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/andean-weave · pattern · 3 readings

Andean weave patterns: eyes, hooks, llama train in three band scales

Andean weave — Narrow bands of picked warp pattern separated by plain stripes, each band carrying a different figure — a stepped diamond, a hooked cross, a row of small birds — the figures reversing colour where the warp turns., warp-faced pick-up weaving in handspun alpaca on a backstrap loom, the design carried in the warp alone

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all 9 samples — three readings, three styles ↓

Reading 1Picked bands
Reading 2Eyes and hooks
Reading 3Llama caravan

Backstrap weaving in the high Andes is warp-faced: the pattern is picked thread by thread so it lives entirely in the warp, and the back of the cloth is its exact negative. These nine set eyes, hooks and a llama train, each in a narrow band, a wide band and a contemporary colourway. Ask for a different picked figure and the same three band scales carry it.

  • a fabric or wallpaper swatch
  • a gift print
  • a cultural studies handout
  • a home decor accent

Frequently asked questions

What size do these print at?
Each pattern is drawn at A3 proportions with an even margin, so it prints clean at A3 or scales to A4.
Can I ask for a different picked figure?
Yes — the direction field takes any figure, such as a bird or a diamond, and the same three band scales render it.
What's the difference between the three band scales?
Narrow band keeps the figure small and repeats it densely; wide band enlarges the same figure across a broader strip; contemporary colourway keeps the wide band but opens the palette.
Is this respectful of real Andean backstrap-weaving traditions?
The set draws on the warp-faced, thread-picked technique of Andean backstrap weaving as a style reference for a generated pattern, not a reproduction of any specific weaver's band.

About toile

This page is a showcase and a starting point: nine samples already rendered, three readings of the pack crossed with three styles, each shown at the size and ratio it was made for. Take any of them further on the wall with a few words, or ask for all nine again under your own direction; a sign-in keeps what you make, and it is free while Toile is new. The recipe behind each sample — the subject, the style, the palette, the framing — travels with the image rather than staying private to the render: it is in the alt text of every sample and in the page's own structured data, so a search engine reads the same handles a person would.