alatzia

ΜΓ 808

Waisted foustanin with long sleeves, made of off-white, loom-woven, cotton-silk(?) taiston fabric.

Along general lines, it repeats the design of previous dresses. The bodice consists of six pieces in all, joined to each other with handmade stitching. The front is made of two panels, one on either side of the breast, that extend under the armpits and form the side pieces at the back. The centre of the back is made of four elongated segments forming a gore from the shoulders to the upper part of the waistband, widening upwards. These segments are bias-cut, with the stripes of each segment following a different direction. A fine, ready-made woven band in purple, sewn with white thread, accents four joints at the back. The two diagonal seams on the outer edges are accentuated with a single piece of ribbon, which also continues along the upper edge of the waistband, in-between the seams. The simple oval neckline, crafted by hand with a hollow hem, extends to the front side into a vertical opening that reaches quite long under the waistband, at a total height of 49 cm. Up on the neck, purple bands, each sewn to either side of the opening, are tied together as fastening elements. Lower, the opening on the breast fastens with three hooks: two near the neckline and one further down, close to the waistband.

Above the waistband, the opening is framed lengthwise by two added strips of the same fabric, one on either side. Fine, woven bands in two different shades of green (one shade on each side), sewn with white thread, delimit the rectangular segments, accenting their outline, and reach to the front of the neckline. The bodice tapers on either side under the breast with a pleat, sewn internally, which also extends to the waistband.

The long sleeves consist of a single fabric piece with an inseam. A low cuff is created at the edge of each sleeve with a fold, 2.5 cm in height, and a hand-sewn, 1.8-2 cm-tall band, added obliquely on the outside. Along its sides, the added band is accentuated on each sleeve with a fine green woven band, ready-made, the same as that used on the opening of the dress. The band is sewn with white thread. The two sides of the frame it creates are joined together with a vertical joint, more or less on the same straight line as the joint along the sleeve. At the joint of the sleeves to the bodice, the puffed fabric creates two pleats with folds on the bias. The bodice, including the sleeves, is lined by hand with beige cotton.

The 4 cm-tall waistband consists of a separate piece of fabric with horizontal woven stripes, and fastens with two hooks.

The wide skirt of the foustanin is made of three pieces of fabric, one narrow (width: 27 cm) and two wide ones (width: 89 cm), sewn by hand. Dense pleats, held in place by straight stitching in two rows, are formed at the waist. In this part of the dress, the skirt is reinforced internally with two added bands, one of simple beige cotton fabric and the other of white and yellow silk. A ruffle, 6 cm in height, has been added around the hem of the skirt. The ruffle consists of seven bands of bias-cut fabric, of the same type as the dress. A low, hand-sewn hem runs along the edge of the ruffle. A fine, ready-made, green woven band, sewn with white thread, accents the joint of the ruffle to the skirt.

The foustanin is entirely hand-sewn based on traditional designs. The use of the taiston fabric with the relief surfaces and its varied shades, as well as the subtle decoration with the colourful bands make this monochrome garment particularly graceful.

Height: 120.5 cm (bodice: 34.5 cm up to the waist, skirt: 86 cm).

Width: 36 cm on the shoulders, 34 cm at the waist, 100 cm around the hemline.

Length of sleeves: 47 cm.

Width of sleeves: 17 cm in the upper part, 12.5 cm in the lower part.

Date of entry to the Collection: 28.7.1994

Provenance: Nicosia – Purchased from Militsa Panayiotou.

ΜΓ 679

Long, long-sleeved foustanin of cotton alatzia with fine blue stripes against a white ground. Four rows of single green threads run between every pair of stripes.

The dress comprises a bodice and a skirt, joined at the waist with a waistband. It mirrors the design of the preceeding dresses. The bodice consists of two panels at the front, one on either side of the breast, joined to the back pieces with seams on the shoulders and under the armpits. At the back, two bias-cut pieces of fabric, 12 cm wide, diagonally placed, frame a six-sided central segment with vertical stripes that flares out towards the shoulders. The joints between the different segments are accentuated with double machine stitching using black thread. A band with a continuous zig-zag line decorates the base of the six-sided segment, above the waistband.

The round neckline is reinforced with a fine trimming band of the same fabric, with the stripes of the woven textile in horizontal arrangement, hand-sewn and, higher up, with black machine stitching. The opening of the neckline reaches vertically down to the breast up to the waistband (opening height: 23 cm) where it fastens with two hooks. On either side of the opening, the fabric is folded over inwards, creating a reinforced band, decorated with a waistband that includes consecutive lozenges of black machine stitching. Underneath each breast and up to the waistband, the fabric gathers in a fine pleat, sewn internally by hand with black thread and decorated externally with two rows of black machine stitching.

