warm shawl

Whether it is used for warmth, fashion, and utilitarian purposes like carrying bundles, the rebozo has long had a place in Mexican life. Find your own uses for this versatile shawl by Delfina Ruiz in Mexico. In off-white and sapphire blue, the rebozo is handwoven on a traditional Zapotec loom using cotton threads tinted with all-natural dyes. Long, elegant hand-knotted fringe completes the lovely design.

Drifting beautifully around the shoulders, this stunning shawl woven from a wool and cotton blend evokes elegance and sweetness. Delicate and glorious hand-embroidered paisley motifs adorn the surface, each thread carefully selected to add depth and dimension to the design. The shawl boasts a gorgeous palette of ivory, turquoise, periwinkle, green, yellow and grey hues, creating a serene aura. Embellished with fringes on the ends, this soft and fashionable accessory presented by India’s Sandeep Malhotra is the perfect complement to any style.

Golden highlights add a regal touch to this superlative textile by the Gobah-Tengey family. Created in rich kente cloth strips, its name means "Conference in Angola." Takpekpe was designed in 1950 by the late Atsu Gobah Tengey-Seddoh to commemorate a special meeting called by the colonial governor to discuss an additional tax or levy being imposed on the subjects. The conference raised voices against the payment of the special levy.

Expert weavers, the Gobah Tengey-Seddoh Family creates this outstanding shawl in 100% cotton. Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. But patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns where the warp design is hardly visible can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging, and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

Hand wash in cool water and use a warm iron.

In all the colors of a fiesta, cotton yarns are handwoven together on a traditional backstrap loom. They create the intricate stripes and X patterns of this shawl from Guatemala. Elena Ixtamer creates this artisanal shawl, which is sure to turn heads wherever it goes. Hand-knotted fringe work accents the ends of this marvelous accessory.

This glorious sweater coat is designed by Peru's Daphne Scapa, who works with a blend of organic Peruvian cotton and soft baby alpaca fibers in navy and white to create it. The generously-sized sweater features a wide shawl collar, wide cuffs, and a long self belt, all knit in a classic seed stitch. The versatile and comfortable jacket will quickly become a familiar favorite in your closet.