The craft of the maker of goat's hair articles was one of the most developed in the past. It was connected with goat-breeding as the necessary material for the make of goat's hair products was supplied only by goats
This craft was developed in connection with the crafts and trade expansion hence the wider use of carters' caravans. That's why during the Bulgarian Revival Period hundreds of masters worked in some of the biggest centers of goat's hair processing. They wove quantities of sacks and bags for carrying of various products, horse belts and fodder-bags. The characteristic of Gabrovo "preshove" (sacks for grain) and rugs in the natural colors of goat's hair are among them. The craft declined quickly and catastrophically after the Crimean War. Keeping their proverbial diligence, one part of these craftsmen survived as producers of goat's hair bags and rugs after the Liberation of The Ottoman Domination.
The technological stages in the production of goat's hair articles are:
-selection of goat's hair in color and length is made by hand
-picking/carding/ of goat's hair
At a distance from one another four pegs are fixed in a wooden board. A 2m long, cotton cord is tied to each peg. The opposite ends of the cords are bound together on a hazel stick. The goat's hair is spread under the cords and then it is picked by beating.
-The spinning is done on a spinning wheel. The master puts a leather bag, full of goat' hair, under his left arm. Then he ties his waist round with a leather belt, attached to a transmission rope that sets the spinning wheel going. When moving backwards, the master spins two threads simultaneously and another two are twisted thoroughly.
-In this craft the weaving is done on a vertical loom. Beating/strengthening/ of the warp is done with 'tarak", opening of the mouth -with"chamshira" and stretching the cloth-with metit".
The design is made on the warp. When decorating articles of goat's hair two basic patterns are used, called "mouse ears' and "cat teeth". Another decorating effect is achieved here by matching the natural colors of the material-white, grey, brown and black.
