Sheep wool finds new life in Van kilims

VAN

Following a meticulous prep process, local women simmer the spun yarn in natural dye baths made from walnut shells, red onion skins and wild roots. (AA Photo)

In the high-altitude of the eastern province of Van, local women are preserving a centuries-old textile tradition by hand-processing raw sheep’s wool into botanical-dyed kilims that showcase the region’s historic landmarks

With the arrival of spring, sheep are taken from villages to highland pastures and sheared using traditional methods during the summer. The wool then begins a long journey, with women turning it into carpets through a labor-intensive process.

Mules carry the wool down to nearby streams to be washed. Once dried in the sun, the wool is beaten with sticks to loosen and separate the fibers.

The fibers are then combed with traditional wool combs and spun into yarn using an “öreke,” a traditional hand-spinning tool.

After hours of laborious prep work, the spun yarn is simmered in large pots of botanical dyes extracted from walnut shells, red onion skins and wild roots.

Once dyed in vibrant shades, the yarn is delivered to workshops established by the İpekyolu Community Education Center, where women weave it on traditional looms. Thread by thread, they transform the wool into patterned kilims that depict the region’s rich history and natural landmarks.

‘We turn wool into yarn and weave our carpets’

Hamdiye Türkan, who weaves carpets, told state-run Anadolu Agency that every stage of transforming sheep wool into carpets requires considerable effort.

She said they wash the wool in streams after shearing the sheep.

“We weave Van carpets. To obtain the yarn we use for weaving, we bring in our sheep’s wool and shear it. After washing it, we comb it. Then we turn it into yarn, dye it and weave our carpets,” she said.

Kezban Sevinç said the dyeing process begins after the wool has been turned into yarn.

“After the wool is combed, it is spun. The thickness and fineness of the yarn are adjusted according to the carpet. Then we begin dyeing it in large pots. After this process, the yarn is treated in the pots until it reaches the desired color, and then we start weaving the carpets,” she said.

Hamdiye Ertaş, who attends the carpet-weaving course at the İpekyolu Public Education Center, said preparing the yarn is a step-by-step process.

She said weaving carpets helps women contribute to their household income.

“I also have a loom at home. I weave carpets. After I finish them, people from the Public Education Center come and inspect them. If they like them, they take them and give us more work. This process continues in a cycle. May God bless the Public Education Center,” she said.

Belkız Ertaş, a master instructor and carpet-weaving expert at the İpekyolu Public Education Center, said they teach course participants how to weave carpets.

She said the participants continue producing carpets at home after completing their training.

“We teach our course participants how to weave carpets. After they learn, the İpekyolu Public Education Center sends looms to their homes. They make carpets there. Our course participants contribute to their household income. They weave Van’s natural beauty into carpets, stitch by stitch. Today, together with our course participants, we depicted Hoşap Castle on carpets in front of Hoşap Castle,” she said.