The Textile Arts

[Guest]

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[RichardF]

"The textile arts are those arts and crafts that use plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to construct practical or decorative objects. Textiles cover the human body to protect it from the elements and to send social cues to other people. Textiles are used to store, secure, and protect possessions, and to soften, insulate, and decorate living spaces and surfaces."
– The Wikipedia Textile Arts Portal

Examples of textile arts this topic might cover include beadwork, lace, needlework, textile printing, quilting, ropework, rugs and carpets, sewing, spinning, tapestries, weaving, and yarnwork, to name a few. 

Related Kiva Friends topics include WEAVING; Work Photos of Kiva's Entrepreneurs and KIVA Quilt for "Raggle".

For starters, here's a Kiva textiles collage suitable for wallpapers and screen savers.

Kiva Entrepreneur Credits

Entrepreneurs shown in the collage from upper left to lower right.

1. Faaea Maifea
2. Doris
3. Kodzo Zowonou
4. Suzanne Ghrayzi
5. Thu Tran Thi
6. PETRONA MERCEDES HERNANDEZ
7. Martha Chacon
8. Graciela
9. Jumah Usain Ali
10. Tashbubu Khalimova
11. Fatima Syed Shah Esmil
12. Susana Reyes Padron
13. Ibodat Mamadhojdaeva
14. Chnathou Deap
15. Maria Brito Bernal
16. Marie-Madeleine EGBLA

[RichardF]

Name: Epenesa Muipu Business Name:  Elei Location:  Faleula, Samoa Primary Activity:  Crafts Loan Use:  To purchase a dozen paints for printing and designing patterns on the fabrics Elei printing is a common business in Samoa that is in high demand with overseas and locals alike. Elei is the art of drawing patterns on a plate and then cutting it into shapes. In Samoa, it is usually in the patterns of traditional Samoan war weapons or national flower, herbs and flowers found on the island. It is then attached to the fabric and painted over with different colours. Epenesa sells her elei materials to people in her village, overseas, at the local market and stores that order her designs.

[RichardF]

"Quilting is a sewing method done either by hand, by sewing machine, or by a longarm quilting system. The process uses a needle and thread to join two or more layers of material together to make a quilt. Typical quilting is done with three layers, the top fabric or quilt top, batting or insulating material and backing material. The quilter's hand or sewing machine passes the needle and thread through all layers and then brings the needle back up. The process is repeated across the entire piece where quilting is wanted. A straight or running stitch is commonly used and these stitches can be purely functional or decorative and elaborate. Quilting is done on bed spreads, art quilt wall hangings, clothing, and a variety of textile products. Quilting can make a project thick, or with dense quilting, can raise one area so that another stands out."
– Wikipedia

Name: Thu Tran Thi Business Name:  Quilt making  Browse "quilt" entrepreneurs Location:  Duc Linh, Binh Thuan, Viet Nam Primary Activity:  Crafts Loan Use:  Expand her quilt workshop The quilt group of Miss Thu was set up in January 2006 with the support of Vietnam-Quilts (www.vietnam-quilts.org). She is the leader group. The group has 21 members who were jobless before and they don’t have any land for cultivation. They gather to make the quilts by hand at Miss Thu’s house. Average income is $40 per member/month from the quilt-making business, which has helped to improve their living situation. However, Miss Thu ‘s house is very small with not enough place for women to make the quilts have high quality so Miss Thu wants to borrow a loan of $700 so that she can expand her house and improve the working conditions. She will repay the loan monthly.

[RichardF]

"Crochet (pronounced /kroʊˈʃeɪ/) is a process of creating fabric from yarn or thread using a crochet hook. The word is derived from the Middle French word croc or croche, meaning hook. Crocheting, similar to knitting, consists of pulling loops of yarn through other loops. Crochet differs from knitting in that only one loop is active at one time (the sole exception being Tunisian crochet), and that a crochet hook is used instead of knitting needles."
– Wikipedia

Name: Melfy Pedriel Cespedes Business Name:  Ninguno Location:  Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia Primary Activity:  General Store Loan Use:  VENTA DE CERVEZA Y PUNTO VIVA Related Listings: Browse "crochet" entrepreneurs

Melfy is a married woman of 44 years, who has a stand where she sells many types of beverages and ice, and also has a motorcycle which she uses for a taxi service. Beyond those activities, she crochets and sells tablecloths, and her husband works as a clerk. Melfy has 4 years of experience in her commercial business, and she sees a lot of competition. However, demand is also growing. This current loan is to instal a call center (where people can make phone calls for 35 cents) and to increase the merchandise she sells at her stand to include the sale of beer. She has previous loans with this institution, and has repaid them all in a timely and responsible fashion.

