In particular, they give life to the pen obtained from wheat called “Ciberunda ”. By pouring light on it and giving hand labor, they make products that reflect the Cypriot culture such as wicker baskets, saddles and sesta. Ayşe Yorgancı, who learned this work from her grandmother at the age of 5 in Serdarlı where the best sestas are made in our country, is one of the masters of pen knitting:

“I made and sold saddles at the age of 6”

-“WE WORKED IN THE SHADOW OF THE INN ”…“I learned to knit with my grandmother. I used to sit next to my grandmother when I was five, and I would try to work it out. I never forget, I made and sold a saddle when I was six. Then I used to knit and sell. In the past, neighbors, young girls gathered and worked in the shadow of the inn. We would compete with each other to see who would finish first.”

“I MAKE EVERYTHING FROM THE PEN”…“I make everything from the pen, and I also create. I do it by visualising it in my head. I make wicker baskets, bread, fruit, laundry basket, basket, saddle and write names on them; I do everything on demand. In the past, I used to build and sell baby cots, but there are not many requests today, but if anyone wants one, I make it. ”

While evaluating the spare time of Turkish Cypriot women,motifs are combined and the knitting patterns defined by names such as wicker baskets, saddles, sesta panel, wicker trays, tableware are called locally as pen knitting. Today, the best sestas are made in Serdarlı. When Serdarlı is said, sesta and wicker baskets come to mind.

Ayşe Yorgancı, 62, one of the masters of pen knitting, says that she learned this job from her grandmother at the age of 5 and made and sold them at the age of 6.

Ayşe Yorgancı, who has experienced emotional moments when talking about the past, says that the girlsused to gather together and pen knit with great pleasure; she complains that nowadays young girls have no curiosity about this.

Ayşe Yorgancı taught her daughter-in-law how to make wicker baskets and saddles. “I would love to teach people how to make them” she says.

Our interview with Ayşe Yorgancı, who makes wicker baskets from pen knitting, is as follows:

Question:Can you tell us about yourself?

Answer:I was born in 1956 in Serdarlı. After graduating from primary and secondary school, I got engaged at the age 16 and married at 17. I have three sons and three grandchildren.

Question:How did you start knitting?

Answer:“I learned to knit with my grandmother. I used to sit next to my grandmother when I was five, and I would try to work it out. I never forget, I made and sold a saddle when I was six. Then I used to knit and sell. In the past, neighbors, young girls gathered and worked in the shadow of the inn. We would compete with each other to see who would finish first.”

Question:How do you obtain the items?

Answer:We do farming, we plant the pencils ourselves. The pen is made of wheat. It's a wheat that needs plenty of rain. Ciberunda, if there is plenty of rain, it will be more beautiful and tall. In the construction of wicker baskets, it is much better to have longer wheat. It is also easier to handle. We find the net, cut it by the spike. Then we break it and wet it.

Question:Can you also tell us about the coloring process?

Answer:Paints, come from the Greek side and from the Hatay region of Turkey,. I did a research on this. Turkey's madder is very consistent for us. We heat our water in a big cauldron, tie it in the form of a small bunch, throw our pencils and paint in it and boil it for one hour. Then we take it out and dry it, then we wet it.

Question:What do you make with pen knitting?

Answer:I make everything from the pen, and I also create. I do it by visualising it in my head. I make wicker baskets, bread, fruit, laundry basket, basket, saddle and write names on them; I do everything on demand. In the past, I used to build and sell baby cots, but there are not many requests today, but if anyone wants one, I make it.

Question:Are the products you sell are more often for use or for ornamental purposes?

Answer:I sell it for use, but it is mostly used as an ornament or decor.

Question:Have you taught the pen knitting to anyone else?

Answer:I taught my daughter-in-law. I wish I could teach everyone. I would love to teach them.

Question:What is the lifetime of a wicker basket?

Answer:25 - 30 years. As long as it is not wet.

Question:If you compare the past and present, what can you tell us?

Answer:In the past, people were more convivial, now there is no conversation. I remember in our childhood, girls gathered together and sat and worked. Nowadays there is nothing like this. Now, everyone works at home. Our youngsters do not have much curiosity, but in our time it was not like this.