THE QOMLE'EC COMMUNITY

The Qomle'ec women weave the wool offered by the Creole sheep of the Gran Chaco and transform it into beautiful fabrics. All garments are dyed with their plants, leaves, fruit rinds, capturing in a variety of colours the joy of their culture, which is still alive and strong today. By appreciating their craft, you are valuing their culture. Each piece is unique and special.

Wool processing

The wool that is obtained from the sheep is the raw material that allows Qomle'ec women make beautiful animals, rugs and tapestries.
The whole process begins by rinsing the fleece four times to remove the dirt.
After being washed, the wool begins its drying stage.
Once dry, the wool passes through a device called Distaff by which the soft threads that will be used to weave the products, are obtained.
Before they start weaving, women dye their threads with natural dyes that come from their surroundings. These dyes are made out of fruits, barks and roots of different trees.
Once the threads have been dyed, they start weaving and creating.Their tapestries and carpets have been known to many past generations.
The techniques applied, together with the different thicknesses of the threads, allow Qomle´ec women to maintain designs that reflect ancestral knowledge.

Although the Animalitos are relatively new within their community, there are now women who train others in this practice.