One of the joys of living in the Fez Medina is the ready availability of fabrics - both old and new. As we have reported before, the buying of carpets, rugs and cushions can be tiresome - especially in the large carpet shops that do so much business with tourists. However, after a while almost everyone develops a network of smaller shops where the owner knows your tastes and gives you sensible quotes.
Finding the shop that makes the kind of fabric you are after also means that you can design your own colours, style and blend of different materials. Most of the makers will produce a sample strip for you to check they have exactly what you want and then can weave the tablecloth, bedspread or cushion covers for you.
A few years ago when a whole new style of vibrant almost electric colours started appearing in the souqs, we traced them back to the small factory of Abdulali. For those who have been immersed in traditional design and colour, this was like a sudden breath of fresh air. Since that time the success of his designs has meant he has several imitators, but none who have managed his range or quality.
During a rare quiet moment in the office we sent our visiting travel reporter, David Margan, into the souq to check out the fabrics. He was so impressed his purchases were too heavy to carry and had to be delivered a few hours later.
You will find Abdulali's two small weaving shops if you continue from Seffarine past the Tanneries. His main shop is further along on left.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
1 comment:
I would love a few hundred metres of that material. The colours are fantastic, too bad that the cones are such fine thread, no good for knitting
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