Antep Embroidery Protected Geographical Indication
Monday, July 4, 2022
No: 200 – Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
ANTEP EMBROIDERY
Registrant
GAZIANTEP DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
This geographical indication was announced in the Official Gazette dated 04.09.2015 and numbered 29465. It has been registered to be valid from 24.04.2012 in accordance with Article 12 of the Decree Law on the Protection of Geographical Indications No. 555.
Registration Number : 200
Registration Date : 06.12.2016
Application Number : C2012/064
Application Date : 24.04.2012
Name of Geographical Indication : Antep Embroidery
Product / Product Group : Embroidery
Type of Geographical Indication : Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
Registrant : Gaziantep Development Foundation
Address of Registrant : İncilipınar Mah. 36004 Nolu Cad. No: 6 Şehitkamil Gaziantep
Geographical Boundary : Gaziantep
Usage Format : Branding
Product Description and Distinctive Features:
Antep Embroidery is a type of embroidery made by the local people in the Gaziantep region. Antep Embroidery is classified as “Antep Antique Embroidery” and “Antep Colored Embroidery” according to fabric and yarn properties. “Antep Antique Embroidery” is a type of embroidery made using white, yellow and cream colored silk and cotton threads on white or cream-colored fabric, while “Antep Colored Embroidery” is a type of embroidery in which different colored threads are used and ornaments are made with susma and openwork techniques. It is made by counting and pulling yarn, and consists of openwork made with various thread drawing techniques, musabak and susma. It is also made by cutting and pulling the threads of the fabric and wrapping the threads left with cotton and silk threads. The main features that distinguish Antep Embroidery from the other embroidery are its patterns, fabric, thread and embroidery.
1- Fabric Properties: Since the pattern is counted onto the fabric in Antep Embroidery, fabrics whose threads can be counted are usually preferred. In addition, since the drawn threads are then counted and turned into patterns, the fabric must be dense and durable. In the past, poplin, calico and ka'ak cloth (hasse) were used. The fabrics used today are: Havayan, crepe demor, mongolian, crepe georgette, different hand-woven linens, silk fabrics, raw silk, Burmese, hair interlining and kutnu.
2- Thread and Embroidery Properties: The difference of Antep Embroidery from other known embroidery is that first the thread is drawn the fabric for the pattern to be made, and then these threads, which are drawn with a needle and thread, are shaped by wrapping them with different needle techniques. Another property of Antep Embroidery is that it cannot be dismantled. It is an embroidery that is enriched with silk wrap embroidery (susma) as well as patterns made by drawing threads. Today, various patterns are made with colored threads. In the past, raw silk on hand-woven fabric was used with its natural color. Now, colored embroideries are produced also by using glitter, colored threads and auxiliary embroidery needles without spoiling the embroidery technique. For this, shiny, strong, not-too-thick, smooth threads are used. It is done with colored threads as well as using a single color thread. Depending on the needle technique used, silk, thread, floss or cotton silk is used.
3- Pattern Properties: Although needle techniques used in Antep Embroidery are standard, it is possible to create very different and unique patterns with these needle techniques. This embroidery, which has a pattern in which geometric motifs, animal and human figures are the subject, as well as patterns taken from nature, can be done by drawing thread directly from the fabric without drawing the pattern, except for net stitching. In net stitching, the width and length threads drawn from the fabric should make space equally in between, unlike other techniques. By wrapping the threads left around the small square shaped spaces, shapes called nets or filters are formed. A pattern is made on this net with a needle technique called lentil openwork. Needle techniques that are used in openworks processed with unidirectional thread drawing and in thread drawing works where the number of width threads are not equal cause different models and motifs to form depending on the amount of threads left.
It is possible for the embroiderer to produce different models using these basic motifs with their own creativity. Accordingly, unique, non-repeatable models might emerge. In order to create patterns, sources such as geometric shapes (square, star, rectangle, triangle, etc.), carpet rug motifs, natural figures, pattern books, artifacts in museums, handmade samples, cross-stitch, tapestry, lace, traditional clothes and covers are used.
Production Method:
Antep Embroidery is done entirely by hand with the tools and equipment stated below, without using any technological tools. After embroidering and edge cleaning, the production is completed after carefully ironing.
Both hands are used when processing Antep Embroidery. One hand works over the fabric and the other under it. The fabric is placed on the embroidery frame with the antique threads on the inside. The embroidery direction should be diagonal, and the threads should be cut with curved embroidery scissors. First, the needle is threaded and held between the thumb and forefinger with the tip of the needle pointing down. The other hand is held under the hoop or frame, under the point where the needle will be inserted. According to the type of embroidery to be made, the tip of the needle is inserted into the area where the pattern is located and is pulled from the back of the needle from where the next step will be made. The thickness of the selected threads varies according to the needle technique to be used and the motifs applied according to the texture of the fabric. Fine threads are used in the preparation of the lower embroidery of the motifs and edging (in the embroidery where the net slips and partitions are made, in the clasping of antique and openwork edges), and thick threads are used in the upper motifs. The same characteristics are taken into account in the selection of yarn in Antep Colored Embroidery. The difference from the Antep Antique Embroidery is that the threads used are colored.
