Creaciones Cholita

Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala

Creaciones Cholita is a beading cooperative based in Santiago Atitlán, located on the shores of Lake Atitlán in the Central Highlands of Guatemala. The cooperative is run by Cholita and her husband Domingo and works with women artisans throughout their village to create hand-beaded glass ornaments and jewelry.

Each piece begins with loose glass beads, which are stitched one by one using fine thread and small needles. The work is slow and highly detailed as some ornaments can take several days to complete. Artisans carefully build form, structure, and pattern entirely by hand, often working from memory rather than written patterns. The precision required is significant: tension, spacing, and consistency all determine the final shape and durability of the piece.

Santiago Atitlán is widely known for its embroidery, seen on the intricate hand-stitched huipiles (blouses) traditionally worn by Mayan women in the community. That same patience, hand skill, and eye for detail translates naturally to beadwork. Many of the women involved with Creaciones Cholita grew up embroidering, and the transition to beading builds on those existing techniques, just in a different medium.

The artisans work from their homes, allowing them to earn steady income while remaining connected to family life. Designs are often inspired by wildlife, Guatemalan cultural icons, popular imagery, and the vibrant color palette of the region.

By purchasing work from Creaciones Cholita, you are supporting a small, family-run cooperative and helping sustain skilled, home-based artisan work in rural Guatemala.

Visit with Cholita in her workshop and storefront in Santiago Atitlán here

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