WARP 2023 Raffle

Ticket sales are now closed for the 2023 International Textile Raffle 

Thank you to all who contributed to WARP by donating to this event and by purchasing tickets. We will hold the raffle drawings on Wednesday, May 31. We will notify all participants immediately after the drawing, and bundles will be shipped to winning participants.

Raffle Items

1. Above the Fray Beaded Shawl from Laos

A $5.00 ticket gives you a chance to win this handwoven, beaded cotton shawl (which can also be used as a table runner or hung on the wall, just to admire) from Laos. Made on a Katu backstrap loom by Mone, a Katu woman from Laos, the zigzag white pattern is made of beads that have been woven in on the weft thread. This piece measures 15” x 70” (not including fringe). 

This weaving was donated by Above The Fray: Traditional Hill Tribe Art, a family business owned by WARP Board Member Maren Beck and her husband Josh Hirschstein.  Above the Fray ventures to the hill-tribe regions of Laos and Vietnam to personally select the world’s most exquisite hand-woven silk, cotton, and hemp textiles directly from the hill tribe artisans. A diverse selection of shawls, scarves and other art is woven of village-raised materials using traditional looms. Each textile is carefully chosen for quality, precision, color-play, and charm, and a photo of the artist with that one-of-a-kind piece is often available. Products and information about the artists, motifs, natural dyes, and more can be found on their website hilltribeart.com.

2. Peruvian Interlocking Birds Tapestry from Ayni

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance to win this one-of-a-kind ombre interlocking birds tapestry, made in Ayacucho, Peru by G. Latina. Made with hand-spun wool and handwoven in beautiful shades of cochineal on a natural colored cotton warp, this exquisite wall hanging measures 23” x 36”.  Herders in the Andes raise alpacas and sheep whose fiber has been essential to indigenous communities for millennia. Home-based artisans hand spin the fiber for weft, dye the yarn with local plants, and weave it on post-colonial upright looms to create beautiful works of art like this one. Such work supports families and communities in Ayacucho, which has been known for its fine textiles for thousands of years.

Donated by Ayni, a not-for-profit organization founded in 2006 by WARP board member Hedy Hollyfield, and  anthropologist, Barbara Wolff. Ayni works to preserve cultural heritage in Peru and promotes social welfare in Andean communities. Learn more at ayni-usa.org.

3. Santa Catarina Palopó Guatemalan Huipil

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning this exquisite huipil, featuring traditional symbols including peacocks, birds, butterflies, flowers, plants and more. The designs are brocade-woven, and the beautiful turquoise represents Lake Atitlán. Crafted in three panels of mercerized cotton, the huipil has a crocheted edge at the neck. It is adult sized: 32” wide x 26” in length when flat. (So, 64” around). The neck opening and the armholes are 22” in circumference.

Woven by Ana Matzar Cumez (sister of Sarah Matzar) from Santa Catarina Palopó, this huipil was donated by Jan King, who purchased it directly from Ana Matzar Cumez on a 2009 trip to Guatemala.

4. Pan-Africa 7-Basket Set from Baskets of Africa

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning this fantastic bundle of seven handwoven baskets from Ghana, Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, eSwatini, Burundi, and Rwanda. Please click here for a full description of each basket. This package includes:

  1. Ghana Bolga Tote  (12” x 9” x 9” – plus handles) 
  2. Zimbabwe Masterweave Binga Bowl (14” dia x 2.5”)
  3. Uganda Virunga Nkuringo Wishing Basket with Lid (6” dia x 8”)
  4. South African Zulu Wire Tray (10.5” dia x 1.5”)
  5. eSwatini Sisal Bowl (6.75” dia x 1.5”)
  6. Burundi Sisal Coil Weave Bowl (5.75” dia x .75”)
  7. Rwanda Sisal Coiled Bowl (7” dia x 2.5”)

Donated by Baskets of Africa, a project that pays the highest prices possible to the weavers in Africa while also providing value to customers in the US for highest quality handmade objects. WARP board member Cael Chappell is the founder of Baskets of Africa, whose mission is to nurture ongoing relationships and provide economic stability for these weavers and their families. Learn more at basketsofafrica.com.

5. African Textile Bundle from Baskets of Africa

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning this bundle of four stunning African textiles. Please click here to learn much more about each of these textiles. This package includes:

  1. Mud Cloth or Bogolonfini (approximately 43” x 70”)
  2. Dansika  (one size fits most – should fit anyone under 6 feet tall; approximately 27” x 39”, with a 6” x 8” neck opening.)
  3. Two Kuba Shoowa Mats (aproximately 22” x 27” and 23” x 28”)

Donated by Baskets of Africa, a project that pays the highest prices possible to the weavers in Africa while also providing value to customers in the US for highest quality handmade objects. WARP board member Cael Chappell, founder of Baskets of Africa, works to provide economic opportunity to weavers in Africa, empowering women and preserving culture within partner communities. Learn more at basketsofafrica.com.

6. “We are Stars” ZIKURI Bag from Mexico

A $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning this unique handwoven and leather “We are Stars” bag made in Mexico. The shibori stripe is 100% cotton and dyed with organic indigo and is accented with vegetable tanned brown leather. The interior is dyed cochineal and has a small zippered pocket. This bag inspires ancestral wisdom with a hidden message on the inside, as a reminder of the important things in life. This bag will be shipped in July, or if you’re headed to WARP’s annual meeting in Kent, Ohio, picked up there.

