Location: São Luís, Maranhão
Aquiraz, Ceará
On the northern coast of Brazil sits São Luís, just a couple of degrees from the equator. The hearts of the residents are as warm as the weather. Three ladies have combined their respective skills to make hand painted towels, placemats, napkins and rugs. Lurieldes paints floral designs on each, Elizabete crochets attractive borders and Francisca sews. Their unselfish friendship for each other is an example for anyone who is part of a team. All of the their linen products can be machine washed and dried. The material for the painted towels actually comes from durable commercial cotton shipping bags.
Traveling back east to the coast of Ceará is a small town south of Fortaleza
called Aquiraz. Maria and her sisters create this durable lace by a series of knots and loops moving bobbins in a pattern. The process is called ‘renda de bilro’ in Brasil. It is similar to what we call tatting in the USA. People with her skill brought this lacework from Portugal centuries ago and it has been passed down to the few who have the patience to learn the complicated patterns. Consequently renda de billro is only found among a small group of artisans in and around Aquiraz. Maria’s offerings include tunics, table runners and table centerpieces.