The piece of clothing known as the Huipil (meaning: “My cover"), began its vivacious 

   journey long before the Spanish invasion of the peaceful realm known as the Purépecha  

   Empire, home of the Maya, dating to 2000 B.C. The Empire occupied territory in

                 today's southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador regions.

   In Guatemala, Life is found in the designs and art. Life is living the people, and the

   Huipil is their best expression. Counting weft and warp the weavings are hard work, while 

  counting patterns and holding the loom in your lap. It could take three months to create 

    a complete piece. Creating the dye colors, catching insects, for example the Cochineal 

  provides one of the oldest pigments, It’s red was symbolic of the gods, and the mystery

  of their vibrant blue was discovered to be a mixture of a rare clay with the dye of the 

  añil plant, part of the indigo family. A dye only with the proper joie de vive to contribute 

  to the vivacious saturated colors were utilized. Each color had its meaning: Blue: water, 

  sky, ocean or storm, or to honor Lake Atitlan, a collapsed volcano once the largest in the

                  Americas. White: The North, air, promise, hope, spirituality; Green, jungles, plants, wild

                  animals,  including the national Royal bird, the Quetzal,  related to the Quetzalcoatl, The

                  Originator of the Universe in the Universe. 

  Every color, every form, every size, and every pattern represents a layer of history and meaning. 

  And every meaning had meaning, etc. The entire fabric is autobiographical, its story, the story of 

  its weaver, culture, history and and a deep reverence for all life. Stitch by stitch Zigs and Zags are 

  by design are reminiscent of mountains, or ups and psychological downs, Diamond shapes are a 

  blueprint for the four corners of the universe, spheres reflect the sun or the moon and their paths 

  across the sky. Every aspect of existence is tightly woven become simply glamorous panels of

  life woven into the front and back designs of the Huipil. Generations old coded messages were 

  embedded into the weavings which members of descendant families can recognize at a glance.

  Dimensions:   

  1.  3 verticals with diamond shapes on front and back:  width:  50” X  13” (front and back)  X 15” (sleeves down). 

Shipping Weight: 1 pound