Stenciled Otomi Tenango
This project was inspired by another one of my favorite things; culturally representative textiles that embody ethnic crafts and skills. I am bringing to you some table linen that can be made using inexpensive canvas drop cloths, a stencil, some paints, and an afternoon.
This project was inspired by the traditional Tenango (literally meaning ‘stone neighborhood’) textiles hand embroidered by the Otomi Indians in Mexico. These motifs are believed to be inspired from ancient cave paintings and these creations narrate the history and everyday life of the people. Similar in look to the decorative and embroidered tribal textiles ‘Suzanis’ of Central Asian countries, the Tenango were textiles created specifically by the Otomi Tribe in Mexico.
I personally love these textiles for the whimsical, magical, and quirky spirit it evokes. I love the saturated bright colors, the graphic plant and animal patterns, and the simple but attractive embroidery. I saw these textiles during my vacation to Mexico but did not buy any. I would like to buy a large scale piece on my next visit.
My inspiration- Traditional Hand embroidered Mexican Otomi textiles:
Back in 2014, Wanting to recreate that look on a cheaper budget (till I can get my hands on the real deal); I purchased this stencil from the Etsy shop of OMGstencils. Obviously, this cannot replicate the beauty and charm of embroidery but this can be a quick project to do for a colorful product as it takes very little time to complete and especially if it is being used for heavy use. I would hate to ruin an original embroidered piece using it as table linen. Some of the embroidered larger pieces take as long as 12 months to complete and in my opinion are to be valued, respected, and cherished for the emotions, time, and work that went into it.
Using some canvas drop cloth which you can purchase cheaply at any home improvement store, I approximately measured out enough for a table runner. This is larger in size than a standard table runner but I wanted to use the entire stencil. I machine hemmed the edges and I was ready to paint. I chose bright and vivid colors and using a stenciling brush began painting. Be sure to mix in some fabric medium with your paints. That was it; simple! And the project went by quickly too. Instantly gratifying I must say. I also made a couple of napkins or these could be used as table mats and painted them in single colors. I love the larger size of this table linen and the bright colors will add to the cheery spirit at any spring/summer party.
The modern translation of this traditional hand embroidery has been to develop these textiles using only one or two colors. This gives them a more contemporary look that melds well with current décor styles.
I am currently working on my exploration of this embroidery. Stay tuned for a post of that project coming soon. Here’s a sneak peak of the Otomi Embroidery piece I am working on:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/13/world/americas/mexico-tenango-embroidery.html
https://craftatlas.co/crafts/otomi
https://wondrouspaths.com/history-otomi-embroidery-patterns/