So many people love hand embroidered Otomí hand embroidery! Are you wondering if there is anything you need to know before purchasing one of these amazing pieces?

Here are 6 things to know:

1. The hand embroidered work of the Otomí people does NOT come on a bolt like other fabric. It is hand embroidered on a piece of off-white muslin. So you have a limited number of sizes to select from depending on what your project is.

2. Every piece is one-of-a-kind and the largest size takes a approximately three-four months to complete. This is why they are expensive. They are not mass produced in a factory. 

3. The largest size, approximately 6' by 6', hand embroidered Otomi tenangos are made in many different single colors (pastel to neon) and also multi-colored versions. 

4. The designs are hand drawn (not stenciled) in water-soluble pen on the off-white muslin and then hand-embroidered using embroidery rings and the false-satin stitch (stitch is on the front but not on the back). 

5. The pieces selected by Zinnia Folk Arts are beautifully composed, the pen lines have been washed out, they are ironed and they are smoothly stitched by Hidalgo's finest Otomi artisans.

6. We can usually obtain the color you want for your home decor on our frequent trips to Mexico. If you prefer a certain color, please let us know and we will shop for you on our next trip. 

We carry other sizes of Otomí embroidery too! Placemat sizes for making pillows or using as a placemat and the large, frameable rectangles are beautiful when framed.  We often have tablerunners or placemat sized Otomí pieces. Sometimes we have this beautiful Otomi embroidery on black. 

Click on the photos below to take you to our current selection of tablecloth sized Otomi tenangos in the online shop.