silk and cotton

ΜΓ 41

Saya of silk or silk-cotton fabric with alternating red and green stripes, flanked by finer stripes in other colours.

The long-sleeved garment features a deep oval neckline that extends into a vertical opening. The upper part of this opening closes with five handmade spherical buttons of an off-white fabric core, lined with maroon thread. The buttons were originally paired with loops, yet only two posterior loops of black cord survive.

The entire back side and both front panels of the saya consist of a single fabric panel with seams along the sides. Two side openings in the lower part of the garment (height: 37 cm) are framed by two narrow gores each. These gores, which match the height of the vertical front opening, widen towards the hem to enhance movement (maximum width: 6-7 cm). The side openings are trimmed along their upper part with white braid. Two elongated trapezoid gores extend additionally on either side of the vertical front opening, again widening towards the hem (maximum width: 18 cm).

The upright collar (height: 2 cm) is lined with the fabric of the saya. Black braid edges the collar, the neckline and, further down, the upper part of the vertical opening. The saya reaches to the mid-calf, featuring a simple hem finish.

The long sleeves comprise a single fabric panel with an inseam, an additional fabric piece at the lower end, measuring 14 cm in height, as well as two triangular gussets joined lengthwise at the armpit. In their lower part, an oblong vertical opening extends from the inseam, measuring 25 cm in height. Black braid adorns the sleeve edge, while zig-zag stitching in the same colour extends further inside. The sleeve lining is made of the saya fabric, yet its stripes are arranged in the opposite direction than those on the sleeve.

The saya is lined with beige cotton fabric. On the right side, a large pocket (height: 32 cm, width: 16 cm) features an opening trimmed with white braid. Higher up on the breast, a small pocket is lined in the upper part with a colourful imported fabric, combining stripes and floral motifs. The lining is discernible on the 6 cm long sickle-shaped pocket opening, which is bordered by fine black braid and zig-zag stitching in the same colour.

Height: 117 cm.

Length of sleeves: 57.5 cm.

Width of sleeves: 15 cm.

Date of entry to the Collection: 10.11.1948

Provenance: Lasa, Pafos – Purchase.

ΜΓ 680

Long and long-sleeved traditional type dress of print silk-cotton imported fabric with taiston stripes, framed by gold green bands according to a pattern of one band-four stripes-one band. On the main side of the fabric, the gold green bands are covered with a shiny gold colour. On the same side, dispersed embossed vegetal motifs emerge against an off-white background: slender leaved branches with flowers and buds in different shades of purple, yellow and blue. The pollen is rendered in yellow and surrounded by small colourful dots. Its centre is also decorated with a small dot. Of note is the fact that the gold bands run over the printed motifs.

The dress consists of a bodice and a skirt, joined at the waist with a waistband. The bodice is formed by a single fabric piece at the front and back, with a seam under the armpits. The entire bodice, including the sleeves, is lined with thick loom-woven cotton.

The simple circular neckline extends to an opening, 25 cm in height, up to the waist. Both the neckline and the opening are hemmed with a purple trimming band, within which runs a handmade decorative fishbone stitch in olive green. The opening fastens at the waist with two hooks and continues under the added waistband at a height of 13 cm (total height of the opening from the neckline to the bottom edge: 49 cm).

The waistband is formed by an added, 5 cm-tall piece of fabric with horizontal stripes. On either side of the opening, two opposite-facing tongues of the same purple trimming band are sewn with black thread (length: 8.5 cm, height: 5 cm). The tongues are framed internally and externally by handmade fishbone stitches, similar to those at the opening of the breast.

The sleeves, sewn vertically to the body, are made of a single fabric piece with an external seam on the upper arm. An added piece of fabric, which tapers from the upper to the lower edge of the sleeve (width: 11 cm in the upper edge, 5 cm in the lower edge) is joined to the left sleeve with a second lengthwise seam, further down, on the outer side of the arm. The broad hem on the sleeves is adorned with light blue scalloped edging along a straight line. The hem and the decorative elements are hand-sewn with black thread.

