Artisan Profile

Name:  Xhevahire Xhiku
Skill :  Coffee Grinding on Stone & Needlework

Xhevahire Xhiku, a midwife for 40 years, is a skilled emborider and lace maker and is also practiced in the art of hand coffee grinding using a special stone mill.  She learned needlework from an older midwife she used to work with and the grinding of coffee from her mother. She has to grind the coffee almost 800 times in order to make it ready for use. Many coffee bars in Gjirokastra prefer to use her coffee for their clients as  this traditional hand grindingn preserves the flavours. Her needlework has made her popular  with
young brides to be, who want her work for their dowry. 

Xhevahire, now 67 years old, is a member of the Artisan Forum of  Gjirokastra and was the first artisan to make a sale at the Artisan Craft Center!

Contact:
Telephone;  + 355 (0)  842 643 08
Address; Lagja Dunavat, Gjirokastra