Black Sheep and exotic (almost) socks

Saw the independent New Zealand movie Black Sheep last night. It was hilarious, as you'd expect a zombie sheep movie to be. There was a nod and wink to the pioneers of the genre, as soon as the prop plane whirred on to the screen, you just knew that there'd be some zombie mulching at sooner or later. There were some lovely farming in-jokes involving drenching guns and the inevitable joke about how much a man can love a ewe. Eeeuuuuwwwweee indeed! Oh, and it has a happy ending.


Not much sock action this week, so I thought I'd post some pictures of some crafty footwear I bought in Uzbekistan a couple of years ago. The navy and red slippers I bought in Khiva, an oasis town near(ish) the Caspian Sea, and below the now almost completely dry Aral Sea. Some of the local Turkomen women in Khiva sell knit wear on the streets around the old town.

These socks, featuring an anchor motif on the toe picked out with white embroidery, are just one of many designs. A lot of the designs appear on carpets and in embroideries as well. They also have exquisite shawls made from hair taken from the neck of the Bactrian camel, which they say makes the finest and warmest garments.

These little slippers came from Bukhara, another oasis town. They are of felt made from the neck hair of Bactrian camels. They are embroidered with silk from local silkworms and are corded with twisted silks around the edges of the sole. Their laces are also made of twisted silk cord.