Weavers traditionally work as independent family units.
It is the job of the women to do the carding and spinning, while the men weave. This technique was first introduced to Peru about 1980, when it was quickly adopted by the inhabitants of the shanty towns surrounding Lima. The Ayacucho tapestry was initially woven primarily in Santa Ana, a suburb of the city of Ayacucho. The unusual style of the weave, known as padding, has earned this tapestry an international reputation. In padding, dyed but unspun wool is introduced into the warp of the loom, each colored piece is individually arranged, much like brush strokes in an oil painting.