Domača obrt Cvitkovič
Nada Cvitkovič
Adlešiči 3
8341 Adlešiči
Telefon: 07 30 70 028 or 07 30 70 219
The main activity of Domača obrt Cvitkovič is the fabrication of linen the traditional way from centuries ago. Mrs. Cvitkovič is one of a few traditional linen makers in Slovenia. She plants the linen plant on her property, later picks it by hand, processes it using only traditional and natural methods (using the river Kolpa, sun and traditional tools). The thread is then woven with an ancient wooden machine into a linen fabric, which is later bleached in the summer sun, to get the recognizable white color of the Bela krajina folklore dress. The last stage is decorating the fabric with a red thread, using a needle to weave the traditional slavic patterns.
They are also producing traditional Easter eggs of Bela krajina, called “Pisanice”. Those eggs used to be connected only with Easter celebrations, but now they are a souvenir and produced throughout the year. Being especially typicalfor the village of Adlešiči, “Pisanice” are registered at Register of Immovable Cultural Heritage since 2012. Mrs. Cvitkovič was the main character in the cooperation with the Etnographic Museum during the registration process. “Pisanice” are always white, red and black. At first the parts that are supposed to be white are covered in bees wax which is applied with a special writing tool, called “pisalka”. The bees wax is being put into the “pisalka” and then warmed up over a candle so that it melts and can be applied to the egg. Next, the egg is dyed in red textile color. Using the bees wax again, the parts that shall be red are then covered. To finish the decoration, the egg is dyed in black textile color and then put in warm water so that the bees wax melts of and reveals the white and red patterns that are traditional in Bela krajina.
All the products can be bought in the gift shop which is located in the backyard of their home. For a first glimpse at these beautiful Slovenian traditions you can check out the Big Berry reception during your stay or check out what Nada, the owner, did with Big Berry at one of our visits.