Kakaw Designs

This online class was better than any online instruction that I have seen. The narration and video were excellent. As noted in the title, it was almost as good as in person instruction.

Participating in the Sumpango Embroidery class is perfect those seeking discovery, a creative space and a step back from the quotidian to be surrounded by impressive architecture, lush hills, distant volcanos, and wonderful people. The class is led by the talented duo, Claribel and Anita, who are generous and patient and care deeply about sharing the embroidery tradition of Sumpango. The class is perfect for all skill levels from beginners to those experienced with needlework. For myself, this was my first time taking a class with Kakaw Design and I was extremely satisfied with my experience and hope to return in the future. For myself , embroidering in the garden, feeling the breeze and sun, seeing the shadows of butterflies fluttering by while enjoying the conversation of a fun group of friends was exactly what I needed: a creative space to simply be and make. At the end of class, there was plenty of time to explore and visit Antigua. I felt so honoured to have learned of Sumpango’s embroidery tradition and will soon finish my piece. Many thanks to Mari, Evelyn, Claribel and Anita for making this experience unforgettable. ¡Muchicimas gracias!

This is a long review but I have so much to share! My stepdaughter and I attended the Sumpango Embroidery Week class the week of March 3rd. We had a great time. We actually started our adventure with Kakaw on Sunday March 2nd; we took their day trip to Chichicastenango. We departed the studio early Sunday in a comfy van with fellow students and Evelyn from Kakaw. We stopped along the way for wonderful coffee and clean bathrooms at Chichoy, then on we went to the market. The market was as fun and amazing as I remembered from over a decade ago. We lunched at a local restaurant, which was very tasty. Then we went on the hunt for artwork/handicrafts/fruit/almost anything. Evelyn did a great job herding us because we wanted to see everything.

This is a long review but I have so much to share! My stepdaughter and I attended the Sumpango Embroidery Week class the week of March 3rd. We had a great time. We actually started our adventure with Kakaw on Sunday March 2nd; we took their day trip to Chichicastenango. We departed the studio early Sunday in a comfy van with fellow students and Evelyn from Kakaw. We stopped along the way for wonderful coffee and clean bathrooms at Chichoy, then on we went to the market. The market was as fun and amazing as I remembered from over a decade ago. We lunched at a local restaurant, which was very tasty. Then we went on the hunt for artwork/handicrafts/fruit/almost anything. Evelyn did a great job herding us because we wanted to see everything.

Our class began Monday morning at our teacher Claribel’s home in Sumpango, about 30 minutes from Antigua. We learned about the significance of the designs on the huipils. We were then given the opportunity to choose from 3 different colored huipils for our class project. We also selected our color palate from the bundles of threads Claribel had put together for us. Next step was teaching us the stitches. Both Claribel and Anita were helpful and patient with us. We had a very lovely lunch and then were whisked to Sumpango proper to see the town. The rest of the week was spent at Kakaw’s studio. There were 5 of us and our teachers were very attentive. I still can’t figure out how they were able to untangle some of my mistakes! Our Spanish was so-so but this did not matter. We had many laughs and learned a lot. Evelyn was also on hand for any needed translations.

The studio itself is a wonderful oasis. Class was held in its lovely courtyard. On one or two days that week, we were joined by a weaver who came for one-on-one instruction. There was so much creativity in this space. We loved the studio’s store as well. I bought a lovely indigo dyed jacket as well as a few leather purses (and other goodies). I hope to return in October to see what additional one of a kind items they have.

We stayed at Hotel y Arte, which was across the street and approximately 6 doors down from the studio. It was very convenient, clean, and had air conditioning, which was nice although really not needed. I would recommend this hotel because of its convenient location, plus the street had many bars, coffee shops and restaurants to enjoy.

