November 19, 2014

Good morning!  I thought I would share a bit about one of my favorite, and most used materials in my collection -- kilim.  Kilim can be defined as: "Kilim, a word of Turkish origin, denotes a pileless textile of many uses produced by one of several flatweaving techniques that have a common or closely related heritage and are practiced in the geographical area that includes parts of Turkey (Anatolia and Thrace), North Africa, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia and China."

A "kilim" is made by weaving various wefts and warps (a type of knot), which creates a flatweave.  The various knots hold the fabric--which is often very colorful--together.  Over the ages, kilim has served as a medium for storytelling.  Artisans have developed different patterns to denote different stories, messages, and ideas.  For example, there is a symbol for fertility, eyes, scorpions, and rams (and these vary depending on the culture, as kilim can be found from China to North Africa).

Historians dispute exactly where kilim originated.  Explorer Mark Aurel Stein found kilim from the 4th or 5th century in China, while some historians contend that the practice began in Persian (from which kilim takes its name).  The widespread nature of this cultural trinket has allowed it to evolve into a diverse practice, embraced differently by many civilizations.

Kilim can be used for nearly anything.  It traditionally has served as a prayer rug, a rug for the home (historically cheaper than pile rugs, though in recent years has grown more expensive), to make handbags, clutches, travel bags, shoes, boots, chairs, couches... truly limitless possibilities with this material.

I love it because it is so colorful, unique, and carries a special piece of a culture that so inspired me in my travels.  When I carry my kilim bag, I am reminded of the beautiful experiences I had in Morocco, and it prompts me to remember what I learned there: adventure, be an entrepreneur, meet people, get to know those around you, share your culture, share food, cook with others, be a citizen of the world, and pass your stories on to others.

Have a wonderful day!

-ASC