Do you still remember your first creation?
I was 12, and I created a saddlebag sling, a typical textile accessory of my land. Although so much time has passed, and I was little more than a child, I will never forget the emotion of having completed something with my hands and my mind.
How do you adapt ancient traditions to the 21st century?
I like to experiment, and I always try to combine traditional patterns with new materials or traditional materials with new designs. What fascinates me is that the techniques, whether you want to create a traditional or an innovative product, has been the same for hundreds of years.
© Gigi Cabiddu
What are your trademark techniques?
They range from the most common, known as 'pibiones' (or grapes, which they resemble) and 'tela liscia’ (plain weave), to 'tauledda' (fibres laid over multiple weft thread to create a pattern) which is the oldest technique in which my workshop specialises. All this is done on purely manual looms.
What do you love most about your job?
The slow rhythm of weaving, dictated by the loom – but also by the energy of my body. Each work is born from the harmony between me and the loom, which is why I could never give up hand weaving, as it gives me the opportunity to get in touch with so many people.