Today and tomorrow Floriane is taking a weaving course in the Traditional Textile Center of Cusco (CTTC in short). It's an association of about ten communities around Cusco including about forty women, and some children on Saturday. The goal of the association is to allow them to practice their art fairly. The CTTC is a long building with a large inner courtyard where many women in traditional clothes spin, weave, dye or knit.
Floriane starts her class at 9am with Felipa, she is all stressed for fear of being good enough. As Floriane begins her course, a couple of tourists arrive to attend a demonstration. François
follows the demonstration with interest, the presenter shows the
different types of fabrics: large squares of fabric to cover the
shoulders of women, ponchos for men, large fabrics to wrap oneself in and all
kinds of tablecloths, table runners... We're presented how women weave and make the motives. Most of their motifs are specific to the region but they also reproduce Inca motifs. Then we're shown how they dye the wool: with mealybugs that grow on
cacti for red and all its gradients, tropical roots for peach color,
dried leaves for purple...
At
noon, Floriane has already started her first handiwork, a strip of striped
fabric, we can see the difference between the first ranks and the last,
there is a clear improvement. In
the evening Floriane is delighted, moreover she was told that she
learns very quickly, she is flattered, she began to make patterns too. The next day she learns quickly enough to start wider strips with more complicated patterns. She also learns to start and finish a handiwork, and starts a strap for François's front bag.
We both spent an excellent stay in Chinchero, Floriane is delighted with her class and François had the time to code more than usual, he missed it a bit. We're now looking forward to get back on the road.
