Master spinners and weavers carry on a handcraft tradition
The weaving process includes spinning; dyeing; warping the loom; the actual weaving; and finishing.
Spinning
Big bales of Karakul wool arrive from coastal Port Elizabeth (the third largest port, fifth largest city in South Africa) at Mapusha. The wool has been washed and put through a machine process that straightens the fibers so they may be more easily manipulated. Although the Mapusha women can card wool themselves, the process of combing handfuls of wool adds time to already time consuming work.
Two spinners, Anna Nzukula and Anna Mduli, begin the process of transforming the soft white fluff into hand-spun wool. They create smooth spirals of carded wool and gently convey these nests of wool to the spinning wheel. The spinning art refers to the twist created by the spinner’s hands as the spinning wheel turns to take the twisted wool and roll the spun wool onto a spindle. The spinner also controls the thickness of the wool, either the thin strand of tapestry wool or the thicker strand of carpet wool. Once the wool is spun, the spinners remove yarn from the wheel and create skeins of undyed wool for the weavers.
