Guatemalan Huipil Pillow - Chichicastenango Owls II
Startled owls in a playful pink and orange palette are hand embroidered onto a light avocado green cotton to create a whimsical, one-of-a-kind textile. Above the owls are double-headed dragons that are meant to conjure the power of the earth. The embroidered neckline of the front and back of the original huipil has been preserved by using some of the avocado green cotton at the bottom of the huipil to fill in the neck hole.
The entire textile is rich with ancient Mayan symbolism and lore, and was hand-made on a backstrap loom - taking about a month to make.
The fabric is incredibly thick and sturdy, yet butter soft and the embroidered thread is raised to create a very tactile experience. The underside of the textile shows the threads from the hand embroidery.
This textile is between 10-20 years old, has been preserved very well and is in excellent condition.
Front: Vintage Textile from the Chichicastenango Province in Guatemala
Back: Off white handwoven cotton
- Size: 24" x 16"
- Insert not included
- Invisible zipper
- 100% cotton
Dry Clean Only
Customer Reviews
Embroidered pillows are repurposed from vintage, hand woven and embroidered Guatemalan huipiles - a traditional blouse worn by indigenous women from central Mexico to Central America. They are made on a backstrap loom by artisans who embroider the intricate pattern as they simultaneously weave the base cloth.
Rich with ancient cultural significance, each region, town and village in Guatemala prides itself on designs and colors unique to them.This means every woman’s origin can be identified by her huipil regardless of where she travels.
Woven pillows are repurposed from vintage, hand woven Guatemalan cortes - a traditional skirt which is a long rectangular piece of fabric wrapped around the waist and secured with a faja (wide embroidered belt). The seams in a corte are sometimes overlaid by an intricately embroidered randa. Where possible we try to preserve the randa in our corte pillows.
Each hand-embroidered pillow, with its plush texture and exotic use of patterns, has been inspired by rich traditions from the Mayan culture and made using centuries-old techniques. Every one is an original and has a story attached to it.
Please note
* All pillow products are pillow cases only. Inserts are not included.
* We highly recommend buying inserts 1” - 2” larger than the pillow case to achieve the plump look as shown in photos. Minimum 1” larger is necessary but any pillow dimension 14” or larger can accommodate an insert 2” larger.
* No two pillow cases are ever exactly the same. The photos in this website are a very close representation of the pillow, but may not be identical to the one you receive.
* These pillows are hand made from used textiles and as such sizes can vary slightly. We recommend purchasing inserts only after receiving your pillow cases.
* Due to the handwoven and vintage nature of these products, small defects and signs of wear and tear, fading or ageing are not uncommon. We feel this only adds to the unique story behind each pillow.