Materials & Techniques

Wool refers specifically to the fine, soft, curly hair or fleece of the sheep. In common language, wool has also been used to refer to hair of other animals, such as camelids and certain goats species. Wool may refer generally to a textile made from animal fiber.

Cochineal refers to a red natural transparent lake colorant that has poor lightfastness and fades in strong sunlight, yet adheres extremely well and vibrantly to protein fibers of camelid and sheep. It is prepared from the bodies of the female scale insect, Dactylopius coccus, which lives as a parasitic on the prickly-pear cactus native to Mexico, the Canary Islands, and Central and South America.

Indigo refers to a natural dark blue colorant obtained from the tropical Indigofera tinctoria plants. This species of shrub is naturalized to the tropical and temperate areas of Asia and Africa and has been cultivated elsewhere for centuries; its location of origin is uncertain. The use of indigo was first mentioned in Indian manuscripts in the 4th century BCE; it was first exported to Europe in Roman times.

1. Coarse treadle-loom woven wool fabric. The equivalent English fabric name is baize. 2. Women’s rectangular shawl pinned on the chest, made from bayeta fabric.

Coarse twill-weave wool cloth, woven on the treadle loom.

Fine plain cotton cloth, handwoven on the treadle loom.

Plain-weave cotton cloth handwoven on the treadle loom.