f you ask any of remaining women spinners in Pirot what is the most important thing for rug quality you’d always get the same answer – wool. It is considered that only wool from the Stara Planina Mountain’s sheep is appropriate for Pirot’s rug manufacture. There are two kinds of wool: fleece wool – sheared once in a year from living sheep, and sheet wool – taken off from leather of slaughtered sheep. Sheared wool classifies by its quality, it is washed in hot water, rinsed in cold and dried. After that, wool is manually combed and categorized: wool of fine quality is for weaving and the rest is for making woolen clothes.

Traditional Pirot Interior

pinning is done by a spindle and a distaff. Thicker fibers are used for rug base and they are not colored, unlike the thinner ones which are used for woof. Spun wool from the spindle is rewound on winder for straightening and after that it is winded into spools, which are later painted and whitened. Women from villages used to paint wool by themselves in nut’s and ash’s barks, as well as in onion scales. It’s been painted with natural colors for a long time, but recently aniline – final colors appeared. Old herbal colors were bright red (cinnabar), livid (indigo), bright blue and dark green, green, black, coffee-brown and yellow. After painting yarn is being carried to the Nisava River or a brook for fine washing and after that it is strained and dried.

ACE guest practice Spinning

eaving has been done mostly between Djurdjevdan (May 6th) and Mitrovdan (November 8th), it’s been done outdoor, and weaved rugs have had different dimensions. The beginning and the end of rug weaving were followed by some customs. Yarn preparing should have started on Monday as well as weaving itself, and the one who rugs were made for used to bring “zatkavalnik” – plentiful breakfast or lunch. After the rug is done a girl from ordering party’s house or the bride, whose wedding preparations a rug was for, would bring a round bread, cheese and onions.

e will be settled 20 km from Nis and about 5 km from Sicevo village.
ouses are surrounded with mountain peaks from 1000 to 1300 meters above sea level. In the evening, after painting, we will feast on regional and international specialties. Most of the meals will be prepared by ACE chef and will be served in chalet or in picnic style (those meals are calculated in the tour price), except days in Nis city and Pirot town where you will have chance to taste food in local restaurants and experience atmospheres of Serbian kafana (those meals are not included in itinerary and are paid for separately by the traveler. You should calculate for buying 2 lunches and 2 dinners). You will feast on regional and international specialties.

Der blaue Tisch - Oil on canvas, 1997.
Artist: Sasa Kolic