Guatemalan Display Doll

This Guatemalan doll is wearing the traditional clothing, called "traje," of the indigenous Maya people.

The doll's skirt's design is woven into the fabric in a jaspe pattern.
The skirt, called "corta," is not typically embroidered. Instead its patterns are woven into the fabric. For the doll's skirt, the fabric was sewn together into a wide tube for the wearer to wrap or pleat around her waist.

The bold jaspe patterns are made by tie-dyeing selected areas of the weft yarns before they are woven into cloth. After dyeing, the strips are removed, revealing areas that remained white because the tied areas "resisted" the dye. The yarns are then woven into cloth, creating white patterns. Jaspe cloth may be woven on Spanish-style treadle looms, but is often woven on back strap looms by indigenous women in Guatemala.

Patterns are complex and some have named designs. Textile centers make the rainbow of jaspe corte cloth that are worn by Mayan women from many pueblos.

The doll's blouse is lightly embroidered. Her headdress, with its large pom-poms, is typical of Sacatepequez Department. She wears traditional sandals.
Source:
http://www.textilemuseum.org/totm/guatemalanskirtindex.html http://www.terraexperience.com/p_cortes_material.html