Prielovių rinkinys Lietuvos nacionaliniame muziejuje

ENThe article presents the collection of special Lithuanian folk bedspreads, called ‘prieloviai’, displayed at the National Museum of Lithuania Ethnography Division. The collection is rather small, only 20 items, all of them are from Samogitia. “Prielovis” is a special cloth which covers the space under the bed. It is made of one piece of cloth (breadth) sometimes sewn on another, narrower piece. These bedspreads were decorated by laces, knitting, fringe or embroidery. “Prielovis” is firmly attached to the bed by folding one side and fastening it with little wooden bars threaded into eyehole in the cloth. Usually this bedspread is tucked behind the edge of a bed; sometimes it is tucked under the bedclothes. When a bed is made ‘prielovis’ is always visible. It creates not only the atmosphere of tidiness as it hides all the objects that may be stored under the bed, but it also brings the feeling of beautiful smartness. ‘Prieloviai’ are usually made of flax or of flax with cotton; they are homemade and woven. The weaving technique includes the use of two threads, streaks and joint weaving. The bedspreads can be white or coloured: chequered or striped. The colours that are frequently combined are white and red or blue and the colour of natural flax.