TURKISH CARPETS

Before heading off to our long-awaited trip to Ephesus, it was time for lunch.  We arrived at a wonderful garden, part of a carpet company’s compound, and enjoyed a delightful lunch.   

As we finished, our host showed us the process of making silk rugs.  First he showed us the sources of the vegetable dyes, including flowers, bark, berries, and beetles.   

We also saw the cocoons, and heard about how the worms are raised.  We watched a demonstration of the silk threads being removed from the cocoons, with the cocoons being gently boiled to release the threads, a brush swiping across the bobbing cocoons to catch the threads.   

The threads are then fed onto a rotating wheel.  

 After the threads are gathered into yarn and dyed, the looms are set up for weaving.  Ladies in training to return to their villages to weave rugs for the company showed us how it was done, and in my case, had me weave a few stitches. 

Then it was time for the show.  Our host described the history of Turkish rug weaving, showing us designed from various period and cultural groups.  They  twirled the silk rugs around, showing how they change color depending on which end is facing the viewer.  The rugs were quite beautiful, and we had to admit that sending a couple home would be a good idea.   

So we succumbed.  One wool (black and ivory) and one silk (cream and red).  They just arrived, and if anything, we wish we had gotten bigger ones, and more of them.