A warping workshop for students ready to create their own Mayan backstrap loom

Join us at the beautiful Fibershed Learning Center, in Point Reyes, CA, and build your own loom in the style of the Mayan brocade backstrap looms, from start to finish.

Doña Lidia de Lopez’s brocade looms are a work of art, handmade in the ancestral style of her hometown of San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Sacatepequez, Guatemala. Assembled using a combination of bold, colorful cotton and multiple heddles, the loom is prepared for single and double-sided brocade, the latter a unique style particular to her hometown.

Through her delicate and vibrant weaving, Doña Lidia holds and uplifts her heritage, creating pieces that combine story, environment, ancestral geometry, and fiber art. Teaching her textile art, she feels, is a spiritual calling to keep her tradition alive.

Doña Lidia’s güipiles, belts, and other textiles are currently exhibited at the 2023 International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Previously, her art has been in exhibitions around the world including: Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Mexico, Japan, and the United States. She has taught weaving throughout the States at several universities. She is currently a recipient of a 2023 Weave a Real Peace grant.

Doña Lidia lives in San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Guatemala, with her family, and has a vendor space at El Mercadito Artesanias adjacent to the plaza in Antigua, Guatemala. We are excited to welcome her as she visits and shares her traditional craft.

Outline of the Workshop:

In this class, participants will design and assemble their own loom by exploring a palette of colors and making their own customized cotton warp that will be ready to weave into a belt. Participants will attach the warp to end rods and shed rods, setup the heddles, roll a bobbin, and lay out their first rows on their brocade loom to secure the loom. All pieces for the loom are included in a material packet for each student including: rods, shed rods, batten, tenter, backstrap, tie-rope, bobbin, brocade pick, and colorful fibers. Participants will leave the class knowing how to prepare and assemble their own Mayan backstrap loom for future weaving projects.

Doña Lidia will be assisted in this workshop by two weavers, Sari Monroy Solis and her son Nathaniel. The day after, August 6, Doña Lidia will be a guest assistant in Sari and Nathaniel’s beginning backstrap weaving class at Fibershed.

Note: It is recommended that participants in the August 5 “Design Your Own Backstrap Loom” sign up for a backstrap weaving class at Fibershed on either August 6 or September 23 (or were enrolled in June) since this workshop will be focused on the design and assembly of the loom.

Enroll Here: eventbrite.com/e/670474175307

CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds (minus Eventbrite fees) available up to 7 days before the event. If you cancel after 7 days before the event we can only offer a refund (minus Eventbrite fees) if we are able to fill your space from the waitlist. Otherwise, there will be no refunds or transfers.

Tuition Scholarships & Transportation/Childcare Stipends:
Fibershed is offering two scholarships to most workshops; one scholarship if it’s a small class. In addition to scholarships for tuition, we are offering a limited number of stipends for transportation and/or childcare. If you would not otherwise be able to attend, and would like to be considered as a scholarship and/or stipend recipient, please answer a few brief questions on this Google Form. Responses will be reviewed by Learning Center staff and kept strictly confidential.

BONUS: The Clothing Swap Closet is now open during workshops and events at the Fibershed Learning Center!

Visit the Clothing Swap Closet when you attend a workshop or event at the Learning Center and exchange your 100% natural fiber garments and accessories. Your clothing contributions must be clean and in good condition. Each contribution entitles you to choose one item of comparable value.

You may depart up to an hour after the workshop ends, to allow time to browse and try on items in the closet, and make your trade!