Back strap looms

Textiles from Mexico

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¿What are the mexican back strap looms?

The backstrap loom is tied to the end of a tree and the other end is held at the waist with a rope. It has several components, including a series of wooden rods used to achieve the width of the fabric and to weave the threads. This type of loom has variants depending on the pieces to be made: ribbons, girdles, bags, shawls, etc. By adding and interlocking threads of different colors, more effects are obtained. Ultimately, the introduction of threads in the warp and in the weft of the loom, produces the beautiful designs and patterns. We can say that the fabrics are woven and embroidered simultaneously.

“Among the Mayans, Ixchel was the goddess of the Moon and weaving and her daughter Ix Chebel Ya’ax was the patron of embroidery. The backstrap loom was known among the Yucatecan Maya as chuuch. The weavers consecrated the threads they used and, when they were seven years old, they offered them their first fabric.