Friday, June 29, 2018

Writing the stitch, stitching the writing

I have been working with Sara of Tarnat-Kalotaszeg-Durabil- to produce some embroidered cushions based on patterns and techniques traditional to this area of Romania




The embroidery was done by Bodis Ilonka an experienced and talented embroiderer  living in the Kalotaszeg, a region in Western Romania renowned for its folk heritage.





                                                        Ilonka in her village


This type of embroidery is know locally as "writing stitch" The pattern is first drawn or "written" onto the cloth by the "writing woman" Most villages had one and a few exist today. Ilonka learnt to draw the writing in the 1960s from her then mother in law.

These  patterns come from a compilation of  over 200 patterns drawn by women in the Kalotaszeg and complied by Sinko Kallo Katalin.