Entrelanas means “surrounded by yarn, immersed in yarn”. My name is Ximena Bervejillo and I started “entrelanas designs” in 2019, out of a desire to share my passion for working with wool and creating timeless and unique garments. I weave shawls, ruanas, ponchos and scarves with a small portable loom called “rigid heddle loom”, using pure wool that I normally spin and dye myself. My pieces are made to last for a long time. They are stylish, casual, comfortable, and one-of-a-kind. 

Workspace

Each creation from entrelanas designs is made by myself in my home studio in San Anselmo, California. Generally, I weave in my living room, that is where I have my looms. I love being around people while I create, and that space has wonderful light and warmth. Because my looms are portable, sometimes I move them to my backyard and weave outside. Now I have a dedicated room in the house, with all my supplies and tools, where I normally do the prep and the finishing work. 

Production Model

Each shawl, scarf, poncho or ruana is one-of-a-kind – no two pieces are identical. My production is small and slow, as I am the only person in my “factory”. All my creations are absolutely unique, either created in advance or custom made. Most of the pieces start from a ball of pure Merino or Corriedale wool that is hand dyed with natural dyes, spun in a traditional spinning wheel and then handwoven. Sometimes, the yarn used has already been spun and dyed and the process of creation involves only the design and weaving.

Tools

My most important tool is my loom. This is a relatively small portable loom that, despite being rather simple, allows me to create a wide variety of designs that align perfectly with my style. I also use a traditional spinning wheel to create my yarn and sometimes even a manual drum carder, to prepare the wool before I spin it. 

Materials

I use high quality pure wool that comes from my home country, Uruguay. When I dye my yarn, I use natural dyes (from plants, flowers or food scraps). Sometimes, I use yarn that has been dyed already, and I know that it comes from a safe place as well. I reuse and repurpose even the smallest piece of yarn. Nothing is lost. All the leftovers from the loom will later be used for a different project as they are, or I will “re-card” them and spin them into something different.