Guatemalan women weave hope 
one placemat, one shawl at a time

Weaving in Guatemala is like wonderful baking in North America. Favorite recipes are handed down for generations, and so are weaving styles and techniques passed from Mayan women to their daughters. As it has been done for centuries, the cloth is 100 percent handwoven on the back-strap loom. Lovingly taught by their mothers, the weavers use just the right amount of tension, the most intricate design, and the most carefully chosen colors: the perfect recipe!

In the summer of 2003, some 25 Q'eqchi (K'ekchi') women came together to form the weavers' cooperative, Threads of Hope. The weavers were included in this group based on their weaving skill and their financial need. The following summer a Sister-Link started between Threads of Hope and women from Franklin Mennonite Conference. Over the next year, Franklin women sold  more than $4,800 in Threads of Hope products, and letters were exchanged between the two groups.

Dora Marina Alvarado, president of Threads of Hope, is pictured above right. She writes: "My husband and I have wanted to help the women of the communities where there are widows for many years. It became a reality. We meet in our home. We do this with our whole heart to help. We are forming this group so that the women can get ahead. God is helping us. Sisters in Christ, I thank you for the help you have given us…by buying our products.”

Threads of Hope uses only the highest quality yarn. It is hand-washed and line-dried by each woman before stringing her loom. Therefore, color bleeding and fading will be minimal. The cloth you buy today will remain vibrant and beautiful for many years.

Prices are listed in U.S. dollars. Click on each photo below to see in greater detail.  When you hold your cursor over the photo (with some Internet browsers) the name of the color will appear.

	Bag    $8 Fit school notebook with zipper “Typical” stripes or two color designs: blues & greens, earth tones, pinks & purples
	Bread basket liner (48 x 45 cm)    $5 Solid colors, one-stripe style, or typical with several colors
	Table set   $35 14 piece set includes 1 table runner, 6 coordinating placemats, 6 napkins, and 1 bread basket liner Set of six napkins    $9 Set of six placemats     $14 Table runner (110 x 35 cm)   $14 Solid-style weave. Colors:  maroon, tan, light sage, burgundy, hunter green, yellow, blue
	Christmas table runner  $12 Lacy weave. Red with white and green trees on each end or green with white trees on each end.
	Large Christmas table runner  $20 (190 x 40 cm) Solid-style weave. Red with narrow green stripes.
	Tablecloth – simple  $45 (235 x 150 cm, fits table of 6 to 8 feet) Lacy-style weave, 100 percent cotton. Cream unless otherwise indicated
	Tablecloth – with embroidered design  $75 (235 x 150 cm, fits table of 6 to 8 feet) Lacy-style weave, 100 percent cotton. Cream unless otherwise indicated Tablecloth embroidered with Mayan designs requires three weeks of steady weaving.
	Dresser scarf/table runner (110 x 35 cm)   $12 Lacy-style weave with embroidery designs   Colors:  pink, maroon, cream, white, powder blue, yellow, burgundy, sage, red, medium blue
	Neck scarf  (160 x 25 cm)   $8 Lacy-style weave with embroidery designs. May be tied around the neck or used as a wraparound belt.  Any solid color.
	Shawl (180 x 55 cm)  $30 Any solid color; most popular are black, cream, burgundy, and maroon
	Baby blanket    $20 Pink, blue, yellow