1st Post In The New Year

Hi everyone,

Its been a while since I have blogged, and my God has it been extremely hot here in Melbourne.  We got up to 46 degrees at one stage and it was practically impossible to sleep.  Luckily for me, the heatwave for now is over and I'm back to making things, collecting antique textiles and whatnot.

                                         















Above we have some of the things that I've done this year.  I made 4 oya lace scarves, some eye glasses cords and a cross stitch pillow case cover with lace edging for my spare room which I have matched the colours to.

I still cant believe I now OWN these beauties.  These cloths are HUGE, and are embroidered with metal using a special technique called "Tel Kirma" in Turkish.  Each stitch is individually done and there is no moving between stitches.  You finish one stitch and then start another.  It is very pain staking and comes from the northern part of Turkey from an area called Bartin.  These 2 cloths are antiques and would've taken the woman who made them 6 months at least for each one, so I'm quite happy to have these in my collection now.

Ahiretlik Oya- "friends to the end Oya"

Zeki Muren Eyelash

Deer Horns

Wasp Oya

Leblebi (roasted chickpeas) Oya

Above we have some new comers to my collection.  The first one Ahiretlik Oya is from Kutahya, Turkey.  A girl makes this for her friend on her wedding day to signify that they will be friends no matter what.  We then have some bead oya scarves from Balikesir:  Zeki Muren Eyelash,  Deer Horns and Leblebi oya, while Wasp bead oya comes from Namrun.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this, my first post for the year.  Don't forget to visit my facebook page and give me a like (click HERE to be redirected to my facebook page)

Till Next time! Take care!

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!

Meadow Grass Oya

This to me is the epitome of Igne Oyasi.  This is Cayir Cimen Oyasi which is made by a daughter in law for her mother in law.  This one was made by my M.I.L god knows how long ago.  This oya is famous in Konya, and no other place in Turkey makes this type of Oya like this.

At first you're probably thinking why the whole scarf isnt done, and just 2 sides plus 4 corners are done.  In Turkey they believe in "dort dortluk" which is like "nothing is perfect (except god)" so this scarf and Mezar Tasi (Grave stone) Oya they never did the whole scarf.

Theres also a great story behind this Oya.  Before the wedding, a girl will work tirelessly on this scarf to put into her mother in laws "bohca" (which are presents for the grooms family etc that are prepared before the wedding) in which she is trying to show her mother in law how diligent and skilled she is, and how her son will be happy with such a careful, patient and good worker.  After the wedding ceremony, The mother in law prepares a meal for them to eat, and the new bride is praying that she likes the scarf or something bad will happen.  If the mother in law doesnt like the new brides oya work, weather it be too lose, or not fine or whatever, she will make a yogurt soup, and finely cut the oya off into it.  This was a sign to the new bride that she needs to be more diligent and careful when she makes it again.

This is my most favourite scarf so far, and I'm so happy to have it in my collection.

Order Finally Complete

Just finished the order that has taken me forever to do, mainly due to sickness and getting more hours at work, however this will soon come to an end as I dont think my contract will be renewed but whatever I'm  not complaining!  This is one of the biggest motifs on a scarf I have ever done, and I now know how women in the Efe area of Aydin in Turkey feel.  Anyway I'm extremely happy that the order is finished, and my poor friend who ordered it can actually HAVE them now and not have to wait anymore!

I also ironed all the motifs and starched them which obviously prevents them from being flimsy and floppy.  Also the great thing about Oya from Efe is that the motifs are usually totally different colours to the scarf, so the motifs stand out! How great is that?

Roses are red...Well not in this case!

Hi guys, just a quick update on what I'm doing,  I've been busy at work so thats why I havent blogged but I just thought Id show you the roses Ive been making.  Theyre extremely difficult as they are 4 layers,  I started one today at 12pm and its now 10pm and I just finished.  My elbows are killing me aswel as my shoulders but I'm happy with the way they look.  Anyway its off to bed for me, I definitely need it!

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