I am seeing some amazing embroidery. Considering these women lived in yurts with bad lighting, I am truly humbled. I still cannot find anyone that can tell me when the switch from embroidery to patchwork occurred but I suspoect it was in the early 1900′s. Now there textiles are full of plush. Kyrgyzs love plush and the color red. I had dinner in a yurt where the walls were covered in red plush with lots of red flowers. They speak so highly of keeping there traditions alive and authentic. I have to laugh because I was eating in a plastic yurt with air conditioning and lighting and the walls were lined with plush wall hangings. I cannot wait to share photos because their work is both similar and different from ours. All the best, Karen
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Karen — so happy to see that you are again in my part of the world! The Embassy there last year had a fabulous calendar with Krgyz textiles in it — see if they have any left! There is also a place — Kyrgyz Heritage — which I assume you have probably found by now. The NGO head speaks beautiful English and was one of the ones that couldn’t make it to Almaty when you were there. I gave her one of your brochures and a couple of other things. They struggle with orders and designs just like everyone else, but she tries to stay true to Kyrgyz national patterns in the patchwork they produce.
We are up in Astana now in a comfortable but temporary house while we await the completion of our new residence — very very soon! I’m glad you are having a good time and enjoy the weather. We are about to go into winter, being so far north. By the way, the TsUM department store has tons of felt items and souvenir-chiks on the top floor — there are piles of things to go through! Maryjo