Calado

Calado, which means “piercing” in Spanish, is a type of hand embroidery that does exactly that: it involves puncturing the fabric to form holes within the warp and weft threads.

This method of textile embellishment requires pulling out threads from certain areas and then sewing the remaining threads together for a lacy effect. A common trick is to add water to the surface of the fabric to differentiate the warp and weft.

“The effect is similar to a spider web - open and airy - almost atmospheric and ethereal in nature. I have always been interested in levels of transparency and images that are immaterial. The first time I was exposed to the making of Calado was in the Philippines, as I watched the hands of the women moving as soft and light as swallows creating their nests, floating their hands above and below the fabric in order to pierce their pattern amongst the threads.” - Adèle