Red Birds in Corn

Observed by bright birds, villagers tend to corn plants that flourish on handwoven cotton. Women United for Artisan Development weave this cushion cover on a backstrap loom. Cording defines the borders, and the back is solid red. 'These are the colors of the Maya cosmovision,' the artisans explain. 'You'll see them in our clothing, in nature, the fields and birds that live among us.'

Should one of the threads snag, they suggest you pull it back into place from the back of the fabric with a fine crochet hook.