The 3 cm-tall waistband consists of a separate piece of fabric with the stripes of the alatzia in horizontal arrangement. The waistband extends to a 10 cm-long overlap to the left of the vertical opening, and fastens on the edge with two hooks. A 14 cm-tall opening is formed underneath the waistband, on the extension of its tip, and continues diagonally. Handmade hem using black thread runs along its edges. A continuous zig-zag line of black machine stitching decorates the entire length of the waistband.

The long sleeves are made of a single fabric piece with a seam on the external side of the arm. The stripes of the alatzia converge towards the seam, creating parallel arches. The edge of the sleeves is trimmed with hem and a decorative band that includes a continuous zig-zag line of black machine stitching.

The entire bodice (with the exception of the waistband) is lined with ready-made beige cotton fabric. The wide skirt of the dress consists of seven panels of varied widths (5x36, 1x35, 1x25 cm) gathering densely at the waist, where it is reinforced internally by two parallel, also densely gathered bands of different loom-woven striped fabrics and lining pieces (height: 4-6 cm). The dense pleats of the skirt are held in place by two parallel rows of horizontal seams made with white thread. The joint of the skirt to the waistband is handmade.

At the lower end of the skirt, an added horizontal band (fasa) of the same bias-cut alatzia fabric, is sewn along its edges with double machine stitching using black thread. Above and below it is framed by three narrow horizontal tucks (one above and two below), secured in their upper part with black machine stitching. The hem of the skirt is turned and reinforced with a band of the same fabric as the lining, 6.5 cm in height, which is secured with double black machine stitching. On the front side of the skirt, the stitching is displayed as decoration.

The varied arrangement of the striped fabric on the dress is used as a decorative element. In tandem with its practicality, machine stitching is also used for decoration.

Height: 114 cm (bodice: 33 cm up to the waistband, skirt: 81 cm).

Width: 36 cm on the shoulders, 32 cm at the waist, 125 cm around the hemline.

Length of sleeves: 44 cm.

Width of sleeves: 17 cm in the upper part and 11 cm in the lower part.

Date of entry to the Collection: 16.1.1990

Provenance: Palaiometocho, Nicosia – Purchased from Ero Farmaka.

MΓ 678

Long, long-sleeved foustanin made of thick and heavy silk-cotton (koukkoulariko?) taiston fabric, with clusters of four yellow vertical stripes, alternating with wider, whiter taiston bands against a white background.

The design of the dress is identical to that of foustanin ΜΓ 676 and ΜΓ 677. It consists of a bodice and a wide skirt, joined at the waist with a waistband. The upper front of the foustanin consists of two pieces of fabric. At the back, a central six-sided segment, widening towards the shoulders (height: 33 cm, maximum width: 35.5 cm, minimum width: 6.5 cm), is flanked by another two pieces, obliquely sewn. Front and back are joined with seams on the shoulders and under the armpits. The seams are accentuated with double black machine stitching. The entire upper part, including the sleeves, is lined with white cotton fabric.

The circular neckline extends to a vertical opening that continues below the waist (total length: 39 cm, 13 cm of which under the waistband). Decorative seams of black machine stitching run around the neckline and along the opening: a simple line around the neckline and, on either side of the vertical opening, a band of straight lines flanking a zig-zag line. The decorative band also extends to the waistband. The fabric gathers with a vertically sewn pleat below each breast and up to the waistband for better fitting at the breast. The pleat is crafted by hand with brown thread and is accentuated with double machine stitching using black thread.

The sleeves consist of a single fabric piece with a seam on the upper external side of the arm. The joint with the shoulder forms a slightly curved line. The edges of the sleeves are covered with blue trimming band, internally and externally.

The waistband, which fastens with two hooks, is made of an additional piece of fabric, 3.5 cm-tall, with its stripes in horizontal arrangement. It is lined with stamped fabric, decorated with floral motifs, geometrical patterns and paisleys. A decorative seam made with black machine stitching runs along the upper part of the waistband.

The long wide skirt is made of five panels, four of which are 38 cm wide, and the fifth 34 cm wide. Around the upper edge it gathers with dense pleats, held in place by two consecutive parallel seams. The skirt features a black trimming band finish, which now survives in fragments. Internally, around the hem, a band lining, 5.5 cm-tall, is made of the same fabric as the lining of the waistband. Over the hem, two parallel decorative ribbons, one blue (below) and the other purple (above) are secured by hand with basting using brown thread (a line along the middle of each band).

