Term of the Day: Chimi Technique

[Photo by Don Tuttle via Hali.]

Hali's winter issue features a nice story by contributing editor Katie Loux that looks at Bolivian textiles. Shown here is one of the dynamic pieces used to illustrate it, an 18th or 19th century Camelid wool Aymara mantle. According to Loux, this example represents a rare form of Aymara weaving characterized by the chimi technique seen in the central pink band. Using the technique, weavers pile different colored yarns together creating a speckled effect; the blending of colors yields a whole new hue for the weaver's repetoire.