Altyn Kol

Traditional handwaving Alasha

wp_1328355 — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 06:42:09 +0000

Traditional handwaving Alasha

Alasha is one of the simplest Kazakh carpets in weaving technique. It was woven on a narrow-crocheted loom – ormek, in stripes 30-40 cm wide. It was decorated with a woven pattern or vertical stripes of white, blue, yellow, brown. Then it was sewn into a cloth of 4×2 m in size. Sometimes it was woven in wide stripes (up to 2 m) with an ornament, then it turned out – takyr with a keel. There are three technical ways to create an ornament for a product: terme alasha, kezhim teru, orama.

Alasha is used for both walls and floors.

Tekemet and Ala Kiiz

wp_1328355 — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:19:15 +0000

Tekemet is a felt rug like Syrmaq and Shyrdak but made in a different way.
To create this type of carpet, the wool is spread on a plant called Shy which is very reminiscent of bamboo.
The decorations are created directly and then everything is pressed several times. They are not very precise rugs like the others but on the one hand they seem more primordial, I find them wonderful. Throughout Central Asia they are presented with different colors and ornaments.
A variant of the Tekemet is the Oyuly Tekemet, similar but to hang on the wall. The first, however, were carpets used for the floor in yurts.

Kazakh and Kyrgyz carpets

wp_1328355 — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:17:36 +0000

Kazakh and Kyrgyz carpets

Syrmaq ( or Shyrdak for Kyrgyzstan people ) is a felt carpet. Made using the mosaic technique. Everything is expedient in the method of making syrmaks. The very choice of mosaic technique – cutting felt of one color into felt of a different color – is most consistent with the purpose of the carpet, which usually spreads on the floor.

Syrmaks are very durable. Well made, they can last 50 years or more. Craftsmen put felt of one color on top of another, apply the conceived pattern and cut both layers of felt according to the pattern. Then a dark felt is inserted into the white felt, and vice versa: into the dark – white. The result is two mirrored ornamented surfaces. Pieces of felt inserted into one another are sewn together, placed on a simple coarse felt, and fastened tightly.