At the beginning of November I had the privilege of tagging along on Boris’ business trip to Mexico, with stops in Mérida and Mexico City. It was a very short five day trip but I managed to fit a lot in while visiting each city.

My friend Carlyn is staying in Mérida for a few months over the winter, and we spent a day walking all over the place, through museums and various markets, with a few stops for ice cream and food. We walked 15 kilometres over the course of the day and evening, because that’s just how we roll.

The photos in this post are pieces of embroidered clothing on display in the Museo de Arte Popular, and Museo Regional Antropologia. It’s a mix of cross-stitch and other embroidery techniques, with bright colours, and intricate details. I’m am inspired by these pieces, and it was a terrific introduction to Mexican textile work.

Look at all of those amazing stitches!

The pieces are rich in symbolism and meaning, not just decorative. In Mérida many women wear embroidered huipil as every day wear, and it was wonderful to see them as we walked around the city. It was an important connection to make between the museum artifacts and modern clothing.

This brief infusion of colour and energy from another culture is what is seeing me through the current round of rainy blah days in Vancouver. I also intend to incorporate ideas inspired by my experience in upcoming stitching projects.