Stiri	Stiri afaceri	Stiri companii	Evenimente de afaceri

Corn husk knitting, transmitted for generations at Chendu

At about 30 km from Targu Mures (north-west of Bucharest), on the European Road 60 E60, the inhabitants of Chendu, a village in Mures County, have developed a genuine handicraft, the knitting of the corn husk, which they are transmitting from one generation to another.

The handicraft is scrupulously preserved and perfected, and currently almost each family of Chendu, the commune of Balauseri, is occupied with this kind of activity.

Because the stands of the corn husk knitters in Chendu are placed nearby the E60, they have diversified their offer to the buyers and set up business ties with the potters of Corund (the County of Harghita, also north-west of Bucharest), with the willow twigs knitters from Petelea (the County of Mures) and the housewives from Odorheiu Secuiesc (north-west of Bucharest).

Therefore, at the stands of the corn husk knitters of Chendu one could find from items of corn husk, ceramic objects, willow furniture, wool sweaters, rugs and many other things, to icons, flower baskets or Christmas adornments.

Magdolna Szakacs, a teacher, told Agerpres that the custom of corn husk knitting is ancient, that she learned it from her mother who in her turn had learned it from her parents and grandparents and that she is having this kind of activity as a hobby.

'We do make boxes for the souvenirs, baskets for bread, props for spoons, matches, also small bells, beach bags, but we also dress up bottles in corn husk knitting. For the corn husk knitting are used the husks from the middle of the corn cob only. After harvesting, they are bleached with smoke made by burning sulphur, then they are stored in bags. Before commencing to knit, the corn husks are cut at both ends and moistened, so we could use them easily', Magdolna Szakacs said. She added that for the finalized goods, her family needs annually about 30-50 bags with corn husks.

Other knitters of corn husk of Chendu say that a small bell needs almost one quarter of an hour to be knitted, a basket for bread nearly one hour, and a wall rug or a car cover needs two-three days.

At Chendu, each member of a family develops a well set out activity: women do the knitting, men do the sale.

 

Sursa: http://www.rompress.ro

Tags: chendu knitting car