Yarn: Behind the Scenes

One of the more special characteristics of Araucania is its wool industry- the local artisans are truly talented. In addition, the trade is incredibly local and sustainable, two attractive features that are increasingly more difficult to find. To illustrate, artisans typically buy carded wool from neighbors' farms and create dyes from plants in their backyards.

In the spirit of Southern Chile, I figured I should start learning more about the craft myself, so I recently started taking weaving classes from a neighbor. Even though we have only met a few times, I have already gained a much deeper appreciation for yarn and the products made from it. Here are some step-by-step photos of my first class.

Washing

Artisans first clean the wool by washing it by hand. During this step, great care is taken to be gentle with the wool so it does not fall apart or lose its natural fat content, which helps the fibers stick together when being spun.

Spinning

After being left out to air-dry, the wool is stretched out into long, thin pieces. This not only prepares the wool for spinning, but also helps get rid of extra dirt and debris. Next, wool is hand-spun using a wooden needle.

My Turn

As my homework for my next class, I had to spin a bag of wool- good thing I had friend to help out!

Dying

Once wool is spun into yarn, it must be washed with soap to remove the fat- this allows for natural dyes to bind with the wool fibers. In the dye pictured above, we boiled onion peels with the yarn to dye it yellow.

I'm planning on taking classes weekly, so stay updated for more!