Karacakılavuz is a neighborhood of Süleymanpaşa district of Tekirdağ province and this neighborhood is one of the important weaving centers of Anatolia. Local weavings are woven on four-pedal looms called Düzen made of oak and hornbeam trees. The most important feature of the weavings is the combination of twill, one of the shuttle weaving techniques, and cicim technique, one of the kirkitli weaving techniques. Karacakılavuz Dimi Weavings are factory-made wool and cotton threads. The threads used in the weavings, which usually have a lively appearance, are colored with natural and aniline dyes. Karacakılavuz Dimi Weavings, which are used in the production of amulets, prayer rugs, curtains, cushion covers, saddlebags, bags, and clothes, are designed in five different composition schemes: horizontal, vertical, scattered, central and mihrab.
Production Method: Local weavings are woven on four-pedal looms called Düzen made of oak and hornbeam trees (four-powered). The most important feature of these weavings is that they are made by using the twill weaving technique, which is one of the shuttle weaving techniques, and the cicim technique, which is one of the kirkit weaving techniques, together. The threads to be used in weaving come in the form of a hank (the un-balled form of the threads to be used in weaving), and are put into a skein by putting them in a gülcana/elemye (a tool used to wind the skeins of yarn into a ball). When 15 skeins are made, the threads are ready for warping. The warp preparation is started by putting the 15 skeins into 15 separate bags. A weaving ground of 65 cm width and the desired length is prepared from 740 handles. The threads are taken from the stakes and wrapped around the marmara/levent with the help of 3 people. By placing four healds on a high place and applying the heald passing technique with the help of two people, the threads are passed through the heald. Then, again with two people, two handles are passed through each wire of the comb and the process of passing through the comb is carried out. Then, the threads are tied to the loom and the weaving process is started. The distinctive feature of the twill weaving technique is that it is four-strong and the threads pass through the comb in pairs.
There are 12 main local motifs processed in Karacakılavuz Dimi Weaving. These motifs are:
- Dog foot motif
- Ram's horn motif
- Sheep's eye motif
- Snowflake motif
- Oak branch motif
- Peacock motif
- Locks motif
- Three roses motif
- Quince belly motif
- Horse horseshoe motif
- Stars motif
- Land lamp motif
The motifs to be processed are woven in the desired length with a width of 65 cm. The motifs are processed with the cicim technique on the twill technique. Kilim, prayer rug, pillow, saddlebag, curtain, cushion cover, wall ornament, wall panel, evil eye amulet are produced from Karacakılavuz Dimi Weaving.
Production, Processing and Other Processes That Must Be Carried Out Within the Geographical Border: Karacakılavuz Dimi Weavings have a reputation that is identified with the region. All stages of production take place within the specified geographical limit.