A sarape is a traditional Mexican textile, always striped and usually in a combination of warm primary colors and a neutral shade such as oatmeal or deep brown. The neutral colorations are taken from the naturally occurring range of sheep shades while the brighter hues evoke Mexican folk art, making them the perfect souvenir for travelers returning from the South (our Doll Bag was also inspired by multi-hued South American textiles).

I borrowed the colors and stripes of the sarape to create an Ultra® Alpaca bag, Sarape Shopper, that will be a welcome addition to a traveler's wardrobe (find lots of carry-on contenders in our free pattern archive and booklets). Slipped stitches lend a homespun texture that matches the artisan quality of handwoven sarape fabric. The slouchy shape is folded on the sides so it expands to hold whatever you might pick up while marketing in new locales. Two dowels, painted to match the darkest shade of yarn, give the bag just enough structure to make it easy to carry. The generous shape is large enough to hold all the supplies needed to celebrate the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.

Día de los Muertos is celebrated in early November and is a unique approach to a difficult milestone. There are many gift-giving customs associated with the occasion. Miniature skulls made of sugar, wreaths of marigolds, toys, libations and other quotidian trappings are meant to ease the transition between spiritual worlds. See our blog for a tutorial on how to make Morty, a Día de los Muertos skeleton made from yarn scraps and everyday office supplies. More than anything, these traditional gifts serve to transform mourning into a celebration; simple objects have the power to turn sadness to revelry.

Thank you for joining us on our four week tour of global gift-giving. I hope you'll be inspired to take up the needles and do some traveling of your own.

Knit in Ultra®Alpaca
Skill level: Easy
FREE pattern instructions