Halime’s Handcrafts

Meet Hamile, a joyful wife and mother of three. She has a smile that lights up the room and a laugh that is contagious. She enjoys cooking for family and friends, sitting on her balcony while looking out at the mountains and sewing.

Sewing is a common trade for women to earn income during high unemployment in Turkey. “El sanatlar”, handcrafts, are on display in every market and boutique store.

Although the origins of lace are unknown, it was popularized along ancient trade routes of which Halime’s family has lived and traded upon for generations.  Brought up in a traditional Kurdish home in Van, Turkey, Halime learned to sew lace at a young age from her mother. Although she wanted to continue in school, as the eldest of eight children  she began caring for her siblings and learning to sew.

Known in Turkey as “dantel”, this needle lace method of sewing is known as the height  of lace making.

At first, Halime found sewing to be difficult and tedious, taking hours to make even the simplest of things. However, as she progressed, she began to enjoy sewing. Eventually she was able to make tablecloths and coverings to support her family.

After she married, she continued in this trade though it was often difficult to receive adequate compensation for her work. One evening while visiting with a neighbor, they remarked on how beautiful her sewing was  and asked if she could sew different designs. Having sketched out on a piece of paper design ideas, Halime began sewing a variety of different designs for this family and other visitors. She was delighted by how they appreciated her craft and paid her fairly. After many years of sewing, Halime has truly mastered this craft and is able to sew everything from small ornaments to tablecloths and curtains.

It was a privilege to be welcomed into Halime’s life and gain an understanding of the traditional handcraft of  “dantel” sewing.

If you would like to contact Halime, she is available @halimeshandcrafts on Instagram.

Revised article by Rebekah Harper (Paulson), “Halime’s Handcrafts,” West2East, https://www.west2east.org/stories/field-to-floor