AROUND THE FRAME: MACEDONIAN FOLK CLOTHING PREPARED FOR MPO CONVENTION

For the first time in 26 years, the Macedonian Patriotic Organization (MPO) will hold its annual convention in Fort Wayne over this Labor Day Weekend August 31 – September 3.

This convention will mark the 90th anniversary of the MPO and the public is invited to join in the festivities which will include nightly dances. Preparations for the occasion have been long in the making. Last summer two volunteers Sharon Dietrich and G. Herb Hernandez constructed five mannequins doubling the number in the Macedonian Museum.

Dressing mannequins isn’t easy especially when you have apparel pieces, you have no clue where they go. This week Marvin Moehle made a return visit to the Macedonian museum where he lent his invaluable assistance and insight into the world of ethnic folk clothing.

Marvin went to Europe in 1973 with his grandfather and a few years later started collecting folk clothing, a term he prefers to “costume”. Today he has examples from Albania to Uzbekistan and every country in between, with the greatest concentration of folk clothing from the Balkan region where his mother’s family is from.

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What appeals to Marvin is examining and comparing clothes is like comparing people from different cultures. Both clothing and people have similarities that bind them together and aspects that make them unique. Unlike most collectors Marvin prefers to collect and study ordinary work clothes than clothes with fancy embroidery.

The traditional shoes worn with folk attire were originally made of pigskin. Now they are made of cow leather. They are called “pintsi”, opanke, or tsurvuli depending on the region of Macedonia you hail from.

I asked Marvin if he ever restores quilt and he said “no.” If a seam has come apart, his mother will sew it but they do not change the clothing in any way.
Thanks to Marvin’s expertise and guidance nine costumes from seven different regions including men and women’s clothing and a girl’s christening dress are on display. Some of the clothes would be worn to festival a few are the typical work clothes Marvin so admires.

If you are ever downtown and wish to view them, the museum is located upstairs at 124 W. Wayne Street at the “Macedonian Tribune” door. Check out the Convention YouTube on the MPO home page at www.macedonian.org

Mark your calendars now! The United Methodist Church of Harlan is having their biennial quilt show Friday-Saturday April 20-21, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. “Women of the Bible” is this year’s theme. The church is located at 16437 SR 37 Harlan, Indiana. Admission is $5. Children under 10 are admitted free. Lunch is served and you may purchase the “Meal Deal” for $10 that includes admission to the show.

The show features:

Display of old and new quilts
Door Prizes
Flea Market
Quilting items for purchase from A Quilt of Many Colors
Viewer’s Choice Award

For more info on how to enter a quilt or about the show call 260-657-5364.
Lois is the owner of Born Again Quilts a quilt restoration studio. Contact her at www.bornagainquilts.com or 260-515-9446.