Embroideries from Kalotaszeg (Calata)

Famous Hungarian Embroideries.

Kalotaszeg (Calata) is a region consisting of about 20 villages and it is located in Northwest Transylvania (Romania) around the towns of Huedin and Calatele (Kiss Kalota.) and West of Cluj (Kolozsvár Hungarian spelling) with Hungarian and Hungarian-Romanian mixed population.

This region is famous about their achievements in textile arts and embroideries.
These are charming products of Oriental design, sewn chiefly in a single color - red, blue, or black. Soft in line, the embroideries are applied on altar cloths, wedding dresses, costumes, pillow cases and sheets, runner/wall hanging, table cloth.

The reason why this form of art has become so widespread lies in the ancient custom of dowry. It was expected that a prosperous family provide their marriageable daughter with a dozen ornate pillows and sheets, two to four decorated feather beds and six to eight embroidered tablecloths. It was natural for a young woman coming from a well-to-do peasant family to possess up to twenty dresses.

Traditional Hungarian Costumes

The famous traditional Hungarian Folk Costumes of Kalotaszeg marked by specific features concerning the decoration and the cut are full of charm and color.
Embroidery on folk costumes worn for holidays and special occasions (like weddings) follows strict regional patterns, imposed by the tradition. Kalotaszeg developed some specific elements in their costumes.
The white skirts, the headdresses, the vests and their decorations; the aprons decorations, the style of the embroideries, the coats, the footwear are specific Hungarians.



The lady in the picture is dressed in a traditional costume. She lives in the village named Vista and she runs her own business with all these folks art articles seen in the photos. She can be contacted at: e_charmee@yahoo.com