Sworn Virgins

Sworn Virgins are women with limited options in life who have sworn a life-long oath of chastity to “become” men, taking on the appearance of men, entitled to the same rights as men and socially accepted in the Albanian culture as men. This custom is part of the Albanian traditional culture and is still carried out in Northern Albania. Crochet is one the key elements of my collection. Albanian women spend their childhood hunched over fabric, needle in hand, learning to crochet doilies and embroider designs on tablecloths. I have upcycled old family crochet doilies which most Albanian families use to decorate their tables into new modern items.