New-York tribune., 1901-09-08
NEEDLEWORK INDUSTRIES.
TAPESTRY AND RUG MAKING TO BE
TAUGHT ARMENIAN WOMEN-MRS.
FANNY a. SHEPHERDS
Project

Nearly A thousand Armenian women are en-
ployed in Aintab. Oorfa and Marash, Turkey, In
the needlework industry started IN Alntap py
Mrs Fanny Andrews Shepherd. thirteen years ago
Mrs Shepherd is the wife of DR.. Fred ID. Shepherd.
head Of the Azariah Smith Memorial Hospital OF
Aintab and professor of surgery in Cehtral turkey
College. of the same place. Both nave been In
this country for much needed rest, and sailed
for home last week. They have been In turkey
as missionaries, connected with the American
Board CCongregationaD for about nineteen years.
About thirteen years ago, after locust famine,
Mrs. Shepherd. sorely perplexed to know how to
bring relief the many hundreds of suffering
people. hit upon plan to adapt the wonderful
drawn work of Persia and the exquisite needle lace
of Armenia to the modern Western market.
Models obtained from Persia and Smyrna,
and after much study patterns were selected which
were adapted especially to handkerchiefs. doies.
centre pieces luncheon cloths etc. Women were
trained to do the work in the most exquisite man.
ner. the result being a refinement of the ancient
Oriental needle arts. For the foundation the
choicest linens of Europe and Asia were used
Gradually other materials and styles of work were
added and the three hundred picked women
of Aintab make not only all sorts Of linen pieces
used in the household decorating them with Per
sian drawn work and Armenian needle lace, but
they also produce beautiful scarfs for bureau,
dressing table. buffet and the like, of fine twned
linens from Trebizond silk crepe made in hand
looms in Antioch. gauze from Brusa, and other
fabrics for which the East is famous. These are
ornamented with silk and gold work. and in many
cases the ends are finished with the thread and
needle lace flowers much used In adorning the
costumes of the Moslem women
All the beautiful native flowers the Rose OF
Sharon, lily OF the valley magnificent wild pOppies,
cyclamens ard the bell shaped flowers Of various
kinds reproduced I'm color In this needle and
thread lace. They used to decorate the edges
OF kerchiefs. which worn by all Turkish mar
ried women and burches of them worn in the
hair and at the neck In the harem 1t is not un-
usual entire headdresses made of these gay
colored lace flowers. arranged in sprays and
wreaths. It is Mrs. Shepherds intention to extend
this particular industry among her workers and 10
supply the demands OF the Turkish home market.
FINDING WORK FOR WOMEN.
During the period of widespread destitution which
followed the Armenian massacres Of five years ago
Mrs. Shepherd started similar industry among
the women of Marash. another town of Central
Turkey. There she found the women less expert
with the needle ana adapted their peculiar cross
stitch embroidery, which they put on hand loom
cottons 10 sofa pillows, couch covers. porteres and
the like Later this also introduced into Anita b.
and under Miss Corinne Shattuck's direction. into
Oorfa Cottons, silks and linens are all used now
for these purposes, and great variety Of stitches