Morrales: Solola Knitted Shoulder Bags ( Various sizes & Prices)

Solola Crocheted Bags ---These  handy shoulder bags are from around Solola, Guatemala.  In the past they were  wool, but like most Solola Morrales today, these are likely made of the substitute for wool, acrylic yarn. The bags are open on the top and have adjustable shoulder straps.  Sizes and prices vary depending on the option you choose. (Priced from $17.50 to $25.00)  

Morrales or "Man Bags" from the Mayan Highlands of Guatemala --- Mayan men and boys made and wore Morrales, long before "Man Bags" became a fashion item.  Men needed something to carry their valuables, and lunch as they walked to the "milpa", the small plot of land where they planted "maize" (corn) or took the chicken bus to the market. The basic style of a Morrale is a rectangular bag with a shoulder strap.  The materials the bag is made of and the design varies quite a bit from one pueblo to another as well as the individual skill and vision of the artisan who makes them.  Some are woven from maguey, others are crocheted from cotton or wool, and some are knitted from various "hilo" threads.  Usually the man makes the bag hi mself.  Some are made on the road as the man walks the long distance to the milpa.