Traditional weaving is an incredibly important component of identity in the high Andes, along with traditional alpaca herding and the use of the native Quechua language. Since Quechua was originally an oral language, weaving was the means by which people communicated their thoughts and feelings about the natural world, how stories were told, and histories recorded. Woven textiles were an important measure of wealth, and played a central role in civil and religious ceremonies. Everything from the spin of the yarn and the symbols woven into the textiles, to the colors used and techniques employed, conveys a wealth of meaning about the weaver and where she came from.
Weaving is the interlacing of a set of warp with a set of weft, essentially creating a grid pattern of interlocking yarns. The warp is the “y” axis of the grid, or longitudinal yarns, which are kept under tension, and the weft is the “x” axis, or latitudinal yarns, which are passed over and under the warp.
A loom is used to facilitate the weaving process, by providing a means of tensioning the warp and creating space (the “shed”) through which to pass the weft. Looms can be highly complex or very simple, using a frame, the weaver’s body, or even gravity to provide the necessary tension.
Weaving is the interlacing of a set of warp with a set of weft, essentially creating a grid pattern of interlocking yarns. The warp is the “y” axis of the grid, or longitudinal yarns, which are kept under tension, and the weft is the “x” axis, or latitudinal yarns, which are passed over and under the warp.
A loom is used to facilitate the weaving process, by providing a means of tensioning the warp and creating space (the “shed”) through which to pass the weft. Looms can be highly complex or very simple, using a frame, the weaver’s body, or even gravity to provide the necessary tension.
Weaving is the interlacing of a set of warp with a set of weft, essentially creating a grid pattern of interlocking yarns. The warp is the “y” axis of the grid, or longitudinal yarns, which are kept under tension, and the weft is the “x” axis, or latitudinal yarns, which are passed over and under the warp.
A loom is used to facilitate the weaving process, by providing a means of tensioning the warp and creating space (the “shed”) through which to pass the weft. Looms can be highly complex or very simple, using a frame, the weaver’s body, or even gravity to provide the necessary tension.