“Are you sure you want to learn? Do you think you have the patience? People of your age are not interested in traditional things like knitting a chullo (hat).”
These questions were asked to a young Nilda Callañaupa by Mrs. … Read the rest
Capturing Peruvian Highlanders’ Village Dress
June 25, 2012 by 1 Comment
When the squat woman bent over, my maker’s hands and prying eyes wanted to look at each layer of her underskirt. The delicate lace and sateen-looking fabric poked out from under the top skirt of woven black wool with a … Read the rest
Knit a Scarf Using Handspun Peruvian Alpaca
May 11, 2012 by 1 Comment
Walk, talk, spin. Most likely, there’s other things that Andean women do while spinning. Spinning is so embedded in their every day lives that they don’t think about it, they just do. I can barely spindle spin just sitting still … Read the rest
Tajik Spinners’ Goal:Make the Most Beautiful Mohair for the Market
March 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
When Wisconsin-based sociologist Liba Brent started working on development projects in Central Asia ten years ago, little did she know how passionate and knowledgeable she would become about fiber and yarn. And not just the end product, she learned about … Read the rest
Molo Wool Project and the Artisans of Animals
February 24, 2012 by 4 Comments
When Gwen and John Meyer take a yearly vacation, they don’t stay close to home. But “home” is what they found in rural areas of Kenya, Africa. Since 2007, they have been using their skills in fiber crafts and sheep … Read the rest
Peruvian Handspun Alpaca
September 29, 2011 by 1 Comment
In the weaving villages of the Peruvian Andes, almost no one describes herself as a spinner. Yet most women, and many men, spin in every spare moment for their entire lives. The paradox comes from the fact that the … Read the rest
