| The
typical Calitrian woman spent her life doing domestic chores
and working in the fields. |
| However,
from an early age, she did not fail to devote herself to
the crafts of cutting and sewing, which were a necessity
more than a mere hobby and a craft, and for some women,
a real occupation. |
| Some
women embroidered by the fireplace, or outside by the front
door on summer afternoons, to kill time with the next door
neighbors. |
| Basically,
they used their craft in the preparation of trousseaus for
daughters and granddaughters (even if not yet of marriageable
age). Or else this kind of work was assigned to a professional
dressmaker or embroiderer who normally did such work for
a fee. |
| Moreover,
young daughters were made to realize that embroidery and
needlework were indispensable skills for making one’s
own things, and for leading a comfortable home life instead
of doing hard work in the fields. |
| Besides
the traditional cutting and sewing, crochet work was popular
and appreciated for doilies, bedspreads, crib covers, fringes
for curtains, sheets and pillowcases. |
| . |
An
oldster busy doing crochet |
|
|
A
housewife knitting socks |
| |
| The
cross stitch, the Norwegian stitch and the hemstitch were
also used, usually with an embroidery ring. |
| |
| The
housewife had all the articles needed for creating, repairing
and finishing her handiwork: needle, knitting needles, yarn,
basting yarn, spindle, little scissors, thinble, safety-pins,
spins. |
|
