In coastal Ecuador, cotton saddlebags were woven from handspun cotton on vertical looms. Most were woven in simple warp stripes while others had warp float designs. The cotton saddlebags are fast being placed by a woven plastic version and few people are left in the Manabi area who still know how to weave the warp float designs. The bags were used on horse and mule back or slung over a man's shoulder on a trip to town. Owning a warp float design bag used to be a sign of high status. The plainer warp striped bags were used to carry provisions and tools for a day' work in the fields.
I was lucky to be able to spend 3 weeks in Manabi province with a family learning to weave these saddle bags.My teacher was 86 years old and is the only one left in her community who still knows how to weave the bags with the warp float designs. One of her daughters is seen above weaving and sewing a band to the bag edge. Leonardo, her son, is there modeling one of the completed bags and Trini and granddaughter Catalina are using a plastic version on mule back for a trip to the market. Men are reluctant to use the saddle bags anymore in town as it identifies them as country ''peasants'' or ''hillbillies'' amongst the town folk.
The design in my project is from an area further north on the Peninsula Santa Elena. I have used it for the cover of the notebook in which I have documented the saddle bag making process.