Oya Lace Glasses Chain

I haven't finished it yet, I need to put some more flowers on it, but heres an idea I saw in a Turkish craft magazine.  I chained a chain and then did oya on it and added some flowers.  I'll add some more and then put it on ETSY probably.  Let me know what you think!

Collection!

So these are some of the things I was given by my M.I.L while I was in Turkey, So within 4 days of us arriving I'd probably already had half of my baggage limit.  Some of these things were given to her, and some made by her, but the ones I've chosen to start a collection with were the ones that she didnt really want to sell but didnt want to keep them either.  So I got them as presents :)

This is part one of the things that she gave me.  There will be more to come of course!

These 3 pictures are of scarves that were made by my M.I.L's neighbour
who moved to Konya from Izmir.  Only 2 of the sides are done with Igne Oyasi, which means
that some rural parts of izmir dont fold their scarves in half, they put one side of the oya to the front and the other
goes around their neck.  One possibility also as to why they do this is because of a saying in Turkish "dort dortluk" which is like saying "nothing is perfect (but God)"

This scarf was given to my M.I.L by a woman from Kutahya, she says she cant remember what flower
its supposed to be, but I think its Costuran, one of the oyas given to the sister in law.  You can tell that this is from Kutahya or around Kutahya because Kutahya oya always has intermittent motifs (cit)

This scarf is made with a mekik or a shuttle.  This one my M.I.L made.  This oya is called "Karpuz cekirdegi"
or "watermelon seed" in Konya

This scarf was also made by my M.I.L's neighbour from Izmir.  Its crocheted with beads and it is "orange flowers"

This scarf makes me laugh.  My M.I.L says that women back in the olden days didnt have
perfume so when men would come to the house to ask for their hand in marriage she would wear this sort of
scarf so she'd smell nice.  As you can see this scarf has cloves on it.

This oya was made by my M.I.L and is a pomegranate flower.  Its made by  bead weaving on a crochet chain.

This oya was made by my M.I.L, its a version of Kasla Goz (eye lashes) most old style scarves with bead oyas on them
were normally made for plain white scarves.

This is a prayer scarf or namaz ortusu.  My M.I.L made this one with beads.  She put this in my bohca (trousseau/sack thing pictured below)  This isnt like a normal white scarf its quite long in the shape of a rectangle.

This is my bohca!  Although the picture isnt the right way haha.  These are the sorts of things that M.I.L's put their daughter in laws, son in laws, in laws etc things that she makes for the wedding day.  Sometimes they are decorated with cross stitch flowers instead of igne oyasi like this one is.

Oya flowers for an order

So I have an order from a friend which I'm definitely overdue on, but theres no rush (thank god) on it but I'm working away as fast as I can on it and only took time out to write this post.  I just finished the red and white flower to which I'll add to the others.  It was very time consuming to make but I'm quite happy with the way it turned out.  I made a few flowers for this order before but decided not to use them because the stitches weren't small.  Usually when I make oya flowers I use a double wrap around the needle which creates a more sturdy knot, but you cant make the stitches small because of the height of the knot, and the knots become visible and really I'd only use that type of flower for something like a scarf where its going to be washed and needs to keep its shape.  Also it takes less time because the loops are bigger meaning that you can create a flower faster.  I decided to use the one wrap with these flowers which keep the loops closer together and smaller which makes the flower look more delicate.  Because these flowers will be used for a crown I have inserted fishing line around the edges and made oya over them so they will be more durable and keep their shape.  I haven't starched them because perhaps she would like the flowers to sit a certain way so I'll leave that up to her.  Anyway back to work I go!

Whats new for 2013?

So in the first week of december I had a market stall in Daylesford (for any crafters reading this that intend to  go to daylesford to sell their pretty things- DONT.  People at this market would rather by dusty crap than a handcrafted piece of gold)  I didn't do as well as I would have liked but never mind.  In october and november I put my head down and my bum up working away on things to put at my market stall because heres me thinking I wouldnt have enough things for people to look at.  Anyway I made alot of oya lace, which some of you can find on my Etsy store, and some you will see here first and then on my Etsy store in the near future...So here they are:

Bouquet of oya lace flowers

Purple bouquet of Oya lace flowers

Purple Bouquet of Oya lace flowers

Bouquet of Oya lace Flowers

Bouquet of Oya lace Flowers

Bouquet of Oya lace Flowers

Tatted Turkish Towel Edging

Tatted Turkish Towel Edging

Tatted Turkish Towel Edging

All bouquets together!

