11. The Loom

For breakfast we had delicious rice pudding and white and black beans with very strong black tea. We went to another neighbour’s house to see how the woven yurt bands are made. On the lawn, three metal pegs were set out in a triangle, about ten feet apart. A fourth peg was then put in behind one of the pegs. Different colors of wool yarn were sorted in order and wrapped around the pegs. The extra peg in conjunction with a strong twine allows you to separate the two colors when you build the loom. The yarn is removed from the pegs and placed as a single loop between two new pegs. The extra fourth peg is still attached to the twine and is then suspended from a tripod of metal legs.

The loom is now completed. The tripod suspends one of the layers of yarn and a board with two pole handles controls the other layer, raising it up when you pull it towards you and vice versa.

Two wooden tools are used: the sword separates the fibres at the point you want to work and is used to tighten the fibres together. The knife is used to lift yarn from the lower layer to the top in order to create the design. The weaving outside was quite complicated so we went inside to try making a simpler band. This pattern did not require the use of a knife. It took a little white to get used to the steps, but I soon got the hang of it.

We returned back to the house and had a vegetable soup with meat dumplings and the staple cucumber and tomato salad. After lunch a lady came to show us her woven bands. She was a master band and shyrdak maker.

Jockey, Mr Troombek’s younger brother, Ianna, Mir and ourselves piled into a small car to go on an excursion to see a salt lake called Shor Kol. The lake was warm and it was so refreshing to finally swim. On the way back we stopped by Jockey’s sister’s house to see a yurt and to pick up some sheep milk. Sheep heart, a delicacy was given to the children as a treat for the car ride home!