Looming Field Trip

Leo's dear friend Roberta is in town! I was able to twist her arm into coming along on a field trip with me to see the factory where they weave the local fabrics -- the Tessitura Pardi! It's a very high-end mill, and uses luscious cottons and linens.

I called and made an appointment...I was warned that the senior technician had the flu so the looms weren't running, but we had the chance to see them, check out fabric samples, and so on.

The mill was fascinating. It's been running since 1929, and was started by our guide's grandfather. It was then passed down to her father and his brothers, and now her cousins and she are in charge of the place. And what a place it is!

They have a mill of about 20,000 square feet, and a remarkable number of looms. They use cards to create the patterns, which are then carried out in an array of colors and fibers.

Our tour guide

The threads

Warp threads being readied for insertion into the loom

The stuff that looks like cream fabric on the left? a set of cards for the pattern

Close-up of the cards

One side of a tablecloth

Finished fabric!

Spools for finished fabric

These machines wind the threads from cones onto spools

Some of the metallic threads they're using now

The tool bench for repair!

Area next to the factory

Arachne herself would be envious.

Love,

Alexandra