Tempting Ottoman Tile Work

As I reminisce over my photos from Turkey, I am still stunned by the many wonderful designs incorporated into tiles.  So, to finish up here’s a delicious few to contemplate – enough to send you running for your own design boards & coloured paints....

(Most of these photos came from the Topkapi Palace or the Archaeological Museum)

Textile Foraging

Traditional Textile Arts, Turkey

Both photos from the Bursa City Museum

Costumes. Folk costumes are worn mostly by village people on special occasions.  We didn't visit many ethnological museums during our stay…  However, there’s always next year! 

Knitting & Crochet.  Look for some wildly exotic socks or vintage-style crochet in the tiny village of Sirince.  A glass or two of their fruit wines will help decide your purchases.

Bursa, City Museum

Needle Lace.  Buy unusual needle lace jewellery made in a technique called oya.  We found pieces in both the Arasta & Grand Bazaar.  I found information on Pintrest (this link is just one of a few when you Google) and at a women’s cooperative web site, istanbuloya. 

Felting. In Konya, at the studio of Master Felter Mehmet Girgic, we had the age old craft of felting demonstrated for us. Silvia, his artist wife, explained the traditional Turkish method of kicking & rolling woollen fibres to have them felt.  She takes a modern approach, producing hand-dyed (in natural dyes) pieces.  The Ikonium Studio however still produce orders of sikke, or caps worn by whirling dervishes, as the family have done for generations.  

Silvia demonstrating felting techniques

Weaving. The closest we got to weaving was in Bursa at the Koza Han. Bursa had once been an important silk weaving city and, given the selection of goodies at the Han, settled its heritage as a principle trading market of the East. There was a fantastic selection of linen, silk and cotton available.  (I’m not sure if flax is woven any more, but it certainly was available in the 14th c.)  

Patchwork.  Try as we may, studios producing patchwork alluded us.  We were informed that quilting is (or maybe was) largely a domestic product and produced by men professionally – not at all in the style we associate with the craft. 

Serious textile shopping in the Koza Han, Bursa

Dyed, Printed & Painted Fabrics. Fabrics are dyed with either natural dyes or commercially available ones.  Silk or cotton ikat is a wonderful example and we saw many designs (mostly in cushions), although a lot is screen printed – a faster, cost effective method.  Real ikats can be had however, just buy from “creditable” shops in any bazaar, although Koza Han in Bursa is where I’d put my money.  Do ask where it was woven…  Turkey has its own variant of hand block printed fabrics called yazma. 

Wools dyed with natural materials, Ikonium Studio, Konya

Embroidery. I was lucky enough to find a tea dyed cotton/linen suzani.  Though not from Turkey, the heritage of the technique is nearby Uzbekistan.  Somehow I had it in my head that they were applique pieces, but after some detailed research, I’ve discovered that traditionally, suzani are indeed embroidered.  I just love my pomegranate design.

Knitting at home

Art is a Prayer

Each work of art is a prayer (quote from Lonely Planet's Guide to Turkey, p34)

I’m rounding off sailing season 2013 with an overview of my textile finds in Turkey.  This is by no means an in-depth or comprehensive review of Turkish Textiles, just a review of what I managed to find during my stay; a short time by any standard: 

Carpets on show in Goreme

Ottoman Era

Carpets & Kilims.  Now people write books about carpets and as I am no authority, all I’m prepared to say is that Turkish carpets are stunning.  Do yourself a favour and visit Ruth (Tribal Collections in Goreme) for a run down on carpet “essentials” without any hassle.  If you can keep your eyes off the merchandise during the presentation, you will learn heaps.  Otherwise, if you’re just window shopping, you will have to sit on your hands until renovations of the Islamic Arts Museum in Istanbul are done.  And that could take a while. (I’ve just discovered that a new Carpet Museum has opened in Istanbul – very near the Hagia Sophia, so that may well be worth sussing out if you’re a carpet tragic.)

Costumes & Slippers.  The Hall of the Campaign Paiges in Topkapi Palace is the place to see (but not photograph, understandably) stunning Imperial costumes.  Fabulous silk and velvet designs, heavy with silver or gold threads, were woven on looms by master craftsmen.  Gorgeous leather slippers accompanied many outfits.  Thankfully for us, the garments were owned by the state and carefully stored with the passing of each sultan. 

Garment example in Bursa Ethnographic Museum

Modern Trends

Detail on modern textile trends and artisans will have to wait for another year.  My hands were full just taking in the extent of the history in this amazing country and fiddling on the edges with a bit of textile research.

Costume seen in Bursa's Bazaar

Next Post: Traditional Turkish Textiles

(An informative site I’ve managed to find on the web has been put up by the Turkish Cultural Foundation.  It is well researched and detailed.  Better still, there are photos illustrating each specific area of interest - for me – textile techniques.  This information will certainly round out my very brief & basic comments on the textile arts I was able to find.)