Selvage

‘Krajka’, or linen belt, comes from the village of Pochole in the Parczew region. It was made in about 1900 but the maker is unknown. It was woven with grosgrain weave in parallel narrow stripes with linen and woollen threads predominantly in red colour and trace amounts of white. It is 2 cm wide and 140 cm long.

Either a weaving board or corded threads were used to make the selvedges. In the former case, the warp threads were threaded through appropriate holes in the board, in the latter case the warp was picked with fingers. When weaving on a board, the warp threads were tied to the belt, on the other hand to a fence or a hook in a wall, while in the second technique they were stretched on the weaver's legs. After preparing the warp, the threads were selected, i.e., separated from other threads, and the weft was put through. The weaving was carried out by lifting the selected threads with sticks and linen bobbins. In this way, the threads formed a pattern on the surface of the selvedge. This type of woven belt was used in everyday life and for festive costumes to tie shirts, waistcoats, skirts, aprons and sometimes outer garments such as dresses. It was usually girdled twice and the longer ends were left free or tied in a bow.

It was a commonly used accessory to women's and men's clothing among the Slavic population. It has survived the longest in the north-eastern part of our country, where it is still made. It is worth adding that the rural population called this type of belt ‘pojas’. The term ‘krajka’ was adopted in the mid-20th century in connection with the production of belts for the folk handicraft cooperative ‘Cepelia’, which used nomenclature derived from terminological and ethnographic literature.