Tongde

Last year I met Klaas who runs AmdoCraft (See post “Craft for Change”). This year I returned to stay with one of the Tibetan families he works with. After Zigdo proudly shows us some of the Amdo products his family makes, explaining the difference between good and bad quality felt, we watched the ladies spin wool thread and weave.  Already owning and using several of their bags that have been woven in this way, I suddenly discovered a new appreciation for them. Their traditional weaving method is time laborious but fascinatingly simple in its set-up with the correct knowledge. You cannot help but get a warm homely feeling as found metal rods, wooden sticks and plastic pipes are configured together to create beautifully woven lengths of fabric.