This bag was donated by ZIKURI, a brand founded by WARP board member Rocío Mena, who is passionate about natural dyes. Through her brand, Rocío unites her two passions: natural dyeing education & designing bags. Her purpose is to inspire by achieving beautiful colors & by making us aware of the processes involved so that we can feel the connection with the materials and the essence of things. Learn more at https://www.zikuri.co

7. Two Indonesian Ikat Weavings

A $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning these two gorgeous warp ikat fabrics from Indonesia. The word ‘ikat’ comes from the Malay-Indonesian word for ’tie’. These fabrics are both considered warp ikat because the warp threads were bound (or tied) during the dying process prior to weaving. The larger textile features ikat in vibrant red bands with indigo accents. This first ikat is large enough to be a tablecloth or large wall hanging, measuring 30” x 106”. The second smaller textile is more muted with alternating indigo ikat bands and solid stripes. It measures 14” x 68” and would make a lovely table runner. Both are cotton warp and weft.

These Indonesian ikat pieces were donated by WARP member and world traveler Susan Weltman.

8. Handwoven Silk Shawl by Sarah Saulson

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning this stunning 100% silk shawl created by fiber artist Sarah Saulson. Both the warp and weft feature textured tussah silk yarns from India.This 34” x 70” shawl has a lovely drape and is accented with knotted fringes.

This original design was handwoven and donated by WARP board member Sarah Saulson. In addition to working with adult learners throughout the country and children in local schools, Sarah taught weaving and textiles for many years at Syracuse University. She now lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and her fiber arts practice is based at Hope Artiste Village, a historic building originally housing a weaving mill. Learn more about Sarah’s work, including workshops and lectures (both in-person and via Zoom) at sarahsaulson.com.

9. Table Runner & Book “Guatemalan Journey Among the Ixil Maya” from Ixil Collective

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance to win this table runner and Guatemalan Journey Among the Ixil Maya by Susanna Badgley Place. From the Asociacion Chajulense de Mujeres in Chajul, El Quiché, Guatemala, this 100% cotton table runner was woven with brocade on a backstrap loom. In soft colors, this is a wonderful table accent!

The companion book Guatemalan Journey Among the Ixil Maya offers insight into Ixil-Maya history and culture; portraits of Maya professionals; and detailed explorations of markets, local enterprises, archaeological sites, and ecological wonders. Explore the mountains and minds of the Ixil Maya and the three Ixil-speaking townships of Nebaj, Chajul, and Cotzal in the Guatemalan department of Quiche. 

This table runner and book were donated by Ixil Collective, a collaboration between Maya Ixil weavers and WARP Board Member Elena Laswick. Because the Ixil region of Guatemala is far off the beaten tourist path, there is very little direct access to a market for artisans. Ixil Collective was created to help these remote artisans earn a more substantial market share. Learn more at ixilcollective.org.

10. Vintage Zapotec Tree of Life Weaving

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning this stunning vintage earth-tone, handwoven Tree of Life (Árbol de la vida) Zapotec weaving featuring delightful birds. Purchased in the mid-1980s outside Oaxaca, Mexico, its origin is likely Teotitlán del Valle, a community known for using natural dyes in woven wool rugs. It measures 66” x 31” (with fringe).

Donated by WARP co-founder and long-time newsletter editor Linda Temple, from her personal collection.

11. $100 Mayan Hands Gift Card

Each $5.00 ticket gives you a chance to win a $100 gift card to shop Mayan Hands’ collection of handwoven pine needle baskets, backstrap loom-woven home textiles, felted wool animals, friendship bracelets, and more, all handmade in Guatemala. 

Mayan Hands is a non-profit fair trade organization that has partnered with Maya women artisans in Guatemala for over 30 years, with a mission to provide economic and educational opportunities that enable women to build sustainable futures for themselves and their communities. Mayan Hands represents over 170 women artisans in 16 democratically organized women’s groups. Our artisan partners are experts in a wide range of traditional and contemporary craft techniques, including brocade and tapestry weaving, needle felting, crochet, jaspe (ikat), and more. Learn more at mayanhands.org.

Donated by author, weaver, and WARP co-founder Deborah Chandler, who was the in-country director of Mayan Hands for nine years. She has lived in Guatemala for 20+ years.

12. Two Silk Ikats from Uzbekistan

A $5.00 ticket gives you a chance at winning these two lengths of 100% silk ikat from Uzbekistan. Luminous and bright on one side, more muted on the other, each measures 43” wide and 80” long. According to Aziz Murtazaev, ikat weaver from Uzbekistan, “There are two processes involved that make Central Asian ikat weaving unique. The first is the cultivation of silkworms and harvesting their cocoons. The second is the spinning and dyeing of those threads to create the magnificent silk ikats of Uzbekistan.” To learn more about the process involved in creating these weavings, visit the HoonArts blog.

Donated by Jan King, world traveler, textile collector, and seamstress, who purchased them in an open air bazaar on the historic Silk Road in Bukhara, Uzbekistan in 2013.