Weaving in the Peruvian Highlands: Dreaming Patterns, Weaving Memories

A richly illustrated look at Andean weaving, which embodies the living history and culture of the Peruvian highlands, this guide extensively catalogs many of the intricate patterns found in traditional Peruvian textiles. Exploring the personal histories of the Quechua people who sustain this tradition, it examines how they weave extraordinary amounts of cloth on simple backstrap looms - just as their forebears have done for thousands of years - to make clothing, rugs, bedcovers, potato sacks, hunting slings, and sacrificial fabrics for both their villages and for interested tourists. How pattern names such as Meandering River or Lake With Flowers relate to the geography and history of the region is also discussed, as is how the traditional natural materials and colours enhance the value of the work. AUTHOR: Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez is an expert in historic Peruvian weaving techniques. She founded the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco and established weaving co-ops in nine remote mountain villages in Peru that perpetuate traditional techniques and foster economic development in the region. 310 colour, 3 b/w illustrations