Andean Folk Knitting

Andean Folk Knitting
by Cynthia Gravelle LeCount
Adopted by
Jennifer Ann Magyar
Sharing my love of knitting. My grandfather, Louis Magyar Sr., taught me to cast on using two needles. He learned to knit in grammar school making wash cloths for soldiers in WWI.
on December 30, 2020
Andean Folk Knitting Front Cover

Andean folk knitting : traditions and techniques from Peru and Bolivia

By Cynthia Gravelle LeCount. Saint Paul, MN: Dos Tejedoras Fiber Arts Publications, c1990.

Andean Folk Knitting fills a gap in research and literature on pre-Hispanic-based knitting traditions in Bolivia and Peru. The author provides fascinating insight into the rich history and tradition of knitted clothes in Andean culture, such as the ch’ullu, the knitted cap which signifies different aspects of the wearer’s identity. The ch’ullu isn’t the only traditional piece of knit clothing in the Andean cultures; the book details dozens more and describes the purpose of each piece, as well as its maker, wearer, and place of origin, whenever possible. It is notable that the photographs and drawings used in the book are by the author and document her extensive travel and research among the Quechua, Amaya, and Chipaya villages in the Andean Highlands. This is a signed copy by the author for noted anthropologist Elayne Zorn and her former husband Juan Cutipa. Elayne Zorn's papers are in the archives at the National Museum of the American Indian. It is possible Andean Folk Knitting came from her library. 

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Adoption Type: Build and Access the Collection