The wide skirt consists of five panels, four 65-66 cm wide and one 60 cm wide. At the waist, the fabric of the  skirt is folded inwards and gathers in dense pleats, secured with two horizontal seams of thick thread. Ready-made black lace, 4 cm wide, secured in the upper part with handmade stitch, runs at a height of 30 cm above the hem. The free edge of the lace is scalloped and the other one straight, whereas rows of four-petal flowers run in-between them. A small pleat is formed all around the skirt, where the lace is held in place. The hemline is reinforced internally with an added band of a different fabric, also imported (height: 3.5-4 cm), off-white in colour with small red flowers in a row lengthwise. The edge of the skirt is adorned with a purple trimming band, hand-sewn using black thread. Higher up, a finer red ribbon survives in fragments. It was secured with the same black thread used to sew the inner hemline reinforcement.

The dress is used and, in several parts, stained. It is generally a youthful dress, and albeit made of imported fabric, entirely hand-sewn based on established formal standards.

Height: 123 cm (bodice: 33 cm up to the waistband, skirt: 90 cm).

Width: 40 cm, 167 cm around the hemline.

Length of sleeves: 44 cm.

Width of sleeves: 18 cm in the upper part, 13 cm in the lower part.

The two front panels on the bodice are 20 cm wide.

Date of entry to the Collection: 16.1.1990

Provenance: Palaiometocho, Nicosia – Purchased from Ero Farmaka.

ΜΓ 551

Women’s pantaloons of loom-woven silk-cotton (koukkoullariko) taiston fabric.

The garment repeats the pattern of the preceding two pantaloons (ΜΓ 387, ΜΓ 146). Each leg consists of two oblong fabric panels: the broader one, measuring 44 cm in width, covers the front and extends partially to the back, whereas the narrower one, measuring 20-20.5 in width, completes the inner side of the back. Α four-sided fabric panel, added diagonally at the crotch, forms two triangles, one on each side of the garment (side lengths: 43 cm, 45 cm, 44 cm and 40 cm). A 2.7 cm-tall hem casing extends along the waist.

The pantaloon legs taper in their lower part, gathering in pleats above and below a horizontal machine-stitched cotton band, 1.5 cm tall. This band is decorated with a continuous zig-zag line of double feather stitch in red. Beneath the band, the remaining leg fabric forms a 8-9 cm-tall ruffle, which features seven hand-embroidered red crosses, four at the front and three at the back. A crochet lace band edges the legs, comprising two rows of continuous rectangles, followed by successive arches that enclose smaller ones (maximum height: 3 cm). Above the lace, a fine band of dense feather stitch in red adorns the edge of the ruffle.

Height: 70 cm.

Waist width: 64 cm.

Leg width: 32 cm in the upper part, 15 cm on the added band, 29-30 cm in the lower part (lace).

Date of entry to the Collection: 30.11.1987

Provenance: Asomatos, Kyreneia – Purchased from Maroulla Ilia Frantzia.

ΜΓ 431

A man’s off-white shirt. Its front consists of fine cotton, while silk cotton taiston (with puckered bands created lengthwise by warp threads of two different tensions) made of ttira and koukkoulli yarns, is used for the long sleeves, the collar, the back and the yoke.

The front is composed of two cotton panels, 40 cm wide at the bottom, with seams beneath the armpits and at the extension of the vertical opening, which reaches at a height of 36 cm from the base of the collar downwards. Plackets of added or folded over strips of fabric, 1.8-2 cm wide, are machine-stitched on both sides of the opening. Placed on them are seven ready-made white buttons and corresponding handmade buttonholes. An eighth buttonhole is found on the neckline. On both sides of the opening, next to the placket, there extends a 5.5 cm wide panel of needlework (cutwork embroidery, filled with silk thread stitches), featuring opposite-facing wavy lines as the main decorative motif. Τhe needlework is lined with fine transparent fabric, plain yellowish silk on one side and silk-cotton taiston on the other. The needlework section, across both sides of the vertical opening, is flanked by parallel vertical tucks, three pairs and a single one on either side. Under the tucks and the breast opening the fabric gathers in free pleats. 

The pointed collar (maximum height: 7.5 cm) consists of machine-sewn double fabric. Its inside is made of two halves, with a handmade joint at the centre of the back side, widthways. The stand of the collar, 1.5-2 cm in height, is sewn with machine stitching(?) in the upper part and handmade in the lower. The hand-sewn yoke, extending across the shoulders behind the collar, consists of a single strip of taiston fabric (length: 46 cm, height: 8 cm) with the ruffled bands in horizontal arrangement. It is lined with plain cotton fabric.

