The history of the Maraş Rose Motif dates back to ancient times. It has an important place in the historical and cultural values of Kahramanmaraş. It is believed that the red rose that bloomed in Kahramanmaraş on February 12, the day of Kahramanmaraş's liberation and when the winter was the harshest, was a sign of Kahramanmaraş's liberation. For this reason, it is embroidered on fabrics. During the embroidery, three wheat ears are added to the end of the rose to represent abundance. The Maraş Rose Motif, which is considered a symbol of historical importance for geographical borders, is used in girls' dowries to ensure the continuity of a cultural heritage. For the reasons stated, the Maraş Rose Motif has a reputation for geographical borders and all production stages are carried out within the geographical border.
The Maraş Rose Motif is a flower bouquet-shaped motif consisting of roses and leaves, especially embroidered by basting the cross-stitch cloth (canava cloth) on tightly woven calico fabric. The length of the motif is 40-42 cm and its width is 12 cm. Kanava fabric; It is an auxiliary linen fabric woven from cotton and wool yarns, which allows cross-stitching, has gaps, and can be counted and removed after processing. Maraş Rose Motif is shaped and colored in a style close to nature. The motif is obtained by creating consecutive crosses (x) of colored yarns suitable for nature on a single-color (monogram) arrangement.
The yarns used vary according to the thickness and weaving of the fabric. While 12 or 8 numbered ball yarn is used for tightly woven calico fabrics, mouline yarn or laundry silk is used for finer textured fabrics. It is usually embroidered on bedding sets such as bedspreads, closet covers, sheets, bed skirts, duvet covers and pillowcases. It is also embroidered on cushions, table and coffee table covers for home decoration, bundle and chest covers prepared for storing bride/groom's dowry, and on the edges of towels. It is also used by applique on different items such as piques, kitchen sets and panels.
The cross-stitch technique used in the Maraş Rose Motif, also known as cross-needle, is an embroidery done with colored threads in the form of a cross (x) on a loosely woven cross-stitch fabric (canava fabric). In the past, canava fabrics were woven from cotton and wool in order to be cheap and useful, but today they are woven from cotton thread. After determining the pattern suitable for the work to be done and the place to be used, the canava pattern is drawn on squared or millimetric paper and colored. The composition is created. The product's pattern is prepared and the composition is placed on the pattern. The canava fabric, which is cut according to the dimensions of the motif or water (border) to be embroidered, is basted on the main fabric (densely woven calico). The squares of the canava fabric are used during the embroidery. While bedding and curtains worked on densely woven calico fabric are embroidered with a number 12 or 8 ball, mouline thread or laundry silk is used for finer textured fabrics. After the embroidery is finished, the fabric is separated by pulling the width and length threads.
The most suitable fabric for the embroidery to appear properly; It is a cotton densely woven calico fabric. In this embroidery technique, the threads must be counted, but since calico is a densely woven fabric, it is not possible to count the threads. For this reason, the Maraş Rose Motif is embroidered on densely woven calico fabric using canvas. The technique used is a single needle technique.