from throughout Note that registrations for all of the pre- and post-confer- Oaxaca. We hope he will be one of our main speakers, de- ence workshops will be handled separately by the respective scribing his work with artisans and the foundation. We are in tour operators. --Judy Newland

12 WARP Newsletter - Winter 2016