My Lace
Curtains
Women’s
Work
In his book
Deeds of Men Christos Kasolis writes about the deeds of women. He writes that,
In
their daily routine of housework, women did a lot of chores which defined their
traditional role. Women prepared the bread dough, transported it on wooden
planks pinakoti to the community oven, where they had it baked and where other
women, bakers took care of the rest. They washed at community laundries, places
you could find in every village, built next to the communal water spring or
well. In addition to the laundry which was washed in the carved stone basins of
the facilities, the women found a chance for togetherness and amusement. They also
made food supplies, like noodles, dried figs, whole fruit in syrup, as well as
useful and pretty embroidered items such as lace and a variety of needlework.
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| Pretty nets, for the kitchenette |
Lace-Making
Styles
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| A lace maker |
In Christos’
book are illustrations of one type of lace making using bobbins, but there are
many others. I’m interested in lace making as I used to crochet, with a hook,
and tat with a shuttle. I made a lot of table mats most of which were given
away as presents. Lace work is often added to embroidered cloths, as inserts,
and various thickness of threads make it light as a feather, or heavy enough
for a bedspread.
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| Crochet work |
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| This was once a lace shawl bought in the Agora. |
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| Two styles in the bathroom. Machine made and handmade over the panes |
An Old
Craft
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| A peice made by my neigbour |
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| Curtains she made for her house |
My
neighbours on Lemnos have shown me their lace
work prepared as part of their dowry. When they made these beautiful items they
were younger, and their eyesight was good, and they made curtains, tablecloths
and bed spreads. One kind lady has opened up her bottom drawer and taken out
items to show one or two of my overseas guests who have a similar interest in
lace-work. I think this is an art that is being lost as nowadays most people’s
evening relaxation tends to be around a TV, or out in a local bar.
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| On the middle floor, with pictures of Takis grandfather and greatgrandmother. |
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| On old lace curtain in our dining room |
In our
house I have a lot of net and lace curtains. Some are hand made and old, some
are machine made and other ordinary net. I have sourced them from various
places but they add something special to each room.
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| I bought these curtains from a passing Russian salesman |
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| And six pairs of net curtain for the top floor windows, all from Ikea |
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