cross art

Add a little warmth and fashion to your wardrobe at the same time. Pia Zavala designs and knits with unique sweater vest in a blend of alpaca and wool. With a bold dark red color and handsome cable patterns, it crisscrosses the body with lightweight warmth.

Patiently handwoven on the backstrap loom, ancient motifs recall the splendor of the Inca empire, when such textiles were more highly prized than gold. Artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco craft a handbag of timeless beauty, combining blue and with two shades of red on a dark blue background. They name their design for Chinchero, where time seems to have stood still for centuries and the Quechua language is spoken and seek to keep the old textile traditions alive.

The community raises and cares for its own alpacas. The fleece is washed, carded and spun by hand using a pushka, or drop spindle. The dyes come from plants, nuts and tree bark. The next step is one of the most important, as the artisan prepares the warp, or vertical threads for the backstrap loom. This determines the size of the textile, the color combinations, and the patterns that will be woven.

The intensity of color can vary depending on the hardness of the water, the altitude and the local dye sources, making each textile a unique piece of handcrafted art. The bag is fully lined and opens to reveal a convenient zipper pocket.

Crimson is combined with various other colors in this scarf from Peru. Knit from 100% alpaca wool, the scarf features crimson, pumpkin, cerulean, and purple stripes with zigzag, cross, and block patterns. Peruvian artisan Fernando Cano creates this warm accessory.

Crimson is combined with various other colors in these gloves from Peru. Knit from 100% alpaca wool, the gloves feature crimson, pumpkin, cerulean, and purple stripes with zigzag, cross, and block patterns. Peruvian artisan Fernando Cano creates this warm accessory.

Crimson is combined with various other colors in this hat from Peru. Knit from 100% alpaca wool, the hat features crimson, pumpkin, cerulean, and purple stripes with zigzag, cross, and block patterns. Peruvian artisan Fernando Cano creates this warm accessory.

In this hand made arpillera wall hanging, artisan Leonor Quispe of Peru creates an Andean interpretation of a Nativity scene. Three peasants on horseback cross a colorful field to visit the baby in the manger. Llamas and sheep help Mary and Joseph attend the baby while an Andean angel looks on and a star shoots through the night sky. An opening in the top of the arpillera allows for insertion of a rod for easy hanging.