ALA-KIYIZ

Ala-Kiyiz are felt carpets, which sometimes serve as carpets, and sometimes as wall hangings. They can be large, or small and it is possible to find examples that are like pictures.

Wool is first of dyed different colours. It is not spun into a thread or made into a felt blanket but kept in a bag as loose wool.

A background is laid out taking wool of one colour and placing it on a mat of chiy. Strands of other colours are then laid on top to create a pattern or picture. The resulting mat of loose wool can be several inches thick. The wool is then soaked and the chiy mat is rolled up and string tied around it (like a Swiss Roll — the Chiy taking the place of the sponge cake and the wool that of the jam). The combined roll is taken to an open space and rolled, kicked and trodden on for several hours. This melds the wool together into a friable whole. The mat is then unwound and the wool carpet left to dry.

When the wool has dried it becomes apparent that the colours have partly «washed out» — and the borders between them are less well defined — giving the individual motifs and the carpet as a whole an individual and unique appearance. For this reason, the technique is becoming particular popular for making «picture» panels.

Because the wool is not stitched, but is melded together by this process, Ala-kiyiz are not such sturdy carpets as Shyrdaks — lasting only about half as long — but they are quicker to make.

It is possible to arrange demonstrations of traditional Kyrgyz crafts in several places — Ask at the Business Centre if you are interested.