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.)

A Chance Meeting

Cagliari, Sardinia
13th July 2013

This year has been rather textile “poor” I’m sad to say.  However, one welcome surprise was this window display we discovered in Cagliari.  I cannot begin to explain where these wonderful costumes and weavings came from as I understand each village has its own style.  However, the embroidery and weaving was particularly fine. 

Reflected in the background is busy Largo Carlo Felice

The Oristano Tourist Information Centre gave us a brochure on the textile museum located in Samugheo.  This village is noted for its textiles and in August has a “craft fair” at which tessile items are available to purchase.  Sadly, we had neither time nor transport for a visit (this year?), making our find in Cagliari all the more exciting. 

Here’s a link to the Regional Museum of Sardinian Textile Art in Samugheo.  If the quality of Oristano’s Antiquarium Arborense is any measure of provincial museums, this one should be well worth the visit.

Dark skirts & reflection is not a good mix, however
the lace on each blouse was stunning

Missing Photos...not again!

Oh Bother!

It would seem that by closing down (and removing) the TT Early Years blog I have inadvertently deleted my photos from those posts migrated to this blog.  They did not fly across the cybersphere and will now need to be re-installed - one by one.  This is punishment indeed for skipping from Vox to Wordpress to Typepad to Blogger over the last few years. 

There will be plenty more "bah-humbugs" (or worse) uttered until this mess is sorted out....which will take time. I knew I shouldn't have patted that black cat yesterday.  He looked too smug.  

Chaos Theory

Well, I've been struggling to keep both Textile Tourist  and  Early Years up and running.  Finally I've given in, so here you have it - all combined in a bit of a mish-mash.  Things could be worse!  Over on the right is a Ready Reference which should be of some assistance in bringing together all related posts. Early Years will sadly fade away once I've had a chance to check that it's all transferred nicely.

Chipping away at chaos, one post at a time....

Time to zen out for a bit (Nepal)

Persuasion

It’s easy to believe that summer is over. 

First sure signs are a fresh pink camellia on my footpath and the smell of eucalyptus smoke wafting across the island on cool, wet evenings.  

The first for this year....

I'll get back to textiles sooner or later.  The Quilt Album is going along nicely although the time has come to do a bit more research.  Also my photos from Japan are starting to make sense - despite the trip being more than a few years ago.  I've posted them on what was essentially my old Vox blog but one day I might just combine these two to save my sanity...

Bird on the Wire

It's been a while since I've done anything interesting at home.  I've been busy "spring" cleaning for our council cleanup day and reorganizing my garden shed.  This has helped unearth a few things to add to my quilt album, which is slowly taking shape. Yesterday though, I managed to sort through my photos and gathered a selection of birds.  Bird Island (forget the mullets!).   We live in our own little sanctuary.  

These are our house (visiting) regulars.  I've not yet undertaking a twitching expedition into the high ground to look for kites or waded in the mud to snap herons.  And the plovers are just too cranky any time of year....

Australia Day 2013 with the Island Quilters

Island Quilters Exhibition (26th January 2013)

We made use of Meg's perfectly positioned house to display our works (again!) this year.  And Wally who is more than handy with a hammer (and could now organise an exhibit in the Met).  Wyn & Margaret took very good care of the sales table/raffle, Sandra played clarinet to add an up-market touch and Margaret K's balloons were very popular. 

Although the group is now down to a handful of stitchers, somehow we managed to fill the verandah and lounge area with a very nice display, mostly in the “modern” style (thanks to Vanessa who is positively driven).   It really is exciting to see the quilts hanging.  Somehow it adds another dimension.  This year though, we didn’t hang any in the garden in case it rained.  Thankfully, a tropical deluge waited until the following day. 

This is my NYC quilt (fabrics purchased in City Quilter & Purl Soho)

So, another extravaganza!   But even now, we are talking about next year….     

Ramble or Scramble: Sculpture Competition 2013

Australia Day (26^th Jan) has been and gone.  It’s a big event for such a small island but we welcome the diversion for many, many reasons.  Here’s my favourite this year: a round island Sculpture Trail

Residents were asked to make a sculpture and place it outside of their house.  It was to be judged for Australia Day and visitors to the Island would be asked to nominate their favourite for an additional award.  I’m not sure there was a theme but a few took up the challenge and boldly displayed their works.  Others, who shall remain nameless, left their run to the last minute – only hours before judging!  Let me tell you, it is surprising how many things you can make with a few branches and some bark….

Even as judging began, the sculptures took on a life of their own.  Some were further embellished, some vanished (island intrigue here) and others appeared to mushroom, almost overnight, to fill vacant spaces.  It was clear we were having too much fun and anything goes!  My favourites were the cheeky bamboo wheelbarrow, a mermaid lush down on the beach and escaped hessian & palm frond chickens pecking in the park.  The winner was Sandra's  amazing CD fish (a mullet of course).  

Meet Peno the Fisherman
(so that's where my garden gloves went!)

He's a little rain sodden in this picture & his rod
has snapped.  And hes wearing less-than white shoes.

If you are wondering about the many pairs of white shoes, they were used as markers for judging numbers and actually became mini-sculptures in their own right...

New Suit Fits Well

Can it really be 12 years ago...
In the streets of Takayama

Well, I've spent more than a few hours hunched over the computer lately trying to sort out Textile Tourist's early years.  Having been on something of it's own tour through various homes in cyberspace since 2008, this early chapter of the current blog is happy to settle finally into a little bit of Blogger space.

I've decided to keep it running as a separate entity (for now) adding posts on textile adventures and tours undertaken before 2011.  I've made some effort to dig up all my Japan photos so that will make it into cyberspace one day soon.  Of course, I've forgotten much of that trip and sadly didn't keep a journal.  Always learning!

Now I would like to announce that for a little while anyway, I will be sewing (quilting) not computing...