In time for the cooler months, new hand-woven Alpaca throws by Catarina Riccabona

Hand-woven Alpaca Throw, Sage Green, Caramel Brown & Charcoal Warp, £1,300 by Catarina Riccabona

I enjoy the flexibility and the spontaneous changes that are possible when weaving by hand. I observe and constantly re-assess how these weave structures materialise in the fabric during weaving.

Catarina Riccabona

Hand-woven Alpaca Throw, Pale Blue & Coral Warp, £1,300 by Catarina Riccabona

Catarina Riccabona is a hand-weaver creating unique pieces, mainly throws and more recently wall hangings. “For me, the process of hand-weaving is endlessly intriguing and keeps informing and pushing my work. Its slow-paced, contemplative nature and the possibility to make changes spontaneously offer a dimension that goes beyond the mere production of a piece.”

This process is key for creating her designs. “When I start a piece, I often don’t know what it will look like finished. I work at the loom in a spontaneous, intuitive manner thereby simultaneously creating and executing ideas. Each piece is a unique arrangement of elements and a new composition.”

Left: Throw in Sage Green, Caramel Brown & Charcoal Warp, £1,300; Right: Throw in Pale Blue & Coral Warp, £1,300. Both by Catarina Riccabona

Catarina’s hand-woven throws are made with a blend of materials; the warp is natural white (unbleached) alpaca wool, with a small amount of natural white alpaca. This gives the throws an unmatched softness and tactility. The colourful wefts use recycled linens and cottons, as well as wools and natural white alpaca.

My practice is based on environmental values. I often use unbleached and undyed linen in my warps. My choice of weft yarns is limited to naturally eco-friendly yarns like linen, hemp, undyed or plant-dyed wools and undyed alpaca from the UK. If I use any other types of yarn, like cotton, it comes in the form of a second-hand or recycled yarn. For colour I use plant-dyed wool by a natural dyer from Finland, second-hand yarns or recycled yarns from a British company who process industrial surplus into new yarns.

Studio Photographs: Yuki Sugiura