Ethnic handcrafted rugs – Peruvian Andes

Peruvian traditions

The original name of these fabrics is “frazada” (a blanket) and they were once used as a blanket to protect against the intense cold in the Andes. They also used to be a good gift between families when important events arose, such as the arrival of a baby or a wedding, a gift made with dedication that reflects the affection of the artisan. This custom is still maintained in some villages.

In Peru, artisans (mostly women) who learned to weave from their parents and grandparents on simple looms, continue to preserve this tradition. textile tradition since pre-Hispanic times . Today, they sell their creations in places such as craft fairs in the region or through associations they have formed to teach their art, improve their sales conditions and promote that the ancestral techniques used continue to be kept alive.

Now that you know the origin of our rugs, we will tell you the process!

Sheep and alpaca wool

In the Andes mountains at more than 3,500 metres above sea level, as winter comes to an end, so does the shearing season, necessary for sheep and alpacas due to rising temperatures and the growth of fibre. It is done a couple of times a year, always taking care of the welfare of the animals, vital for the rural development of these towns.

For thick fabrics, such as our carpets, Craftsmen generally use sheep's wool and occasionally alpaca wool , the latter being reserved mainly for blankets, clothing and other accessories.

This wool is classified and washed with a natural detergent called saqta , which is a root. Once clean, the wool is left to dry and then spun into yarn.

Spinning is usually done by women in their daily lives while doing everyday chores , they do it naturally. The youngest begin to learn with thick threads and over the years they become great experts in being able to calculate and classify according to the use they are going to give to the wool. It is done with a spinning wheel or pushka , a very simple wooden tool that allows you to twist wool to strengthen it.

The artisans, due to their great skill, make it seem like an easy process that does not require much effort, but in reality it takes a lot of practice and patience to achieve it .

Skeins are formed , which then proceed to dye the wool.

Natural colors

Leaves, flowers, roots, stems, fruits, corn, etc., are some of the elements of nature that are used to give color. to wool. The use of natural pigments is one of the oldest techniques in the world and it is wonderful to see how unique colours are achieved. boiling the wool along with the other materials .

The artisans play with the shades until they get what they are looking for; with lemon, for example, they modify the color . And finally they fix it using alum stone and salt, among others .

Once these colored threads have dried in the sun, they are spun again using the pushka . Now, the threads in balls are ready to be selected and start weaving .

Backstrap loom and weaving

These fabrics are made on an ancestral loom, there a mixture of history, dedication and artisan talent is intertwined . This loom is still used today throughout the Andean region. It is a wooden structure stretched between the artisan's waist and a wall, beam or tree, which allows him to intertwine the threads to create the figures that are kept in his memory. For us, the use of this loom is synonymous with complexity and beauty .

In addition to the backstrap loom, There are other instruments made of natural materials necessary to separate the threads, compress and adjust the wefts .

The backstrap loom allows the artisan to weave as far as he can reach on each side while sitting , which is why each piece made on this loom can only take up a certain width, while the length is determined by the space between the wall and the artisan. 

When larger fabrics are sought, the artisan repeats the piece with a design identical or complementary to the previous design, then these pieces are sewn and joined .

To finish off their designs, the artisan can add more personal details to each fabric, such as their signature, family symbols or carefully crafted details such as the combination of colours on the edges, unions with designs, edges with different shapes... In short, all with a distinctive artisanal seal that is unique in the world .

Symbols and meanings

Each weave expresses the traditional diversity of the area, as well as the personal preferences and creativity of the weaver . Peruvian weavings were and are a support for the transmission of knowledge in the Andes.

Everything has a meaning When creating these fabrics, every iconography, color and interlacing.

Unique handcrafted rugs

All stages of the weaving process are closely interrelated. It is not possible to successfully produce a piece without the care and attention that each stage of production requires.

Each finished rug is unique in design, color combination and thickness . There will never be one exactly like another . That's why we like to say that Each one is a piece with a soul .