All seams are handcrafted, whereas the decorative stitching with black thread is machine made.

Even though it appears used, the garment is preserved in very good condition. The traditional design of the dress is identical to that used on other foustania, which are made with various woven textiles.

Height: 129,5 cm (bodice: 36.5 cm up to the waistband, skirt: 93 cm).

Width: 35.5 cm on the shoulders, 36 cm at the waist, 114 cm around the hemline.

Length of sleeves: 48 cm.

Width of sleeves: 19 cm in the upper part, 12.5 cm in the lower part.

Date of entry to the Collection: 16.1.1990

Provenance: Palaiometocho, Nicosia – Purchased from Ero Farmaka.

ΜΓ677

Long, long-sleeved foustanin of cotton alatzia with red, green and camel/orange stripes against an off-white ground.

The dress includes a bodice and a wide skirt, joined at the waist with a waistband.

The bodice consists of two panels at the front (width: 25-25.5 cm, height 28.5-29 cm), which extend slighthly sideways underarms and are joined to the back panels. Under the breast, on either side, the fabric tapers with a vertical pleat, sewn with double machine stitching in black. The back is formed by three pieces of fabric. The largest one, at the centre, is six-sided (height: 31.5 cm, width on the shoulders: 38 cm, width at the lower end: 5.5 cm) and tapers downwards, where it is adorned with a band, 1.5 cm-tall, wherein runs a zig-zag line. The decoration is crafted with black machine stitching. The oblong side pieces at the back, which flank the central piece and are joined to the two front panels, are made of bias-cut fabric (height: 25 cm. width: 10-10.5 cm). The seams of the pieces are accentuated with double black machine stitching.

A vertical opening extends from the neckline to the waistband, at a height of 21.5 cm. It fastens with two hooks, sewn internally, at its base. On either side of the opening, the wide reinforcing hem is adorned with a band that includes two interlaced zig-zag lines of black machine stitching, forming parallel decorative lozenges in a row. A black trimming band finish is featured along the edges of the opening. The trimming band on the right side continues horizontally along the waistband, until its left end.

The waistband, 3 cm-tall, is made of a separate piece of the same fabric, with horizontal stripes, and extends to an 11.5 cm long overlap to the left side, where it fastens with two hooks. At centre front, the waistband is adorned with a zig-zag line of machine stitching (total length of decoration: 23 cm). A 12 cm-tall vertical opening is formed under the fastening of the waistband, on the side of the skirt, featuring a hem secured with basting.

The sleeves of the dress are formed with a single fabric piece with an external seam along the middle. The stripes of the dress converge obliquely towards the seam. The joint of the sleeves to the body forms a curved line. The bottom edges of the sleeves are reinforced with a hem, accentuated on the long side with double black machine stitching. A black trimming band covers the edge of each sleeve inside and out (total width: 1.5 cm). The entire bodice, including the sleeves, is lined with cotton cabot.

The skirt is made of five panels of similar width (42 cm, 45 cm, 2x46 cm and 47.5 cm). The upper part features pleats, sparser at centre front and much denser on the sides and at the back. The fabric of the skirt is folded over at the waist, where there is also an internal reinforcing band of cabot. In the lower part of the skirt, a 7 cm-tall band of cabot is secured with handmade black stitching along the bottom, which features a finish of black trimming band. In the upper part, the band is secured with machine stitching using black thread. At 7 cm over the hem, a purple ribbon, 1 cm wide, is secured with handmade black seam. Slightly up, at 7 cm from the purple ribbon, a black ribbon, 1.5 cm wide, is also hand-sewn.

The dress is preserved in very good condition. It stands out for its beautiful, harmonious combination of colours into the weave, its meticulous sewing and fine decoration.

Height: 125.5 cm (bodice: 33 cm up to the waist, skirt: 95.5 cm).

Width: 38 cm on the shoulders, 114 cm at the hem.

Length of sleeves: 48 cm.

Width of sleeves: 20 cm on the shoulders, 13 cm at the cuffs.

Date of entry to the Collection: 16.1.1990

Provenance: Palaiometocho, Nicosia – Purchased from Ero Farmaka.

ΜΓ 676

Long, long-sleeved dress of thick striped cotton alatzia. Three purple stripes alternate with one orange stripe against a white background. At calf height, at the back of the skirt, the alatzia is embellished with additional, symmetrically arranged horizontal stripes into the weft, in maroon, green and orange. The horizontal stripes create a plaid motif with the fabric’s vertical stripes.

