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ARMENIAN
NEEDLELACE
Over the centuries, Armenian woman have excelled
in fine needlework. At a very young age, girls worked
diligently preparing their trouseau (an important part of
a bride’s dowry), making lace, embroidering towels
and preparing all the clothing they would wear for the
rest of their lives.
The fine detail of Armenian
"Janyag" (needlelace) |
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Armenian "Janyag"
(needlelace) was a handcraft that every girl
learned from her family. Janyag consists of
very tiny knots made with a sewing needle and
fine cotton thread. Some of the more common
motifs included rosettes, hollie points, bow type
motifs and leaf patterns. The Armenian woman
gained a high reputation in designing complex
patterns and very fine workmanship.
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| All woman, of all classes, made
lace for clothing, linens, costumes and church
related items. The handwork used for folk dress
of most cultures often-distinguished members from
other ethnic groups. However, because the
Armenians were a politically powerless group
within their own homeland, they had to conform to
the dress of the surrounding populace. For
example, in areas where there was large Kurdish
population, Armenian men would wear clothing
similar to that of the Kurds.
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Needlelace doily by Alice Kasparian
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Armenian woman, however, had less
contact with life outside the household, therefore their
clothing remained more distinctively Armenian, and
traditional patterns were maintained. Today in most
Armenian homes, one can still find examples of this very
fine handwork.
Neckpiece made by Cilician orphans of 1896.
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Evidence exists to indicate that
Armenian needlelace goes back some 3000 years.
For more information on the Origins of
Needlelace, Click here. |
Excerpts taken from
Article written by: Susan Lind-Sinanian
Reference: ARMENIAN NEEDLACE & EMBROIDERY by Alice
Odian Kasparian
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