Oriented on making people closer

From November 16 in Ashkhabad courses of knitting for adults will start. The training program includes a base course of knitting by hook, master classes on manufacture of knitted toys and also detailed instructions for novice needlewomen on knitting of scarfs, caps and cheshki. A yarn for knitting spokes both other materials and implements are given by organizers of the course, classes will pass in the oil and gas cultural centre.

The craft which we have inherited from grandmothers does not lose popularity even today. Everyone who at least time happened in Turkmenistan, necessarily met in the local markets Turkmen national cheshki – chokai or jorab (socks). They match with nose, entirely, and a triangular heel - separately. To learn to knit the form is not difficult, but here unusual patterns of socks pass from generation to generation, therefore they are very much appreciated by people.

The mention about jorabs with an intricate pattern is dated to XII century. Knitting jorabs is traditional for the mountain people of Central Asia - Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Caucasus and others. And though it is authentically known that the word «jorab » was taken from the Persian language, there exists opinion that the native land of jorabs is India.

Distinctive feature of chokai and jorab consists in their durability and long life. Besides that they cannot be worn into holes for some years, such socks possess strongly pronounced warming effect. The real chokai connected from natural sheep wool should be very warm and dense. Our ancestors were not subject to ecological compatibility of products, nevertheless, today once again we are convinced how practical and wise their approach to life was.

Knitting art of chokai and jorabs in the course of time only is improved. Present needlewomen try to add a shred of imagination to traditional patterns, but nevertheless, do not recede far from canons of ancient ornament. For uninitiated to confuse multi-colour woollen chokai «Made in Turkmenistan» with jorabs, made in Tajikistan, or, for example, in Turkey, it is possible. But Turkmen skilled workers know all subtleties and distinctions of ancient difficult patterns.

Today handmade - handicrafts, many Turkmen masters add in the products of detail having something in common with traditional ancient culture of the people win popularity worldwide.

National patterns are guessed not only in clothes subjects, but even in home appliances. Not to mention famous Turkmen carpets and keteni.

Selbi Charyeva