The dress consists of a bodice and a wide skirt, joined at the waist with a waistband. The bodice consists of two panels at the front and a trapezoid gore at the centre of the back, which extends to the shoulders (maximum width: 38 cm) and, further down, on the sides, it is flanked by two oblong pieces of fabric, 10 cm wide, obliquely sewn. The two front panels are joined to the central gore at the back with a seam on the shoulders, then extend sideways underarms and are joined to the oblong pieces of the back. All the joints of the different pieces are accentuated with double machine stitching of black thread. Double stitching with black thread is also discernible on an overlap under the breast.

The long sleeves of the dress are made of a single fabric piece with a seam on the external side, extending the seam that joins the gore at the back to the side panels. The sleeves are attached to the body with a curved joint. They taper at the lower end, where they end in a simple hem.

At the centre of the back and at the sleeves, the bodice is lined with thick beige cotton fabric, woven on a loom. The two panels on the breast, the side pieces of the back and the inside of the waistband are lined with a different alatzia than that of the dress, featuring colourful stripes (purple, green, orange) lengthwise on the warp and, in places, on the weft (see the plaid motif created on the left side of the breast and the back).

The circular neckline of the dress is reinforced with a piece of the alatzia lining, hand-sewn with beige thread. It extends to a vertical opening, 36 cm-tall, which continues below the waist, at a height of 8.5 cm. No fastening elements have survived. Black and beige basting threads survive on either side.

At the waist, a waistband, 4 cm-tall, is made of the alatzia of the dress with its stripes in horizontal arrangement.

The long and wide skirt comprises six panels, four of which measure 45 cm in width and the other two 21 cm and 19 cm. In the upper part, the skirt is folded over internally and gathers to form dense pleats, held in place with two horizontal rows of seams using white thread. The skirt ends in a simple hem, 0.5 cm-tall, hand-sewn with black and occasionally beige thread.

The dress reproduces the intricate design of other dresses in the Collection. It is made of several joined pieces. In fact, in this particular case it seems to incorporate pieces from different available alatzia fabrics. The colours of the dress appear faded and its overall condition suggests is has been quite heavily used.

Height:  133 cm (bodice: 43 cm up to the waist, skirt: 90 cm).      

Width: 36 cm on the shoulders, 37 cm at the waist, 134 cm at the lower edge of the skirt.

Length of sleeves: 44.5 cm.

Width of sleeves: 19.5 cm in the upper part, 12 cm in the lower part.

Date of entry to the Collection: 1989

Provenance: Palaiometocho, Nicosia – Purchased from Ero Farmaka.

ΜΓ 674

Long-sleeved foustanin of cotton alatzia with pairs of stripes alternating between green and red against an off-white ground. The peculiar stripes of the alatzia include double rows of tiny consecutive circles, green or red, and rest on yellow bands.

The dress comprises a bodice and a wide skirt which is held in place with a handmade stitch of thick beige thread within a banded waistband around the waist. The back of the bodice consists of a single fabric piece (width: 46 cm on the shoulders, 40 cm at the waist), which continues to the front until under the shoulders, at a height of 12-12.5 cm. The rest of the front is covered by two square pieces of fabric, one on either side of the breast (height: 21.5 cm, width: 20-21 cm), with a vertical seam under each armpit.

The simple neckline of the foustanin features a low banded collar of a height of 1.5 cm, from a separate piece of the same alatzia. A vertical opening reaches from the neckline to below the waist (total height of opening: 45 cm, 29 cm of which up to the waistband and 16 cm under it). The two sides of the opening, up to the waistband, as well as the front of the neckline, feature a black trimming band finish. Further in, a decorative edging features arches on a straight line. The sewn-on elements are secured with sparse handmade basting using black thread. Handmade fishbone stitch in brown runs between the trimming band and the edging. On the left side of the dress, the stitch continues to the middle of the back side of the neckline, at the nape.

The long sleeves are sewn vertically to the body. They consist of a single fabric piece with a seam along the centre of the external side of the arm. At the left armpit there is a small rectangular patch of a different fabric (height: 6 cm,  width: 2 cm). At the edge of the sleeves, the fabric is turned in to create internal basting, 2.5 cm in height. The same edging as the one adorning the opening on the breast has been secured with black thread around the basting. The entire bodice, including the sleeves, is lined with joined pieces of thick, off-white, loom-woven cotton fabric. The 2.5 cm-tall waistband is made of two bands of the same alatzia as the dress, albeit with its stripes in horizontal arrangement. The vertical joint of the pieces is discernible at the centre of the back, whereas at the centre of the front side the waistband fastens with a hook. Another hook is placed slightly higher up, at the base of the vertical opening on the breast.

