In November there was Tinkuy de Tejedores (a gathering of weavers) in Peru. I would love to have gone, but it was not in the cards. The pre-Columbian weaving that is still being done in the highlands of Peru is incredible. No one should ever underestimate the ancestors.
Trying to learn a little about this weaving, I found an article by Doramay Keasbey in a Handwoven magazine from January/February 2000 that explained how to do pick up weave on a floor loom (instead of the backstrap loom commonly used by Peruvian weavers). I put on a long warp and started weaving bookmarks.
Intrigued by this complex pick-up weave, I contacted Laverne Waddington, who lives in Bolivia and has first-hand experience with weavers who live in the Andes. She has recently published an e-book through Weavezine on Andean Pebble Weave. Her comments can be seen on my website http://abovefault.net/ I have purchased her book and I think I see a backstrap loom in my future and further exploration of this and other pick up weaves.
I just received the most recent Handwoven magazine (January/February 2011) with articles by both Doramay and Laverne on pick up weaves. Thanks to both of them for giving me this new window into the weaving world and an admiration for what can and has been done. It is both exhilirating and humbling. Too much to do, too little time!
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