monkey hands

More Images: Mongolian Quilters and the "Black Market"

Mongolian Quilters and the "Black Market" in Ulaanbaatar:

Selenge Tserendash, founder and director of Mongolian Quilters,  and her daughter, Aryuka. Selenge studied law in Japan and is fond of Japanese food, as am I, so I took my gracious hosts out for sushi and tempora one night (Japanese is Selenge's third language, and English is her fourth!). 

Dressing (and talking to) a new doll

I love the southwest-colored shipping crates that surround the black market

playing cards amongst a traditional furniture vendor's "shop"

Housewares in the Black Market, Ulaanbaatar

Stainless steel and plastic wares

steaming hot goat head--easy to carry from home for lunch at work

lunch break

Cheers! Aryuka attends a science-intense high school in Ulaanbaatar; she plans to go on to medical school after graduation.

 

Shopping at the "Black Market" in Ulaanbaatar

I love the colors, the textures, the sounds and the smells.

Today, here's a look at some of the fabric stalls. Tomorrow (or the next day) I'll show photos of some of the other things the market has to offer. It's an amazing experience!

Sign marking a fabric shop

shooting pool outside the market

a stall with rabbits for sale

people selling wares on the market periphery

Selenge of Mongolia Quilters (red coat) entering the fabric part of the market

Selenge negotiates

Selenge loading her Prius. At night the wares are stored in these colorful shipping containers.

Diary Cloth, More From Mongolia

As part of my ongoing stitching in Jude Hill's online class at Spirit Cloth, I had planned to make wings (a large flying beastie-bird?) for my connected hand-foot creation. As I stitched late at night in Ulaanbaatar, the handfoot (I had surgery on both this year, so they are embedded with personal significance) morphed into a sailboat and that just felt right. Also, I was happy to discover that I had taken my little treasure pack of moons made by Glennis Dolce aka the talented, creative Shibori Girl , here with me back to Beijing, so I've added this sweet linen gem to the mix. The "whale" (see a couple posts ago) lost out for now, but probably not forever.  Maybe too literal at the moment?

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A few more pictures from my visit north to work with the women at Mongolian Quilters: 

These two tables are basically standard 30" by 72" tables, and during the day six women work at each table while others work on the floor, on a small side table, at a square ironing table, and even in the shop if necessary. I hope to help with some fundraising for expansion next year. 

I went to the center straight from Ghengis Kahn airport with my suitcase full of bird-making materials as well as an electric sewing machine and converter to donate, some rotary cutters, and fabric.  Taking a test drive--trying out various stitches and tension as I show how to work the "controls." This is a hard-working basic machine that will be put to good use.

Back from Mongolia

I'm back in Beijing after another good trip to Ulaanbaatar. I brought a sewing machine and converter, taught a bird-making workshop, and worked on the new website with the organization's founder and current director, Selenge Tserendash. More info and pictures forthcoming! 

The center workspace is too small, and women have to work in day on, day off shifts.

Sometimes small and not-so-small children accompany their mothers or grandmothers.