[redstarr]

That is such a beautiful blanket! 

[Margie]

That is such a beautiful blanket! 

Blanket???  I thought it was a gorgeous motorcycle cover! 

[RichardF]

I believe Melphy crochets tablecloths!  Perhaps the quilt group of Miss Thu quilts blankies!   

[RichardF]

"Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. Embroidery may also use other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. Sewing machines can be used to create machine embroidery."
– Wikipedia

Name: Iffat Zahara Location:  Vehari, Pakistan Primary Activity:  Embroidery Loan Use:  To purchase a stitching machine Related Listings: Browse "embroidery" entrepreneurs

I am Iffat Zahara and I have been living in Vehari for the last eight years. My husband died five years ago from tuberculosis. I have four children, two boys and two girls. All of them are attending school and I myself have studied up to 10th grade, which is why their access to education is so important to me. I have been embroidering clothes since my childhood and supply these clothes to an owner of a boutique in Multan, a nearby city, which pays me well. Now, I want to buy a special stitching machine, known as a Peko machine, which will help me to make my clothes faster and be able to help me generate more income. Hence, I am requesting a loan of $250.

[RichardF]

"Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth. Knitting consists of loops called stitches pulled through each other. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them.

Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. By hand, there are numerous styles and methods. Flat knitting, which is done on two straight needles, produces a length of cloth, while circular knitting, which is done on circular or double-pointed needles, produces a seamless tube.

Different yarns and knitting needles may be used to achieve different end products, by giving the final piece different color, texture, weight, or integrity."
– Wikipedia

Name: Zarita Location:  HUANCAYO, Peru Primary Activity:  Knitting Loan Use:  To buy a larger quantity of primary material (wool) Related Listings: Browse "knitting" entrepreneurs

Zarita possesses a lot of talent in making wool garments with knitting needles. She works daily within her home without ignoring the development of her small daughter; she always accompanies her and while she attends her daughter's daily classes, she tirelessly knits. She has the noble wish of forming a group of knitters with the goal of networking and making garments on a bigger scale and of a bigger variety. With this purpose in mind, she asks for your support to begin her road towards progress.

[RichardF]

"A carpet is any loom-woven, felted textile or grass floor covering. The term was also used for table and wall coverings, as carpets were not commonly used on the floor in European interiors until the 18th century. The hand-knotted pile carpet probably originated in Central Asia between the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC. Carpet-making was introduced to Spain in 10th century by the Moors. The Crusades brought Turkish carpets to all of Europe, where they were primarily hung on walls or used on tables. Only with the opening of trade routes in the 17th century were significant numbers of Persian rugs introduced to Western Europe."
– Wikipedia

Name: Graciela Business Name: CASA DE LAS ALFOMBRAS SANTA ROSA Location:  HUANCAYO, Peru Primary Activity:  Textiles Loan Use:  Purchase of materials for weaving. Related Listings: Browse "carpet" entrepreneurs

Graciela is a skilful artist whose hands produce fine work and beautiful carpets, together with her loyal partner. She has been working at this worthy occupation ever since she was a little girl, when her family passed on to her all of their knowledge about the art of weaving. They also taught her basic criteria for combining colors, which now helps her produce high quality and finely finished goods. She has some export projects and has begun the necessary paperwork for this, as she has accumulated orders from several establishments that want products to sell.

The business’s continual progress fills her with satisfaction. Day by day they innovate their designs and try to apply new weaving techniques to their cloaks and carpets. With that same spirit of innovation they now produce produce shawls and cloaks for babies using alpaca and cotton fibers. Their work is of such excellent quality that it is in high demand and they make goods only by request. All of their efforts are motivated by the desires of their four children, who are committed to the family business and want to study administration, finance and exporting with the goal of making the business more competitive.

Graciela is asking for a loan to invest in the purchase of materials to continue producing carpets and other goods, and with the earnings will be able to satisfy the needs and desires of her children. In addition, she would like to build on to her house to expand the workshop where they weave. Let’s support this artistic couple so they can continue making progress and holding onto their dreams of success.