The wide skirt of the foustanin gathers at the waist in dense pleats, formed as the fabric is folded over inwards (height: 2.5 cm) and secured with two thick beige parallel threads that cross through the pleats all around. The skirt consists of two superposed panels. Each panel has a height of 48 cm, 2.5-3 cm of which correspond to basting in the lower panel and in the upper panel to the internal folded-over part within the pleated area. The vertical seams of the two panels, using thick beige thread, extend to the middle of the front side, on the same straight line as the opening of the breast. There is basting around the hemline whereas a black/brown trimming band runs along the edge of the skirt, externally and internally. Fine red lace, now surviving in fragments, is sewn with brown thread at a height of 2.7 cm above the basting. Higher up, at a distance of 20 cm from the basting, ready-made black lace, 3 cm wide, with schematized rosettes, outlines the skirt. The upper part of the lace is sewn with basting and its lower part is unstitched. The same edging as that adorning the sleeves and the opening on the breast runs around the joint of the two superposed pieces of the skirt, at 45 cm over the basting. The various types of seams used on the dress are exclusively handmade.

Height: 126 cm (height of bodice: 33.5 cm,  height of waistband: 2.5 cm, height of skirt: 90 cm).

Width: 46 cm on the shoulders, 40 cm at the waist, 120 cm around the hemline.

Length of sleeves: 43.5 cm.

Width of sleeves: 17.5 cm in the upper part, 14 cm in the lower part.

Date of entry to the Collection: 1989

Provenance: Palaiometocho, Nicosia – Purchased from Ero Farmaka.

ΜΓ 147

Waistcoat of alatzia with broad burgundy stripes, 0.5 cm wide, alternating with composite bands, 1 cm wide, made of blue, yellow, blue, white, blue, yellow and blue stripes. The waistcoat is lined with beige cotton fabric.

The front part consists of four pieces of alatzia: two triangular gores, one on either side of the garment’s opening (bottom side: 18 cm, inner long side: 48 cm, outer long side: 46 cm), and an additional two pieces that complete the facades and carry on to the upper part of the back, at a height of 27 cm. The lower part of the back consists of thick beige loom-woven cotton fabric (height: 28 cm, width: 40 cm). Further down, on the sides of the waistcoat, there is a 6 cm slit.

A low upright collar, 2 cm tall, has a double seam at the base of the neck and is decorated with consecutive lozenges formed with very dense stitch of white thread, probably machine-made. A similar band with a zig-zag row of machine stitching decorates the outer sides of the front pieces, ending just above the hem (7-8 cm). Simple machine stitching of white thread carries on lower still, as well as around the hem. Black braid sets out at 10.5 cm above the bottom end of the front opening, also extending along the edge of the collar. In the front part of the collar (4 cm on either side of the opening) and along the front opening of the waistcoat, tiny consecutive knots are formed over the braid with added sewn-on cord.

On the right side of the breast, a rectangular inside pocket (height: 17.5 cm, width: 11 cm) is formed with thick cotton lining, dyed blue (indigo). In the upper part of the blue lining, an added, 4 cm tall piece of the alatzia used on the waistcoat, may be discerned through the 6.5 cm long horizontal opening of the pocket. The opening is surrounded by a braid of red and blue threads and a decorative band of machine stitching that includes a zig-zag line within two parallel lines. The rectangular shape of the pocket is delimited all around by white machine stitching. At the centre of the upper side, a three-branched ornament is also made with machine stitching.

The long sleeves are sewn vertically to the body and consist of a single piece of fabric with an inseam. Two gussets have been added at the armpit, joined together lengthwise (seam length: 17 cm). At the lower end of the sleeves, the cuffs are made of a separate piece of fabric, 9 cm tall, lined with alatzia other than that of the waistcoat, with blue, red and white stripes. This lining (height: 7.5-8 cm), exposed by the turned-up cuffs, consists of smaller hand-sewn segments. At the bottom end of each sleeve there is a curved-sided opening (height: 8.5 cm). The edge of both sleeves is trimmed with a braid of red and blue threads, the same as the braid along the opening of the pocket. At one point on the sleeve opening, the threads of the braid form a tassel.

This waistcoat shares several features with waistcoat Number 89: same fabric, same trimmings along the edges (machine stitched bands and added braids) and on the pocket. These similarities suggest that the two garments were most likely a set or, at the very least, the work of the same person.

Height: 57 cm.

Width: 41.5 cm on the shoulders, 40 cm at the waist.

Length of sleeves: 49.5 cm.

Width of sleeves: 17.5 cm in the upper part, 15 cm at the bottom.

Date of entry to the Collection: 1978

Provenance: [Undefined] – Purchase.