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History Of Use

Knitting and crochet were introduced to the Andes after the Spanish Conquest. These techniques are used for some items of dress and accessories. Knitting is more often done by men, particularly for their caps (chullu, in Quechua). Protective sleeves (mangas, maquitos, in Spanish) and socks (medias, in Spanish) are worn by men in communities around Huancayo and Huancavelica to protect their forearms while doing agricultural work, and are typically made and used in the central Andes closer to the cities of Huancayo and Huancavelica (although some are also made in the Cusco region). Knitting in the round is done on 5 needles that are often fashioned from bicycle spokes.

Narrative

Bought by the donor in 1982 from Maxima Balbin in the Huancayo market. They were made in a community close to Huancayo.

Specific Techniques

Knitted in the round, using five needles.

Description

A pair of protective sleeves (mangas, maquitas) knitted in sheep’s wool and dyed with aniline dyes. The geometric design features a black and red border at the top, followed by a twice repeating pattern of horizontal multicoloured bands, a row of wave motifs, and a black and white band with bird and fox designs, separated by an additional row of waves across the horizontal centre. The multicoloured bands have rows of purple with orange, red with green, dark red and yellow, greenish-brown with magenta, and royal blue with red. The waves are worked in in orange against purple, greenish-brown against dark red, and magenta against green. The sleeves taper to an orange, purple, black, and dark red border at the wrist end.