Shades Of Warmth - From the Golden Horn and beyond

From Kim:

Being the textile junkie that I am, I was beside myself in Uzbekistan, home of the most extraordinary hand embroidered textiles called "Suzani". Traditionally, these large textiles decorated the interior walls of yurts which many nomadic people in Central Asia made their homes. There are regional distinctions in both style and color, an incredible the array of variety. You can see regional differences between the textiles shown above, bold and more solid embroidery and the piece pictured here, smaller motifs with a more visible ground incorporated into the design. The antique pieces are very valuable and extremly rare. The new ones, like the one I'm admiring here, are just as fine and beautiful as the old ones yet entirely different. These textiles are very versatile and can be used on beds, walls, tables or made into clothing, pillows and upholstered furniture. The most incredible thing to me is that each piece is unique and one of a kind. Yes, there are recurring motifs and designs, but each artisan expresses them in many different ways in many different color combinations. They are endlessly fascinating and beautiful!