Weaving on 18th-century so-called “barn loom”
In this article and video, an American master weaver will tell us a little about a barn loom that was used to make coarse linen for slaves’…
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80 articles about clothing, craft, and tradition.
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Native American women and kids. Old and very rare photos
The world knows not enough about the Native American Indians, their culture, clothing traditions, and lifestyle. Of course, there are…
Bolivian fashion uses folk clothing of indigenous Aymara people
The latest fashion trends in Bolivia show that the folk outfits are gaining popularity in this country. For years, the traditional costumes…
Vintage garments from American Kent State University Museum. Part 1
American history of fashion is rather special. People in the US usually consider the clothing of first settlers as its beginning. That’s…
Beautiful Mexican Jalisco folk dance costume
Mexican folk dances are something special: passionate, spectacular, and cheerful. And the folk dancers’ costumes add to that feeling. You…
Traditional Quechua belts are used not only for beauty. Cotacachi, Ecuador
A belt is an ancient item used by all the nations around the world. Most often, belts serve to support the clothes and as a decorative…
American fashion of Civil War period, the 1860s
American Civil War fashion gave us beautiful garments – floating skirts, delicate fabrics, elegant decorations, and so much more. This…
Traditional blouse of Guatemala. Maya women weave their folk clothing on backstrap loom
In Guatemala, females still wear their folk clothing and thus, make it themselves. Many of them are descendants from Maya people, so they…
Native American Indian artifacts tell little stories about the lifestyle of Indian tribes
The exhibition “Discovering American Indian Art” at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture shows us the way of life, customs and…
The craft of weaving huipiles – female tunics of Guatemala – might vanish because of a huge market of underpriced secondhand huipiles
For the past 3,500 years, Mayan women have created intricate huipiles on a backstrap loom. These traditional garments signify the origin…
Traditional braiding of Native American Indians. How to weave without a loom
One of the authentic folk crafts of the Native American Indians is a fingerweaving. They wove narrow strips of fabric – belts, bag straps,…
History and significance of Ecuadorian toquilla – traditional handmade straw hat
The traditional straw hats of Ecuador called “toquilla” are produced for centuries by the hands of local people. This craft has become a…
The art of Zapotec weaving. Ancient Mexican weaving techniques
If you want to find out how the craft of weaving looked like in ancient Mexico, you should visit Teotitlán del Valle, a small Mexican…
Hawaiian traditional kapa cloth – how to turn tree bark into fabric
If you still believe that the Hawaiian folk costume consists only of coconut cups and banana leaves, this article may surprise you. Locals…
Native American beadwork. When did they begin to do beading?
The Native American beadwork is a very important craft for the American continents. The most common question people ask about beading in…
Best traditional female Caribbean dresses – Dominica, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Haiti
The design of folk costumes in the Caribbean is based on the culture and customs of African countries (the motherland for thousands of…
Traditional self-made cheap but funny cardboard Santa Suit
If you don’t have a Santa Suit at home, you know, one of those that you can put on and then you're walking around pretending you're Santa.…
Secret knowledge behind the Native American headdress
The traditional warbonnet of Native American Indians is a sacred headdress. There is a deep philosophical meaning behind each small element…
How native Peruvian people make clothes and items from Alpaca wool. 1000 years ago recipes!
The traditional clothes of Peru are woven from the Alpaca wool. This fabric is much warmer and softer than the sheep’s wool, but also…
Shattering myths about the Pilgrim clothes. How did real outfit of American Pilgrims look like?
The pilgrims. What did they look like? And, more important, what did they wear? Americans are taught about the life of pilgrims who came to…
Miss Canada Chanel Beckenlehner in the Canadian national costume at the Miss Universe show
Hockey! Who could forget that bit of Canadian national pride? There's miss Canada Chanel Beckenlehner in the Canadian national costume at…
Folk costume glossary. Mexico
Traditional pieces of the male and female national costumes in Mexico: baja jacket, caites, charros, charro suit, china poblana, chincuete,…
Traditional weaving in Peru. The main clothing craft of Quechua people
Traditional weaving is an extremely important craft for Peru. The locals have been using woven garments and household items for thousands…
Traditional clothing of Jamaica. Modest dresses from bandana fabric and shoes from washed-up materials
Jamaican folk costumes are very bright, multicolored, organic, and breathy. Traditionally, they were made from locally produced handmade…