The back of the chemise consists of four panels, two on either side. The upper panels (height: 52 cm, width: 34 cm) are of a greater height and gather under the yoke forming a row of pleats. The latter are secured with a handmade stitch that runs horizontally across them in the upper part, double in places. The two lower panels (height: 27 cm, width: 34 cm at the top and 36 cm at the bottom) are made of a different type of taiston fabric. The hem of the chemise is hand-sewn.

The sleeves consist of two parts, 15 cm and 22 cm wide, joined lengthwise with seams on the inner and the outer back sides of the arm. Small pleats are formed at the joint of the sleeves to the yoke. The armpits consist of a small square piece of a different taiston fabric (measuring 12x13.5 cm on one sleeve and with 13 cm sides on the other), sewn in a diagonal position with handmade stitches. At the edge of each sleeve a 7-7.5 cm high cuff, lined with white cotton fabric, features two buttons similar to those at the front opening of the shirt. Pleats, formed above the cuffs, are secured across with a double stitch.

This shirt stands out for its varied making and decoration as it combines different fabrics, sewing techniques (by hand and machine-made) and elaborate decorative means (cutwork embroidery filled with stitches, as well as pleats and tucks). In the Registry of the Museum it is described as a “formal chemise”.

Height of chemise: 84 cm.

Width: 46 cm on the shoulders, 79 cm at the base.

Sleeve length: 60 cm.

Sleeve width: 22 cm in the upper part, 10 cm around the cuffs.

Date of entry to the Collection: 25.10.1985

Provenance: Lefkoniko – Donation by the family of Yiannakos Hadjisavvas.

ΜΓ 40

Long foustanin, sleeveless, from striped silk-cotton imported fabric with alternating broad and narrow vertical stripes in green, brown, beige-yellow, lilac and orange. In the Registry of the Yeroskipou Museum it is reported that the foustanin was worn with a sarka, whereas its fabric is identified, with a question mark, as “mecidiyes” (for this particular type of fabric, see Hadjittofi and Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou 2024,...) The design of the fabric evokes the traditional loom-woven alatzia, and it may have been chosen for a foustanin with a traditional design precisely because of this resemblance.

The garment consists of a bodice and a skirt, joined around the waist. The upper part of the back (height: 15 cm) and the two front panels are made of a single fabric piece. The lower part of the back consists of a white cotton fabric, of the type that lines the entire upper part of the foustanin. All the joints on the bodice as well as the lining are hand-sewn.

An oval opening on the breast reaches vertically below the waist (total opening height: 16.5 cm, 10 cm of which below the waistline). The vertical opening fastens with two hooks, one at the middle and the other at the top of the opening. An upright collar at the back of the neck is made of an added band of fabric of the same type, with horizontal stripes. Blue cotton trimming band, hand-sewn with yellow thread, outlines the edges of the oval opening and the collar.

The generous skirt gathers at the waist in small pleats. A reinforcing band of lining, which also gathers like the skirt, has been added all around the waist, along the internal joint of the bodice to the skirt. The skirt consists of six panels, 42 cm wide, joined with handmade seams. A reinforcing band (fasa) of the same white cotton fabric as the lining, 4 cm wide, has been added to the inside of the hem. The edges of the skirt, both internally and externally, feature a trimming band finish of three different fabrics: blue, red and one of colourful stripes. Apart from its decorative function, the trimming band protected the hemline from fraying.

Albeit not skillfully sewn, the dress appears elegant. It is combined with a sarka, which explains the use of white fabric in the lower part of the back, intended to be covered. The fabric of the dress has worn in several places.

Height: 128 cm (bodice: 34 cm, skirt: 94 cm).

Width: 40 cm on the shoulders, 39.5 cm at the waist, 114 cm around the hemline.

Date of entry to the Collection: 10.11.1948

Provenance: Goudi, Pafos – Purchase.

White silk cotton shirt made of taisto fabric, with lengthwise puckered bands created by warp threads of two different tensions. The original shirt was long, and it has been altered. There is a vertical opening at the chest, measuring 22 cm. The long and broad sleeves are sewn lengthways onto the body, which is made of one piece of fabric. The neck opening and its continuation on the chest, as well as the edges of the sleeves, are decorated with off-white pipilla, a fine lace made with a sewing needle, in a pattern of continuous little flowers.

Dimensions: height 70 cm. chest width 65 cm. Sleeves: length 53 cm. width 23 cm.