Bolivian shoulder bag

I learned to weave this pebble weave structure in Huancayo Peru. You can see Silvia, my teacher, in the photos above. Silvia taught me to waeve bird, flower, plant and animal figures on a sample band about 2cm wide. It was a little hard following her movements on that teeny tiny band but we worked for days and I was finally able to continue on my own. Silvia spoke only a little Spanish being a Quechua speaker but she would have her daughter help out with translations if necessary. Silvia even learned a little English from me!  we would tie up our tiny looms to a rose bush in the garden. As for my project.... the central panel and sides are my own handspun llama fiber. It was spun and plied on a drop spindle. The main bag body and strap is cotton, also woven on the backstrap loom. The central pane and sides are pebble weave and the body is plain warp-faced weave. The design is from the eastern part of Bolivia where I live. Weavers here make beautiful hammocks from store- ought cotton and weave scenes of daily life here in Santa Cruz along with birds and flowers of this tropical area. The ''star'' pattern on this bag is one of their more traditional designs.