pillow covers

Dark waves lap at a sea of crimson as stars twinkle in orderly rows. Faustino Maldonado weaves two dramatic cushion covers with pre-Hispanic motifs. Working on the Andean handloom, he creates his beautiful design in an acrylic and alpaca wool blend. A slot opening at the back permits insertion of the cushions.

Masterfully woven by hand, intricate diamonds motifs flow in bands across an expanse of blue. Artisans from the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco revive ancient techniques and designs for this handloomed cushion cover. Working on a backstrap loom, they utilize patterns that derive from Inca art and seek to keep the old textile traditions alive.

The community raises and cares for its own alpacas. The fleece is washed, carded and spun by hand using a pushka, or drop spindle. The dyes come from plants, nuts and tree bark. The next step is one of the most important, as the artisan prepares the warp, or vertical threads for the backstrap loom. This determines the size of the textile, the color combinations, and the patterns that will be woven.

The intensity of color can vary depending on the hardness of the water, the altitude and the local dye sources, making each cushion cover a unique piece of handcrafted art. The reverse side is solid espresso brown.

Add a touch of style to your living room with this pair of cushion covers from Peru. Artisan W. Rojas Yuri creates this pair, which is woven by hand from a soft alpaca blend. A body of crimson showcases dark and pumpkin-hued stripes and zigags. Each cover features a striped back, which opens with a slit for inserting a cushion.

Beautiful diamond motifs in Prussian blue march across a body of eggshell white in this warm, durable throw blanket, presented by Nestor Yana of Peru. With a textured pattern, the throw is woven from an acrylic and alpaca blend, finished with fringes on the ends.

Designed by Peru's Kathiana Quispe, this wonderful cushion cover is woven on an artisan loom with traditional Andean motifs. The multicolored cover is crafted from an alpaca and wool blend and features a zipper opening on one side for inserting a cushion.

Cozy cocoa and cream tones add spice to cool evenings in an acrylic and alpaca blend throw from Jorge Priori. Finished with fringe, the attractive textile showcases modern Andean style. Renowned for its thermal qualities, alpaca is lightweight yet it possesses an incredible capacity for heat retention.