Moray (Cusco) -  © Claudia Fiocchetti — Moray (Cusco) - © Claudia Fiocchetti

Hello everyone!

Today I would like to share with you some of the photos I took while travelling around Centre and northern Peru in 2014. It hasn’t been easy to choose which shots to present in this post, as I took more than 2,500 photos during that holiday! Do not panic as I narrowed down the choice focusing mainly to photos related to yarn, knitting and weaving. As you will see below the inspiration sources that come from a trip to Peru are endless and plays on different levels: colours, welcoming and smiling people, Peruvian nature and landscapes.

Vicunas around Passo Patapampa (4,910 mt) - © Claudia Fiocchetti

First of all, I would like to start with the fantastic animals that are providing incredible quality yarns: merinos sheep, alpacas and even the wild and elegant vicunas. You could meet merino sheep and alpacas almost everywhere in Peru, in villages and towns as well as in archaeological sites!

Along Peruvian roads, you will come across many markets, in the main village squares or scattered in the countryside and mountainous landscapes. They bring you joy, with their colourful and vibrant displays and stalls!

Street market around Passo Patapampa (4,910 mt) - © Claudia Fiocchetti

One of the highlights of the trip, for me as a knitter, was reached on Taquile island. Walking along the island paths and streets I came across many local people that were busy with spinning (even when walking with a child on their back!), tending herds, knitting, weaving or trading their finished products. The Taquile knitting technique is unique: the yarn is held around the neck, so it lies in front of the work. This position of the thread makes it easier to purl than to knit. The amazing colour work in Taquile technique is done on the wrong side of the project, and in the pictures below, you can appreciate the usage of hooked needles that have a knob at the end.

Another special Peruvian village for knitting and weaving lovers is Chinchero, 45 minutes away from Cusco. The entire village is dedicated to spinning, dying with natural colours (e.g. cochineal for red), knitting and weaving large pieces as well as cords or bands.