:: Fall 2005 
Review
Andean Folk Knits: Great Designs from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador & Bolivia
Andean Folk Knits: Great Designs from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador & Bolivia is a book that grew out of Marcia Lewandowski's work in the 1980s and '90s with the Mennonite Central Committee of helping women in several South American communities with nutrition and gardening matters. A knitter herself, Ms. Lewandowski observed and appreciated the knitting traditions of the women in each of the countries she visited.
Ms. Lewandowski has designed 35 knitting projects for fibreworkers based specifically on the examples of local knitting she encountered first-hand. She believes that every time a knitter makes one of these projects, the knitting heritage of the South Americans she met is preserved and valued.
The knitting projects are organized by country and presented in alphabetical order, i.e. Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. The Quecha people of Peru (see Feature) are mentioned specifically. The author describes the Incan civilization prior to the conquest of the Spanish in the early 1500s. Alpaca was so valuable to the Incans that the garments made from it were reserved for royalty. As the Incans fled from the conquistadors, they burned their stores of alpaca textiles to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. They left behind their gold and silver because they valued them less.
CyberFibres recommends Andean Folk Knits to all knitters, alpaca lovers, and fiberworkers who enjoy learning about the history and traditions of fellow craftspeople in other countries.
(Note: The handknitted vest behind the book in the photo is from Lanart, Inc.).