I met Ada by chance when visiting a pharmacy adjacent to the plaza. She was holding her chihuahua Trompito and asked me (in Spanish) if I was looking for mundillo. When I said no, what is it? She answered, If you’re from here, you should know, it’s your heritage! She then took me and my husband over to her home and began showing piece after piece of handmade lace. This is how I began my foray into studying mundillo. I later met her brother, Don Benito Hernandez Vale, also known as Mokay, who runs the Museo del Mundillo at 237 Calle Barbosa. Their sister, Malene Hernandez Vale was also a recognized lace maker who was celebrated at the Festival del Mundillo, which each year honors a local tejedora for their creativity and work in making mundillo.
Ada introduced me to other tejedoras whom I interviewed, and will write about in future posts. What impressed me about this process is that it consists primarily of a network of women joined by thread, family and skill sets passed on from person to person.
Oh how I miss watching the masters making mundillo. I learned the art while living in the Rep. of Panama. When I moved back to the States I joined a group of mundillar in Columbus, Ohio. Our teacher was from England, she taught me to make our art on a flat pillow. Yes I am from Puerto Rico and had the previlage of visiting MOCA with my papito.
By: Ileana Vermilyea on March 7, 2009
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I am frequently searching for brandnew blogposts in the WWW about this subject. Thanx.
By: BerssussYFeen on December 13, 2009
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Do you make mundillo?
By: Ileana on December 13, 2009
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I learned to make bobbin lace in Extension Agricola of Moca Puerto Rico. My teacher name is Mrs. Frances Mendez. Today I help her when she gives her classes, she has a very good technique she amplifies the pattern and with huge bobbin she teaches. This helped me a lot to learn, and above all I had good luck, Carmen Quiñonez as my friend, she helped me a lot. If you would like to see my work go to my picasa page anarcruztorres
During the month of Diciember 1, 2011 I have a Bobbin Lace Christmas exposition in “Museo del Mundillo” of Moca Puerto Rico
By: Ana Rosa Cruz Torres on December 12, 2011
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