pattern rings

Peruvian artisan Maria Ramos Sanchez handcrafts this mobile phone case with an arpillera style front, in which cotton blend felt is appliquéd and embroidered to create an elaborate scene. The artisan was inspired by the beautiful Tambopata National Reserve of Peru, and fills this jungle scene with scarlet macaws perched in flowering trees, a tiger stalking through the foliage on the jungle floor, and a sloth peeking out from amongst the branches. This lovely, brightly colored scene is on a yellow background, and the back and lining of the bag are black. The single compartment is secured with a zipper and a long, colorful strap makes it easy to carry the case over the shoulder or across the body.

Against a background of stark black, colorful stripes and geometric patterns are diligently incorporated into the body of this sling bag. UMBVS Desert Weavers of India present this easy going bag as part of an effort to promote the welfare of local artisans in the Thar desert of Rajasthan. They weave the bag by hand from cotton on a traditional loom adding geometric patterns in bright colors using a traditional extra weft technique giving it an embroidered look. A zipper pocket on the front offers additional space for storing small items.

Made entirely by hand, this beautiful contemporary bag showcases the ancestral weaving traditions preserved by the women artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. The compact purse exemplifies the incredible time and dedication it takes to produce a handmade work of art. In the highlands they call home, before they can begin to weave the fabric for the bag, the women must first raise and shear the alpacas and llamas to obtain the wool, then dye and spin the fleece before it is ready to be woven into fabric on a traditional backstrap loom. From start to finish, the time taken to produce each bag spans the seasons. The fully-lined bag closes with a zipper and features an interior zipper pocket.

With traditional motifs that echo the shapes of the Andes mountains, this 100% alpaca shoulder bag is a standout. The artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco craft it entirely from scratch--raising the alpacas and llamas to obtain the fleece; shearing, dyeing and spinning the wool; and weaving the textile on a traditional waist loom. The fully-lined bag closes with a zipper and features an interior zipper pocket.