Felt Cloak Design and Manufacturing in Yalvaç Felting
Chapter from the book:
Erdoğan,
E.
(ed.)
2023.
Studies on Fine Arts.
Synopsis
Felt and felting is one of the oldest handicrafts of Turks living a nomadic life. Due to the wide area of use from past to present, felt has always existed as a part of daily life. Felt, like all handicrafts, is a product that takes a long time to produce and requires a lot of effort. Felt cloak, one of the leading products of the art of felt making, which is among the traditional Turkish handicrafts in Yalvaç, is a special shepherd's clothing that has survived to the present day. It is a cultural symbol that continues from past to present without losing its functionality. Today, as in the past, when livestock is mentioned, a shepherd comes to mind. It should be accepted as a symbol that resists change and preserves its originality for centuries. In this study, it is aimed to transfer and introduce the felt cloak making to the next generations in the best way.
Felt cloak has a feature that continues to be produced from many traditional products produced by masters for centuries in the art of felt making, without being affected by the developments in the historical process, without changing and transforming. In this study, the historical process of felt, which is one of our traditional products, its raw materials, tools used in its production, decoration, design and structural features are explained.