We thank Mari for putting these classes together and for the details attended to. We received a welcome pamphlet prepared by Kakaw. The recommendations for restaurants and coffee shops were outstanding. Many thanks to Claribel, Anita and Evelyn as well. I would love to attend a future class to hone my skills and spend more time with these lovely ladies.

Beautifully crafted and so unique!

Excellent class. Thank you

Enjoyed a brilliant week learning how to weave with the very warm, friendly and patient team at Kakaw . Beautiful setting in their lovely gardens and gorgeous studio room surrounded by textiles. I was a complete novice but feel after this week I have gained enough skills and supported by Kakaw resources to keep practising at home! I fell in love with the craft of weaving and definitely plan to return to beautiful Guatemala and Kakaw studio . Thank you Mari, Evelyn and Sucy and all the kakaw team for making my stay so special .

This trip has changed my life in ways I never imagined. The people at Kakaw Designs were lovely and worked to create an experience that was both cultural and educational. We began the week at Doña Eve’s home village 15 mins from Antigua. We started the morning working on Eve’s patio overlooking the village. We chose our colors, wound our yarns, and began making our warp.

The style of weaving we learned is Brocade. After setting up our main shed, we needed to weave about an inch to then flip the loom and set up the shed again. In this process, you create a secondary shed for your brocade designs. It is a very detailed and intricate process. I’m so grateful for the instructors and their expertise. They knew immediately if you messed up or missed a thread. They were gracious and shared their knowledge freely.

The week seemed to fly by: weaving in the mornings, and exploring Antigua with my classmates in the afternoons. Antigua is a town filled with color, amazing food, and generous people. My time on this trip made me realize I need to slow down and spend time with the people, places, and crafts that I love. I am so incredibly grateful for the people who donated to my fundraiser that allowed me to take this trip, for my partner who filled in at the shop so that I knew my customers would be in good hands, and to the ladies at Kakaw: Mari and Evelyn for creating such a wonderful space to learn. During my stay, I was able to utilize the bedroom above the main studio space. It overlooks the garden and allowed me a calming and comfortable place to relax while not exploring or learning.

The trip to Ixil was filled with beauty, wonder and a dose of adventure. Absolutely every aspect of the journey was well planned and organized. It was delightful to make meaningful connections with weavers and experience the local culture through home visits, cooking, meals and conversation. I will be back!

This is a beautiful experience in every way, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. My mother is 80 and it was hard for her to manipulate the threads and the loom, but the teachers were incredibly patient and so kind.

It was great!!

My daughter and I spent a wonderful time with Claribel. Not only did she teach us the traditional embroidery stitches but she gave us all the colourful threads we needed to complete our beautiful designs. I loved chatting about life as we sewed and it gave me a precious insight into the Mayan culture. I only wish we could have spent days in the beautiful garden sewing with her!

The crafstmanship of these jade sets is simply lovely. Thank you so much.

Claribel and her team were phenomenal! I left the class with a feeling of accomplishment and a passion for continuing embroidery! I look forward to the next class on Randa.

Love it!

I knew from research that Guatemala would be a nice country to visit but this trip far exceeded my expectations. The lovely surroundings, the sunny weather, the beautiful mountains covered in wildflowers, the ancient stone buildings and cobbled streets all made for a great place for a vacation. But the best part was the wonderful people we met, both our trip leaders and the local artisans we worked with. Our trip leader, Evelyn, made sure that all transportation, hotels, restaurants, and activities went smoothly. She was the sweetest person ever, caring and considerate, always smiling and helpful and served as an interpreter for those who didn't speak Spanish. Abigail, the master dyer, was very clear in her explanations and instructions on the dying process. I am a novice at both dying and weaving and enjoyed learning about the various plants and methods used. We visited a wonderful garden where the plants are harvested both for medicinal and dying use, and attended workshops with several different groups of local dyers. We went to a weavers collective and had demonstrations of both back stop weaving and the large foot looms. We had many opportunities to learn about and participate in cultural activities. Overall it was a fantastic trip and highly recommend it!