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©tsakonika ifanta
©tsakonika ifanta
©tsakonika ifanta
©tsakonika ifanta

Elisavet Rodopoulou

  • Tsakonika Ifanta
  • Weaver
  • Tyros Arkadia, Greece
  • Master Artisan
Elisavet Rodopoulou Weaver
©tsakonika ifanta

Keeping Tsakonian weaving alive

  • • Elisavet weaves products that last more than a lifetime
  • • Tsakonian weaving is demanding as everything is made using the fingers
  • • For her creations, she uses the finest sheep wool dyed with natural colours

Elisavet Rodopoulou is a third-generation weaver. She is preserving the traditional vertical loom weaving craft of the region of Tsakonia, which is unique in all of Greece. Since 1948, her family has been creating kilims, rugs, runners and other decorations. Elisavet studied Maintenance and Restoration of Historic and Traditional Buildings. She says she gained valuable knowledge for her weaving profession while studying history of art, the methods of printing and drawing, the technology of materials and the practice of decoration. She also attended specialised seminars on working with other kinds of looms, weaving techniques, and plant-based yarn dyes. After a few years living in Germany, she returned to Greece and took over the family business Tsakonika Ifanta in 2018 with the goal of promoting Tsakonian textile craft. Today she creates handcrafted products in the original workshop in Tyros Arkadias and a new workshop in Athens.

Read the full interview

Works

  • ©tsakonikaifanta
  • ©tsakonikaifanta
  • ©tsakonikaifanta
Photo: ©tsakonikaifanta
Sun Rays

Sun Rays is a handmade kilim rug woven on a vertical loom according to ancient Greek handcrafting techniques. The kilim took over 70 hours to weave and is made with eco-friendly materials of cotton warp and woolen weft. The colour combinations of white, green and brown wefts are inspired by nature. This creation can be used as a floor covering or a wall hanging.

Photo: ©tsakonikaifanta
Tyros Village

This is a handmade kilim woven on a vertical loom according to ancient Greek traditional weaving techniques. The design is inspired by Tyros, a small Greek village where Tsakonika Ifanta is located. The kilim took over 60 hours to weave and is made with eco-friendly materials of cotton warp yarns and sheep wool weft. Blue, green, red and brown wefts are coloured with natural dyes.

Photo: ©tsakonikaifanta
Ribbons Kilim

Ribbons is a handmade kilim rug woven on a vertical loom according to ancient Greek weaving techniques. This is a traditional folk pattern since the 18th century when weaving handcrafting started in the Peloponnese region in Greece. It took over 380 hours for this kilim rug to be woven with only one hand tool. The finest sheep wool was spinned, plied into threads and finally naturally dyed in red, green and dark brown shades before making this unique creation.

Enjoy an experience with Elisavet Rodopoulou

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