Heres the beginning of my mixed tatted/oya lace table topper

Turkish Tatted Towel Edging

All Bagged and labled!

Yasemin Oyasi, Boncuklu Halay

Assorted bead oyas

This flower is called muhur

Assorted Oya Lace Flowers

I found things in a suitcase...IN A SUIT CASE.

I've been with my partner in this house for 2 years.  He failed to inform me however that his mother had left suitcases here in the cupboard in the spare bedroom.  I practically tripped over the coffee table in an attempt to get there A.S.A.P.  Anyway I found some goodies inside:  2 crochet oyas; one the size of a scarf, and one thats just a sample about 50cm long.  I also found some white nylon thread (which i was in need of) and some beading thread.  So I was quite happy.

Oya Sample

Tulip Scarf Edging.

2 oyas together.

In other news I finished the 50 samples order for my friend over in Utah, which didnt take me long, but trying to remember them all was a pain.  I included some plastic rings for her aswel, as she was cutting tubing for a fish tank to use!

50 samples.

 I also have 2 orders left for the same person, around 20 or so (I've written it down) flowers with leaves, and  a scarf also, but I haven't been working on either of them the past week because alot has been going on family wise and my grandmother God bless her soul, hasn't been well and had a fall last week.  So I've been there looking after her.  Anyway I was told that I don't have to rush, as she doesnt need the flowers for 10 or so months, and the scarf can be done whenever.

Oya flower for order

Ramadan is 3 or 4 days away now, I say 3 or 4 because every year everyone has no idea what day it is because...well...I don't actually know.  We have a calendar that tells us, but then one priest will say this and another priest will say that and then everyone gets confused.  Anyway this year for Ramadan, I thought I'd send my partners mother some scarves so she can show them off to her neighbours.  She doesn't fast anymore because she has diabetes, and the rules are if you're sick or have to take medication, or have to eat, then you don't fast.  So I'm pretty sure she'll be happy with this scarf.  I took a picture of one of the motifs, not the whole scarf, but I will when I finish it (which hopefully is this week)

Partners Mothers Scarf- yet to be finished.

Its a pretty easy motif, but because I've been busy with the orders and my grandmother, I havent had time to get back to it.  At the moment I'm on the 3rd side, so I really should get my butt into gear and finish it so I can go back to my friends orders or she might think I'm neglecting her haha.

I might also pick another scarf to send to her, I think just sending one scarf is a waste of postage .  So I'll pick one out that hasnt sold and send it to her.

Thanks for reading!
Peace x

The first side of the new OYA scarf

So I quickly finished the 1st side, starched it, and then took photos to put up for my lovely fellow readers to see. You can see what I meant before about the scarf being lovely, and for some reason I don't think a flat 2d type oya would have gone as well as a 3d oya would with this one.  I didn't use Altin Basak for this one as my new nylon threads came a couple of days ago they're called "Ozen is" -said 'ozen ish' and its great, really like it, excellent pull and doesn't twirl.  This oya is called hanimeli, however there are 2 versions of this oya.  One does actually look like a ladies hand (hanim= woman, eli= hand) however this one is the actual flower version which I believe is called a honey suckle.  The intermitant motif is often called maydonoz or cimen, which is parsley or grass, so I'm gathering in this instance its grass lol. 

It's really time consuming and I guess I'm going to price this one between 50 and 60 AUD, which I think is fair.  The most time consuming thing is having to make 4 petals and then making the stamens aswel, I hate stamens lol.  Usually I'll finish one side with the 1st row and then complete the flowers on it,  that way I don't get bored doing the same thing over and over again.  Anyway 3 sides to go!  Wish me luck!!