The spinner, the weaver and the lace maker are old skills from the Samnite period still practiced in Abruzzo, Italy. Weaving blankets called "tarante" continues in Taranta Peligna. The difficult pillow lace called "tombolo" is made by a few women in Scanno. These towns, along with L'Aquila, are known for their textile traditions dating back centuries.

1. THE SPINNER, THE WEAVER
AND THE LACE MAKER
The spinner, the weaver and the lace maker are very old skills belonging to
the Samnite period.
The weaving tradition has developed over the centuries in the area around
Taranta Peligna, where it still exists a good production of blankets, made of
wool and called “tarante”, after the name of the original village. Other
important towns are Scanno and L’Aquila. The traditional pillow lace is called
“tombolo” and it is so difficult to make that only a few women are able to
work nowadays.

2. TARANTA PELIGNA
SCANNO
Scanno is an Italian town situated in the province of
L'Aquila. The municipal territory, surrounded by the
Marsican Mountains, is partly included within the borders
of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise and it
belongs to the Peligna community.
Taranta Peligna is an Italian town in the province of
Chieti. It extends from the river Avellino to Macellaro, a
mountain 2,646 metres above sea level. It is part of the
Union Municipalities of Majella Orientale Verde-Aventino
and of the Majella National Park.

3. TARANTE
In 1800 the famous Abruzzese blanket
was born, it was indispensable for most
of the families of the region. “Tarante”
are heavy and coloured wool blankets,
without "straight" or "reverse", obtained
by working and felting wool, which can
be used on both sides. Bordered by
beautiful coloured fringes, they are
decorated with floral or geometric motifs.
Hand woven by the artisans of Taranta
Peligna, the blankets have become part
of the large-scale production with the
Industrial Revolution.

4. TOMBOLO
We can see “Tombolo” tradition in the town of
Scanno in 1700. This skill is practised by local women
which give life to wonderful works of art made with
the aid of the pillow, a padded roller, spindles and
pins, using a very thin cotton thread flowing between
their skillful fingers. The work begings on a printed
piece of paper, and follows the drawing through a
series of typical stitches. Making use of special
wooden sticks, preferably of cherry, called "lu fuse",
the thread is wound and continues, forward,
backward, left and right, elaborating the drawing
prepared on paper and forming tulle, canvas, or
other types of lace.

5. WHAT DID A BRIDE USE TO HAVE IN HER "CORREDO" IN
THE MIDDLE AGES?
«Eight heavy tablecloths of Lanciano, of fine linen, doubled in cloth
and well-finished at the edges with decorations and bows
according to the French style; twenty tablecloths, also made of
linen, of thin thread, with fringes and hems as above; two red
blankets of Trani; three demask cotton bedspreads of Venice, two
of which have decorations all around and the third one is finished
with a variegated band with four identical decorations, one on
each corner; two coloured blankets decorated all around.»

6. «LU PORTAFUSE»
Il portafuso
The spindle
«L’ARCOLAIE»
L’arcolaio
The wool-winder
«LU TILARE»
Il telaio
The loom
«LA SPOLE»
La spoletta
The spool
«LU PIDALE»
Il pedale
The pedal
«LU FILATORE»
Il filatoio
The spinner

7. SITOGRAPHY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
it.wikipedia.org
visitterredeitrabocchi.it
turismo.it
itineraabruzzo.it
civadoitaly.com
catalogo.beniculturali.it
abruzzo.italiaguida.it
officine.romamakers.org
ilfaropresepi.it
Luigi Mammarella“La vita in Abruzzo nel Medioevo” Adelmo Polla
Editore