How do the people of Ukraine's Carpathian mountains stay warm during the cold winter months? The answer is as simple as a blanket -- traditional blankets that have been carefully woven from the wool of local sheep. For centuries, the handmade weaving techniques have been passed down from generation to generation.

Sheep graze on the fresh green grass of Ukraine's Carpathian mountains near the village of Iavirov. The wool that kept these sheep warm last winter will soon be used to keep villagers cosy when the cold weather returns.

Their thick shaggy coats of black or white, are sheared at the start of spring. The wool is then brushed, washed, and dried.

"We rake up the wool and put it together in a ball. From it we make thread according to our traditions. We dye it according to the patterns we want to use," said Anna Chornish, local resident.

Over the centuries, lizhinka blankets also became an integral part of rituals among the ethnic group in the Carpathian mountains. It is given to daughters when they marry and is used during their weddings and funerals.

Locals says the blankets are part of their identity.

"At first it was made just to warm us up, but afterwards they became an integral part of the everyday life. It was given as a gift to the bride, every mother is preparing it for her daughter. When a bride is going to church for the wedding ceremony she should step on the blanket before leaving the house. This tradition is kept nowadays too," said Anna Kovalchuk, craftswoman.

The techniques used to make the cloth have remained unchanged for centuries.

The wool is washed and left to dry for several days, then combed and formed into a fluffy ball. It is then spun into wool thread and woven on homemade looms.

"These blankets breathe, not like synthetic ones. If you have flu or caught cold you need to cover yourself with it and have a little bit of vodka to be cured," Kovalchuk said.

Anna learned how to make blankets from her mother when she was just five years old. She is now passing on these techniques to her grandchildren.

"Every time I come here grandmother teaches me how to sew and weave," she said.

The local traditions are also helping with bringing in more tourism.