Weaving Panama Hats

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Saturday is our day to explore, but lately we have had a lot of rain, so since Saturday looked like another very wet day we started our day out at another Panama Hat Museum. This time we wanted to try to learn a bit more about the weaving process. I had found on Facebook that there are a few places in Cuenca where you can learn the art of weaving straw, unfortunately the web page did not give much info....so exploring we went!

Maija making a sunflower out of toquilla straw, Terran and Maija actually started to get the hang of weaving

It turns out, this museum we visited, offers a two month course, where you start by learning the basics, and in the end you have a certificate, and more importantly a HAT made by you!

One of our instructors with one of his creations. He told us he started weaving when he was 5 years old
The atmosphere was relaxed, and fun. Even though it was our first time, and we knew nothing, and no one, the group pulled up chairs for us, gave us some straw to work with, and included us in their joking, and work routine. A young guy, maybe 18, or 20 told the instructor he would help the “Gringitos.” The whole group just chatted along as they worked, it was hard to translate humor, but I think we all had a good time.

The ladies were making water bottle holders, and hats out of straw that morning. they meet every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday to weave.

A hat from the museum part of the shop

Our instructor explained that the weaving process follows the pattern of this game


Art work in the museum

So often during our trip I wish we had more time! We are only in Cuenca for three more weeks, and we do have to work (Wyatt), and keep up with school (the rest of us), so we knew we could not give the time commitment required for the course, but hey, we could at least try.



We tried, and failed.....it turns out the skills to weave are similar to learning to knit, or play a musical instrument, A LOT of practice is required. To be honest, we knew we would not get far, we were simply hoping to gain a better appreciation for this beautiful skill, and that we did!...and I don’t know if it was the kids, and Wyatt looking cute, or our complete lack of skill, but we even made it to their FB page.

FB page!



After a morning of not really weaving (Wyatt and I), or starting to get the hang of things (Maija and Terran), we went over to a Mercado to get some lunch....Eating at the Mercado for me is an experience, you sit with so many different people, sometimes you get live music (we did that Saturday), and the food is usually good, and super cheap ($2.50 for soup, main dish, and drink!). As they say here, Buen Provecho!

I wanted Wyatt to be sneaky and get a photo of our lunch companion, I love all the traditional dresses you see all over Cuenca

I love the blue of our lunch companion. She told us she was from "out in the country"

Hanging out outside the market, and checking out bracelets from Otavalo


Comments

  1. P. A. S.April 7, 2019 at 8:01 PM

    I'm so proud of you guys trying all these new things :)

    ReplyDelete

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