Felt Rug

Last updated 2026-11-10 — Felt rug, known as "Sirmaq" in the Kazakh language, is renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and distinctive style. The materials used to make felt rugs include wool, wool thread, colored fabric, and yarn. Kazakh women typically make three types of felt rugs. One involves cutting colored fabric into patterns and sewing them onto a white felt base using wool thread; another method involves dyeing the felt in various colors, then patching together colorful felt pieces to form patterns, which are then sewn together with wool thread; the third type combines colored felt patches and colored fabric to create richly patterned designs, meticulously stitched by hand. Felt rugs are generally thicker than regular felt, often double-layered, and tightly sewn for durability. They are mainly used on the floor of yurts or on heated brick beds in rural homes, serving both to insulate against moisture and cold and to beautify the interior. A felt rug is also one of the essential dowries for a Kazakh bride. Summer is the peak season for Kazakh women to make felt rugs. From shearing the wool and pressing the felt to the final stitching, the entire process is done by hand. When one family makes felt rugs, others come to help, creating a vivid and beautiful scene on the grassland.