Object ID
2001.15.4
Object Name
Bedspread
Date Created
1940
Measurements
157.1625 cm. W x 206.0575000000 cm. L Since this is a textile, the dimensions may change depending on how it is displayed. The dimensions include the fringe., Item (Overall)
Object Entities
Aravosis, Freida (collected by)
Aravosis, Freida (is related to)
Object Description
Off-white handmade crocheted bedspread with geometric patterns and fringe. The designs consist of a repeated pattern of a four petaled flower inside of a square. The corners of the square connect with the corners of the square next to it. The border around the square has multiple different designs. In between these squares, there is another square pattern with a square in the middle that consists of raised circles. The fringe around the edge is tied in a lattice pattern with tassels at the end of each.
Origin
The donor states: "All of the pieces were made for your 'prika.' The bedcovers that were very heavy were made with the cold Greek winters in mind - since there was no heat except for a single 'tzaki' in the homes of a Greek Village/ Extra heavy covers were used to keep worn. Every house in our village (Sellosia, Sparta) had a weaving loom and all of the girls were taught at an early age how to weave so that they could start preparing their 'prika' as soon as possible. When I immigrated to the U.S. as a young woman I brought with me a trunk filled with all the items I had prepared since I was very young. I did use some of the items, mostly those that were decorative..."

"I was born in Chicago and at the age of five my mother died. Since there was no daycare or any way for a single man to raise children at that time my father took us back to his village in Greece so that our grandmother could raise us. Our village is called Sellasia and it is just outside of Sparta. This is where I went to school. Starting in fourth grade the girls were encouraged to stay after school for one hour of instruction several times a week in various Fabric Arts. This is how I learned how to knit, crochet, do cross stitch, needlepoint, and more. By the age of fourteen all the girls in the village had mastered all aspects of the fabric arts except weaving - which is when I learned how to weave on our family's large loom. In those days every home in the village had a large loom. We started to prepare items for our prika. In the meantime World War II had started and the men all went to war. The Greek Army was short on supplies so all of the ladies that stayed home were asked to help by knitting. So all the girls and women that could knit started making pullovers, sweaters and gloves. At that time a young bride's prika usually consisted of: tablecloths, napkins, dollies, pillowcases and bedcovers. I didn't get a chance to totally finish my prika because the war ended and as an American Citizen I got to come back to the United States. Because they were so bulky I wasn't able to bring all the items I had made for my prika with me but I did get to bring some things, some of which are on display now in the Museum."
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Bedspread, 1940, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/5801. Accessed 04/19/24.