• Placemats
• Jewelry
• Cacao Nibbles
  
• Tree Ornaments
• Jungle Steps
• Hammocks
• Tapestries
• Paintings
• Mirrors
• Story Windows
• Jungle Boxes
• Wood Carvings
• Angels
• Musical Angels
• Mermaids
• Windchimes
• Wool Rugs

How to Make a Guarayos Hammock

Anyone who has ever sunk into a Guarayos hammock can easily explain why the hammocks are famous. The strong elasticity of the cotton weave wraps around a tired body to support it for perfect comfort while letting breezes travel through to carry away the heat. You will lose your afternoon in one. And be prepared to lose many; the Guarayos hammock is so well made that it stands up to daily use for decades.

The hammocks are the best in the world because of centuries of product testing under the most rigorous of environments: the Bolivian jungle. The Guarayos people traditionally slept in hammocks slung between the wooden support posts under a palm thatch roof. Only recently have beds started to appear in the villages. “We could sleep ten people in a room hanging in hammocks!” claims Asencia, who has woven hammocks her entire life.

The first hammocks were woven from the fibrous bark of the Bibosi tree, a ficus. Today’s hammocks are made from high quality cotton thread and colorfast dyes that last in the sun for years. Since they do not need poles, they take up little room when not in use: Simply hang both ends from the same hook to save space. The hammocks require only gentle soaking in warm, soapy water to freshen them up.

Women learn from their mothers and grandmothers, preserving the same technique over generations. A weaver starts with a single strand of thread and create thicker strands by hand-spinning four threads together. She then wraps the thread around two posts sunk ten feet apart in the earthen floor of her home. These form the length of the hammock. Then she carefully introduces the strands of the vertical thread, knotting the design as she goes. When the body of the hammock is complete, she crochets the fringe on both sides, and then finally creates the loop handles on either end. Weaving requires one month, five hours per day.

Child play nearby, pots of soup boil, and the kitchen fire burns while she works. For women who have myriad responsibilities to their families and farms, hammock-making is ideal. The work provides needed income, their time is flexible, and they can work in the home.