How I started knotting miniature carpets:

When I left Belgium for Turkey I had to restart my life;  I left so much in Belgium including my looms.

Here, in Turkey, I found a small silk loom so I started weaving.  First I wove a little kilim because the required technique is close to those I used before.

Then I wanted to try to knot carpets.  So I started with small ones, playing with old designs and creating new ones.  I remember the first small carpet I sold was to a Dutch customer for a dollhouse.  I wove normal quality carpets in small sizes for 8 years, building up experience in knotting carpets and creating designs.  I always tried new things and when I discovered an old technique I was attemting to knot it on my loom when a customer (carpet dealer) came to have a look: "You are making a miniature Turkmen carpet" he said.  And this is what made me think to make miniature carpets. 

I like challenges so I wanted to give it a try.  They are very fun to make.  Every carpet is a new style and a new design...

The first months I tried to make miniature copies of real existing, mostly nomadic, carpets.  But by getting more experience in making the designs and knotting them I refined them more and more and then I started the silk carpets which are the most refined of all.

I still enjoy designing and knotting them!  And I hope you will like them too...