The word "loom" (from middle English lome, "tool") is applied to any set of devices permitting a warp to be tensioned and a shed to be formed. Looms exist in great variety. Even though the backstrap loom is basic and humble, some of history's most beautiful and complex textiles have been woven on this simple arrangement of sticks.
Guatemala is one of several countries where this small, portable, and inexpensive loom is still very much a tradition and in use today. It is said that the Mayan goddess Ixchel gave the art of weaving to her people. Today's Mayan descendants still make use of that gift in generating beautiful textiles, accessories and woven bags for the local and international market.
The primary feature of the backstrap loom is that the lengthwise threads (warp) are stretched from a fixed device such as a post or tree to a belt that a person wears around the waist. By backing away from the post or tree the threads are pulled into tension.
The device that provides a method of separating the warp threads into two parts is called a "rigid heddle". It is basically two more sticks strategically placed in the middle that allow the weaver to manipulate the warps, move the heddle up or down to separate the threads vertically forming what is called a shed. The weft threads need to be packed tightly which is don with a beater which is often a comb.
In the western highlands of Guatemala the Mayan women typically used cotton yarn for their weavings and natural plants from their area to dye the yarn various colors. They still dye yarn by hand but also buy cotton yarn that's already been dyed.
The backstrap loom can make different widths of fabric. If a textile or cloth needs to be wider than what can be woven two pieces or more are joined together with heavy embroidery stitches. An example of this would be the skirt of the Mayan women, which if hand-woven would have pieces joined with embroidered stitches.
Visit our site for sturday backstrap loom fabric woven bags from Guatemala. A blend of indigenous weaving technique and contemporary color and design concepts.
