Abel Iloco Weaving

Abel is the handwoven cotton cloth of Ilocos, worked on a wooden pedal loom called a pangablan, and it has been made in the villages of both Ilocos provinces for centuries - the tight, hard-wearing weave was traded through the region long before the Spanish arrived and was used for sails, sacks and blankets as well as clothing. The best-known pattern is binakol, a dizzying optical design of concentric squares and waves traditionally understood to confuse malevolent spirits, alongside kusikos spirals, pinilian brocade work and plain checks. Weavers work in home workshops and small cooperatives, warping by hand and throwing a shuttle by foot pedal, and a blanket takes days. Several workshops around Vigan, Santiago and in La Union's Bangar welcome visitors to watch and buy. The craft has had a revival driven by designers, though the number of weavers - mostly older women - continues to fall.

What you actually see

• The pedal looms - wooden pangablan worked by hand and foot.
• The binakol pattern - the optical concentric design.
• The warping process - threads laid out before weaving begins.
• The finished cloth - blankets, runners and yardage for sale.

When to go

November to May for travel. Weekday working hours - weavers work to their own schedule and many workshops are closed on Sundays.

Honest expectations

These are homes and small cooperatives, not showrooms; ask before photographing and expect that watching leads to buying. Genuine hand-woven abel costs more than machine-made imitations sold in tourist shops.

Nearby

Vigan's heritage streets and potteries are close; Paoay and the Ilocos Norte circuit are further north.