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It is a
typical female
tradition of Offida
"the art of pillow
lace", which today
is still passed on by
generation to
generation. In the
historical centre there
is the monument
devoted to the lace
makers, by the
sculptor Aldo
Sergiacomi.
The tourist, which
walks along the
alleys and streets
of Offida, will surely
come across, especially
in the summer evenings
many
women of Offida
of all ages, seated
near their front doors,
working the pillow
lace.
A
real art, a typically
female tradition
goes back to the
15th century. At
the beginning only the
popular class was
involved in this work,
but gradually the
pillow lace's art
infected also the
religious communities
and noble families. The
Benedictine nuns, who
arrived in Offida in
1655, (see information
on St. Marco Monastery)
gave a great boost to
the diffusion of the
pillow lace.
The only example in the
central and southern
part of Italy was in
1979 the
foundation of the
Cooperativa
Artigiana Merlettaie
(CO. AR. ME.), with
the scope of
producing and
selling the
works directly
according to the
ancient tradition of
Offida.
It
is extraordinary to
observe the bobbins,
known as "cann'itt",
while threads (white
and raw threads) being
twisted and moved
manually around pins
with extreme
rapidity.
The
bolster, a
cylindrical cushion
stuffed with sawdust,
known as "lu capzzal"
and the threads are
essential to compose
patterns of every
kind: antique lace,
punto Venezia, punto
Rinascimento,
(different stitches)
portraying animal and
flower figures.
From
1999 during the
month of August, there
is a competition for
the lace makers, called
the "FUSELLO
D'ORO" to see who
can create the best
work, tied to a theme
which is chosen each
year from a panel of
judges.
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