After Antep Embroidery is embroidered, edge cleaning techniques are applied depending on the type of fabric and embroidery, in order to enhance the aesthetics and durability of the product. For "Antep Antique Embroidery", a technique called one-way or two-way antique, print stitch, citime (risliyo), print and antique embroidery, as well as needle lace can be used on this edge. In needle lace, models called mulberry leaf, penny and half penny are preferred. For “Antep Colored Embroidery”, fringe, macrame, crochet lace, hairpin and shuttle are used.
Antep Embroidery is divided into eight groups according to the number, the direction and the processing of yarns drawn and left. These are openworks with the same number of threads cut and threads left (lentil), openworks with more threads left than cut threads (liverstabber, cemelian), openworks with less threads left than cut threads (spider, snowball), fancy openworks (the number of cut threads and threads left varies according to the openwork to be applied), citi and almond openworks, openworks formed as a result of unidirectional wire drawing from the width and/or length of the fabric, susma and musabak.
1- Lentil Openwork: It is a type of openwork in which the threads cut and left are in equal numbers. The lentil openwork can be made as the filter is being wrapped or after the filter is wrapped and completed. While a motif can be created and applied with only lentil openwork, and various operations can be done by using it together with other openwork and auxiliary techniques.
2- Liverstabber: In this openwork type, the number of threads left is higher than the number of threads cut. As the filter is being wrapped, the liverstabber is made at the same time. It is applied on wide grounds. It can be used with other openworks, as well as creating a product with only the liverstabber openwork.
3- Cemelian: The number of threads left in the cemelian openwork is higher than that of threads cut. It is applied at the same time as the filter, as in the liverstabber openwork. It is applied in large grounds.
4- Spider: In this openwork technique, the number of threads cut is higher than the number of threads left, the number of antiques is determined according to the pattern. After the thread is cut, the filter is wrapped and the weft threads are picked. Motifs can be created with it alone or used together with other openworks in some patterns.
5- Snowball: The number of threads cut in snowball openwork is higher than the number of threads left, and the antique to be used is determined according to the pattern to be used. After the filter is wrapped, the weft threads are picked and the snowball openwork is done. It is a similar technique to the spider.
6- Citime: In the citime openwork technique, the number of threads cut is higher than the number of threads left. It is formed by picking the weft threads after the filter is wound and wrapping the picked threads. It is applied for large grounds and geometric patterns. The citime openwork is mostly used together with the almond openwork.
7- Almond: In this technique, the number of threads cut is higher than the number of threads left. After the filter is wrapped, the weft threads are picked and the almond openwork is formed by wrapping them. It can be used alone as well as with the citime openwork. It is applied for large grounds and geometric patterns.
8- Susma and Musabak: These are the techniques created by wrapping the yarns of the fabric by counting according to the pattern, without pulling threads from the fabric. Musabak is a needle technique that is embroidered with oblique needle technique and its front and back appear in the same cage form.
Tools and Equipment Used in Antep Embroidery:
1- Tools and equipment used in thread drawing: Quilt needle, razor blade, embroidery scissors, tape measure ruler.
2- Tools and materials used in the making of the pattern: Pencil, sharpener, scissors, eraser, graph paper and photocopies of pre-made embroidery, tapestry, lace and cross-stitch models, human, animal and plant figures inspired by nature.
3- Tools used in processing: Sewing and embroidery scissors, sewing needle, Antep Embroidery needle (in net embroidery, a small and thin sewing needle of about 2 cm is used due to the peculiarity of the needle technique, while in other techniques, about 2 cm in length, but thicker embroidery needles are preferred), screwed and screwless embroidery hoops (thread drawing is done with a hoop; the hoop consists of two interlocking wooden hoops and the fabric is placed between these two hoops to make it taut), hoop and frame fabrics, fabrics and threads.
4- Tools used in ironing: Iron, ironing board, ironing cloth.
Inspection:
The supervisory authority consists of people determined by Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, Gaziantep University and Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education. At least twice a year, and whenever consumer complaints take place, inspections will be carried out on the following issues:
- The whiteness of the fabric used
- Use of white, yellow, cream colored yarn
- Presence of various openwork and/or susmas
- Use of fabric with countable threads
- Density and durability of the fabric
- Equal weaving of width and length yarns
- Embroidering by cutting and pulling the threads
- Whether the fabric is ripped or not
- If enriched with silk wrap embroideries
- Use of raw silk with its own natural color
- Use of auxiliary embroidery needles
- Use of silk, thread, floss, cotton thread
- Correct branding.
Original text from ci.gov.tr.
