When I was still working, one of my colleagues used to refer to my house as, “the vault” because in most of my closets and certainly in the attic I had stashed away various collections from my travels. It certainly was luck and good timing that has allowed me to travel extensively, and I have thoroughly enjoyed those opportunities to bring back samples of crafts from other cultures. At the moment, somewhat stuck at home because of the pandemic, I’ve realized that it’s really time to organize these collections and find them new homes. Of course I think about museums — I’d like these things to have “forever” homes. But it isn’t so straight-forward. Most museums are stuffed to the rafters with things that will never be displayed, and even more that will never be studied. While it is within the DNA of a curator to be acquisitive, the cost of having more than any institution can take care of is high, and I’m not enthusiastic about adding to the burden.
Since my “vault” reminds me of my past museum history (although the quality is perhaps not equal to some museum collections), I have to ask myself what it was that attracted me to these things in the first place, and what I was thinking about when I brought them home.
Those questions certainly must be asked about my collection of kese, these small coin purses that date back to before the end of the Ottoman Empire in some cases. They often were used as “gift wrapping” for coins and small items of value, and just as often as ordinary containers for keeping coins in your pocket. Like the oya I discussed in my last post, these are items of needlework, frequently crochet, and often decorated with needle lace oya.
I also unearthed two more huge boxes of oya scarves, including some of my very favorite examples. It was like visiting good friends I haven’t seen in years, and it brought back waves of memories.
This one is really simple, just a plain purple scarf with these tiny oya, but they are designed to look like the “evil eye” charms that are so prevalent around the country.
Oya can be purchased as yardage to sew on the edges of scarves 
Dangling crochet strawberries 
Sitting and refolding and repacking these treasures, I marvel at the hundreds of hours of work that women from across Turkey put into these small decorations; many of which would rarely have been seen. Like the boxed collection I showed in my last post, many of these appear never to have been worn, while others are thin and fragile from years of wear. I am most drawn to the the ones that have been loved and worn. Some of them I bought brand new in markets, and wore as neck scarves over and over again because they brought such joy. It brings me joy again to share them with you.