Avanos Carpet Shop and Museum - Kilims and Silk

Monday, 26 December 2016 09:19
Written by Portal Editor

We went to the Avanos Carpet shop in order to obtain detailed information about the art of carpet weaving that during my school ages, I have woven in miniature and quite plain one and I remember how much time it requires.

This place is not only a store that sells elegant and traditional Turkish carpets, but also a centre of carpet culture as a whole. After we were leaving later on, we understood the topic much more better. We are quite thankful to Erkan Seçer for the precious information that he gave to us.

First of all, we visited the workshops and observed the weaving techniques with the working environment. Despite the obscurity of time and place that weaving technique began, without doubt in general context, Central Asia is the starting place. The clans that lived in this region and imposed upon harsh weather conditions used goat willow to make tents. The weaving technique was used for making of nomad awnings for the first time, then, the first knot was tied.

The workshops in this region use the Turkish weaving technique of double knot. This technique is only used in Turkey and it makes the weaving more durable and steady.

The Turkish carpets, whether knotted or straight, are the most perfect art form that is produced by the Turks. Owing to the traditional ornaments with rich colors, bright shades and extraordinary textures, Turkish carpets have gained recognition globally for hundreds of years.

Carpet weaving courses are also taught in the Avanos workshops. For those, who finished the course, have taken a certificate and are soon employed. There are no strict rules during the course and weavers are free in terms of working hours. Actually, someone, who does not enjoy weaving carpets, has no business in these workshops. Perhaps, the characteristic that enables to create precious and different Turkish carpets underlines this. Turkish ladies, especially in these workshops weave willingly and their love that they unify with their efforts reflects the result, by this way, priceless values are created. In one day, ten lines of weaving are done and the weaving money is given according to the number of knots. When the knot number of the square meter increased, the quality of the carpet also increases. In other words, the larger numbers of knots means more time and more equipment. Inherently, the price of the carpet also rises. The completion time for a carpet changes from 11 months to 2.5 years and depending on the number of knots and number of staff. It is possible that from time to time more than one person can work on a carpet.

Traditional Turk motifs and designs that created by Avanos Carpet designers are used in weaving patterns. Some designs can be taken from İznik tile and traditional folk dancing costumes. Sometimes, as a result of permissions by the museum, the copies of the antique carpets are made.

The combinations of cotton with cotton, cotton with wool, wool with wool, wool with silk and only silk are used in weaving. Silk is produced in Bursa that it is the best place for the silk production. Natural and chemical methods can be used in the coloring process. Both of the methods have advantages and disadvantages. The natural coloration is only possible in wool with wool combination. Indigo, saffron, daisy, walnut and onion skin are the colors used in natural coloration. The strings that dyed with onion skin, visually waves exist on the color tones.

Since every village uses different colors and different styles, it is not difficult to distinguish which carpet belongs to which region, of course, for the ones who have knowledge about carpets. Using three different techniques together makes the Avşar Carpets different from the carpets of other regions. In wool with cotton combinations, Hereke Carpets are considered to be the best ones. The combinations of cotton with cotton look like silk, but in accordance with the silk with silk combinations, they become thicker.

When the weaving carpets are completed, they are checked by experts from the museum and a certificate is given to each carpet. I guess this shows the difference of Avanos Carpet. Sales are not made over the internet because the authorities want customers to observe and touch the carpets in the store. They want the customers to obtain information about the carpets and they give service for this gladly.

Please read as well:

Hand-woven carpets - a traditional Turkish arts

Kayseri - centre of trade in Turkey