I have woven this bolero using a fine alpaca yarn in its natural shade, combining it with a cotton warp (those threads that are tensioned on the loom) which comes from a sustainable farm in Queensland. Through the weave I have added pops of soft colours, hand dyed in pinks and greys. Once off the loom I have crocheted all around, lightly catching the side seams together to hold it gently together.
Suri is the softest of alpaca fibres. it’s softer than wool and will drape elegantly around the body
At Ashculme Textiles we walk gently on this precious earth. I hand weave each piece at my studio in rural NSW, using the yarn from our small herd of Suri Alpaca. The process is mostly here on the farm – after shearing, we clean the fleeces before sending them to a local mill where small batches are washed, carded & spun. I use natural dyes working with rain water that flows directly from the tank and on into the garden after use.
Alpaca fibre is resilient will keep its shape and softness for years.
Should you need to wash it, do so by hand only, squeezing out excess water by folding it in a towel and pressing down. Do not wring. Dry laid out flat. Not to be tumble dried. Iron with a cool iron, protecting it with a cotton or linen tea towel.
