The steps of weaving

Our colleague José and his partners illustrate the key steps of weaving.

Planning and material calculation

First, José draws the patterns for the pieces to be produced. This is no small task, but José is an experienced artisan who creates his own designs.

Before starting anything, he must carefully calculate the quantity of each color of yarn required. The amount varies depending on the thickness of the yarn, the patterns, and the stitches chosen.

For their creations, José and his colleagues use 100% baby alpaca yarn, machine-spun.

Setting up the loom: warping and threading

Next comes the loom setup, which is carried out in two steps: warping and threading. These two steps aim to install the warp threads (vertical threads) onto the loom and the frames. This setup also allows for the preparation of the patterns.

The setup process requires a lot of time and precision. A proper setup ensures a well-tensioned weave, which directly impacts the texture and softness of the alpaca textiles.

Weaving

The weaving itself can then begin. The weaver steps on the pedals to operate the loom’s frames. Using a shuttle, they can interlace the weft threads (horizontal) with the warp threads (vertical). And that’s when the fabric starts to take shape!

Finishing

Many products, such as shawls, feature beautiful and intricate patterns or openwork that must be finished by hand.