Catrințe or Zăvelci Oltenești

In Gorj, women would wear catrințe(aprons) in pairs to cover the poale (underskirt) – we’re happy whenever we find them preserved in pairs, as they are often unpaired. The front one would traditionally be referred to as fâstâc (narrow with vertical woven stripes) and the rear one, catrințoi (wider, with horizontal woven stripes). We love the unevenness of the cut – we only noticed that the moment we set them up to be photographed. A mixture of metallic thread and normal woolen yarn.

The salvaged items were created sometime ranging from fifty years to a century ago. Exact timing is difficult to establish, and it is beyond the scope of our endeavour. However, it is fair to assume that some of the old techniques ceased to be employed several decades ago, for various reasons: vanishing of the skills, introduction of industrially available fabrics such as cotton, etc.