The town of Avanos had another craft it was famous for and it’s well worth a visit. We were told it was possible to tour around one of the carpet weaving stores, the so-called carpet factory. Every time you travel to the Orient you will be offered to buy a carpet, „hand-weaved in a large spectrum of colors“, and it is always „just perfect for you“. But it is not that often that you can enter one of those craft stores and see how they actually do make carpets.
Here, they said, you can choose among those made of wool, cotton, or silk. And you can really witness how women were weaving, sitting by those old wooden looms with strings of wool of all colors. In another room, there were silk bugs, machines pulling out those fibers from insect larvae. Then, you enter other premises where people were coloring cotton threads for later weaving into a carpet. All hand made. After you’ve seen all this, when you go into the room with various carpets and rugs, finished and wrapped, you just cannot seem to put aside either one of them.
Colorful Cappadocia carpet factory
But my eye did get caught by one rug, orange and blue, with elegant ornaments, not very big, just perfect for my study back home. The first price was one to laugh at since buyers are expected to haggle and thus it was too high. The second a bit lower, the third… oh well, you get the picture. I ended up buying that beautiful rug for half of the starting price. I was thrilled, but the guy probably sold it for the price he had in mind all along.
„How am I going to drag this thing back home?!“, I thought, having in mind that I was supposed to go to the Middle East first. But before I knew it, they wrapped it up, packed it so densely that it looked like – a handbag!
And you know what, I am looking at it right now – it lies on the floor of my study where I am at the moment, writing this post. Those ornaments are not that symmetrical as they were supposed to be, some shapes are turned upside down… But I love the charm of it, being hand-weaved, not perfect. And in such bright colors!
Next: LOVE VALLEY AND SAINT SIMEON’S ROOM (16)
The full Cappadocia SERIES
Shane
Wow, I can’t imagine a more important reminder of an amazing destination. Happy you were able to get this gem home!
WorldGlimpses
It was such small “bag” at the end, that I’ve never regretted buying it and taking it with me all across Middle East! 😀
backpackingdetours
Beautiful! I wish I had bought a carpet when I visited Turkey. It’s so interesting the way they make them. Hopefully I can get to Cappadocia one day and buy one!
WorldGlimpses
Sure, let me know when – I might want another one! 😀 Just joking, thanks!
John
I would love to see rugs hand woven. I worked in the carpet industry for a while and I have seen about every mechanical way to do it, but I am amazed by the amazing work that can be created by hand.
WorldGlimpses
Me too, such a creative and enduring effort just to make one piece, amazing!
sarahhmiduski
How fun. It’s great that you get the chance to look at something everyday that holds such a nice memory.
WorldGlimpses
Agree. You should see my study, though – it’s full of souvenirs from around the world! Love to glance around while working. 😀
Sally
So many different coloured rugs to choose from! I would carry one half way around the world too.
WorldGlimpses
Hehehe, I know what you mean! 😉
Lana Pajdas
I wish I had some of these rugs at home 😀
WorldGlimpses
Who knows, maybe you’ll get one soon. 😉
Pete
It was Persian carpets that led me to Iran. The carpet auctioneer led tours, and he was so good, knew so much history and culture and the details of his subject, we signed up for a tour last year, and another in a few weeks.
I love these intricate and beautiful rugs. I have a silk carpet under my feet as I speak, and “Tree of Life” Mihrab prayer mats on either side of our bed.
WorldGlimpses
Nice “souvenirs”, thanks for sharing. 🙂