Siermake

Siermake

　　The decorative felt, called "Siermake" in the Kazakh language, is famous for its fine craftsmanship and unique style. Its materials include wool, wool thread, colored cloth, and thread. Kazakh women usually make three kinds of decorative felt: one is made by cutting colored cloth into patterns and sewing them onto white felt with wool thread; another involves dyeing the felt in bright colors, then assembling colored felt pieces into various patterns and stitching them together; the third is created by combining colored felt pieces and colored cloth into richly designed patterns, which are then sewn stitch by stitch. Decorative felt is generally thicker than ordinary felt, often double-layered and tightly stitched, making it long-lasting. It is mainly used on the floor of yurts and on the heated kang beds in rural homes, helping to prevent moisture and cold while also beautifying the living space. It is also one of the essential items in a Kazakh girl’s dowry when she gets married. Summer is the busiest season for Kazakh women to make decorative felt. The whole process—from wool processing and felt pressing to sewing—is entirely handmade. When one household takes on the task, others come to assist, forming a lively and picturesque scene on the grassland.

　　 When visiting a Kazakh herdsman’s home, the host will surely lay out a beautiful piece of decorative felt for you to sit on. Sitting on these vibrant, colorful felts is a gesture of respect and hospitality from the Kazakh people. The exquisitely crafted, richly colored felts are sure to broaden your horizons and immerse you in an artistic experience.

　　 　　The decorative felt, referred to as "Siermake" in the Kazakh language, has many uses in Kazakh life. It is laid on the floor of the yurt, hung on the yurt door, placed on guests’ cushions, and used on beds. It is also an essential part of a bride’s dowry. From ancient times to the present, decorative felt has been one of the vital everyday items for the Kazakh people and is also a traditional handicraft passed down through generations. In every household, you’ll find decorative felts of various sizes adorning the yurt, turning it into a colorful palace of art.

　　 　　In summer, when we visit the grasslands, we see Kazakh women busy shearing wool, spinning thread, pressing felt, dyeing, cutting, sewing, and embroidering, all in a flurry of activity. Summer is the peak season for making decorative felt, and almost every Kazakh woman is skilled in this craft. They gather together, helping each other—some shearing wool, others spinning thread. If someone needs to make a felt, everyone pitches in. Depending on different needs, they create felts of various sizes, ranging from 20–30 square meters to as small as 2–3 square meters. Thus, the creation of each felt is both a product of collective wisdom and a testament to solidarity and mutual aid.

　　 　　Making Kazakh decorative felt involves many steps, and crafting a beautiful piece can take several months. The patterns and motifs on the felt are all stitched by hand by Kazakh women, reflecting their dedication and showcasing their skill and creativity.

　　 　　The process of making decorative felt begins with pressing the felt. Sheared wool is sorted by color and quality, then spread out on a large piece of leather. Several people sit in a circle and beat the wool continuously with thin willow branches or wooden sticks until it becomes fluffy. This fluffy wool is then evenly spread on a mat of reeds, sprinkled with water to form a felt-like layer. The mat is then rolled up and tied tightly with wool ropes, with a strap attached. One or two people pull from the front while four or five people kick or stomp from the back. After about two to three hours of trampling, the wool takes on the consistency of felt, and the mat is unrolled and the reed mat removed. The raw felt is then rolled into sections and further compressed and kneaded by applying pressure with elbows and hands. Once one section is done, the next is rolled and processed until the entire felt is complete and transformed into mature felt. Finally, it is rinsed multiple times with water to remove impurities and dirt, then dried to become the final felt product, which serves as the main material for decorative felt.

　　 　　The requirements for making decorative felt begin with having high-quality felt, followed by stitching various patterns and designs onto it. The colored patterns on the felt are pre-dyed using traditional dyes, and the designs are created by the Kazakh women themselves. They work without templates or drawings—all the patterns exist in their minds. Moreover, no two pieces of decorative felt have the same colors or patterns, a true testament to the Kazakh women’s innate talent. Many Kazakh women may be uneducated or have only attended school for a few years, but when it comes to making decorative felt, they work like seasoned experts, sketching patterns with a pen and stitching beautiful designs with a needle.

　　 　　The artistic features of decorative felt are mainly reflected in its compact composition, using simple geometric symmetrical shapes as the central motif, surrounded by symmetrical horn-like patterns, giving it a bold yet graceful aesthetic. Additionally, the colors are vibrant, using bold hues that create a strong visual impact. A single piece of decorative felt may feature seven to eight colors: black patterns with red borders on a white felt base, red bases with white patterns and green borders, green bases with yellow patterns and red borders, or light blue bases with red flowers and pale green borders. Among these, white, black, red, and green offer strong contrasts, while red, yellow, and light green are softer. Rather than appearing chaotic, the combination makes the felt bright and lively.

　　 　　The methods and varieties of making decorative felt mainly include: 1) Felt appliqué—dyeing felt in various colors, piecing together colored felt to form patterns, and stitching them with wool thread; 2) Fabric appliqué—cutting colored fabric into patterns and sewing them onto white felt, especially favoring red fabric; 3) Combined felt and fabric—piecing together unique patterns and stitching them with wool thread; 4) Needle embroidery—directly embroidering patterns onto white felt using colored wool thread. Embroidery techniques mainly include flat embroidery and chain stitching, with the edges of the felt usually outlined with a buttonhole stitch, followed by braided flower patterns embroidered with 2–4 colors of wool thread to decorate the edges. Decorative felts come in different types and serve various purposes, such as heating and cooking felts, guest seating felts, bridal dowry felts, larger and more elaborately crafted bed and floor felts, door-hanging felts, and yurt interior felts.

　　 　　Decorative felt is thicker than ordinary felt, mostly double-layered, tightly stitched, and durable, lasting forty to fifty years and even passing through several generations.

　　 　　Due to regional and tribal differences, the styles and patterns of decorative felt vary. Their quality also differs, with the finest felts depending on the quality of the materials—the best wool comes from autumn lamb fleece, which is fine, soft, and elastic. The processes of pressing and stitching are also meticulous and refined. For example, bridal dowry felts are not only finely crafted but may also be sewn with gold thread, featuring intricate patterns and abundant floral designs symbolizing wishes for the newlyweds to have many children and much happiness.

　　 　　The origin of decorative felt has gone through a long and ancient historical process. During the Han Dynasty, Princess Xijun, who was married off to the Wusun Kingdom, mentioned "felt as walls" in her poem "Song of the Yellow Crane," referring to "zhan," which means felt. This indicates that the use of felt in Kazakh yurts has a history of over 2,000 years. Additionally, unearthed artifacts and rock paintings also confirm the long history of felt. With the emergence of felt and the development of production and daily needs, Kazakh decorative felt came into being. Through the ingenious artistic creativity of countless generations of Kazakhs, the varieties of decorative felt have multiplied, patterns have become richer, craftsmanship has grown more refined, and uses have expanded. Decorative felt has become an indispensable handicraft and daily necessity in the lives of the Kazakh people.

　　 　　A small piece of decorative felt embodies the traditional culture and aesthetic values of the Kazakh people, reflecting their arts and crafts as well as ethnic customs. It holds significant value for research.

　　 　　Kazakh decorative felt has been included in the first batch of the Autonomous Region’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list and is protected and preserved as part of the nation’s cultural heritage. We hope that Kazakh decorative felt, like flowers, will be passed down through generations, blooming vibrantly.