Meet Alex & Nancy

We are especially excited to welcome Alex Martinez weavings to Yarn Bar now until  July 3. Join us for a rare opportunity to see and purchase for yourself these beautiful textiles.

Whether you're discovering Oaxacan weaving for the first time or have admired these textiles for years, we invite you to experience the craftsmanship, history and culture woven into every piece.

Oaxacan Weavings by Alex Martinez

For generations, weaving has been an essential part of life in Oaxaca, Mexico. Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples created textiles from cotton and ixtle, a durable plant fiber derived from agave and yucca. These fibers were so valuable that they were often used as tribute payments to the Aztec Empire.

In the 1500s, Dominican bishop Juan López de Zárate introduced sheep's wool and treadle looms to the region. These new materials and techniques transformed Oaxacan weaving, allowing artisans to create larger and more substantial textiles, including rugs, blankets, and serapes that were sold in village markets throughout Mexico.

Today, Oaxacan weaving traditions remain deeply connected to their indigenous roots. Many of the geometric motifs found in these textiles trace their origins back more than 2,000 years to the Zapotec and Mixtec civilizations. These patterns often represent elements of nature, community, and cultural identity, preserving stories that have been passed from one generation to the next.

The vibrant colors found in traditional Oaxacan textiles come from the natural world. Artisans continue to create dyes much as their ancestors did. One of the most remarkable examples is cochineal, a tiny insect that lives on nopal cactus pads. The insects appear as small white specks on the cactus, but when harvested and processed, they produce carmine—a brilliant crimson dye that has been prized for centuries. Other colors are derived from plants, flowers, bark, roots, and minerals gathered from the surrounding landscape.

We are honored to share a collection of blankets and pillow covers created by Oaxacan weaver Alex Martinez and his team. Each piece is handwoven from 100% merino wool and dyed with natural  dyes using traditional methods. The result is a collection of heirloom-quality textiles that celebrate both artistry and cultural heritage.