The Blue Cottage: A Home for Sălaj’s Textile Heritage
Some of the most meaningful places grow quietly - off the beaten path, shaped by hard work, family traditions, and the hands of those who call them home. In the small village of Marin, in Sălaj county, northern Romania, a simple blue house called Casa Albastră has become the centre of something extraordinary.
The Blue Cottage/Casa Albastră. Copyright: Patricia Marina Toma.
This is the home of Made in Sat, a cultural and community project led by Patricia Marina Toma. Over the past ten years, she and her neighbours have been carefully collecting, restoring, and reviving the textile traditions of their region. What began with the renovation of her great-grandmother’s house has become a living museum of rural heritage - a place where the textures of the past are lovingly preserved and shared.
Interior room of The Blue Cottage/Casa Albastră. Copyright: Patricia Marina Toma.
Inside the 1903 cottage, handmade cloths hang from wooden beams, hemp and linen towels are folded in embroidered stacks, and wool rugs brighten the floors with their bold, geometric patterns. Chests once packed for marriage now hold dowries passed down through generations - woven shirts, crocheted lace, stitched aprons, and headscarves, each bearing the mark of the woman who made them.
Examples from Marina's collection. Image copyright: Patricia Marina Toma.
Marina’s own family history is deeply connected to these textiles and her grandmother Floare began stitching when she was a teenager. Inspired by her mother Maria - who passed down her love for embroidery and fine handwork - today, Marina continues this legacy - curating and caring for a growing ethnographic collection that celebrates the craft and creativity of rural women.
Embroidering traditional Romanian textiles. Image copyright: Patricia Marina Toma.
Textiles are at the heart of Made in Sat's activities. Through workshops and festivals, Marina invites visitors to learn local embroidery techniques, stitch on hand-spun hemp cloth, and work with natural materials like sheepskin, wool, and flax. The rhythms of weaving and stitching are shared not just as skills, but as stories - ways of life shaped by the seasons, the land, and the bonds between women.
Exploring examples of traditional Romanian textiles. Image copyright: Patricia Marina Toma.
Made in Sat's offering also includes Artist Residencies, and Cultural Heritage and Textiles Tours - week-long immersion into the textile traditions of Sălaj. Alongside visits to wooden churches and village homes, guests will meet elders in their dowry rooms, handle heirloom fabrics, and cook traditional meals before returning each evening to the comfort of the restored Blue House.
With its handwoven curtains, dyed wool cushions, and linen-covered beds, the house itself feels like part of the collection. It’s a place where threads from the past continue to shape the future, and where the quiet beauty of rural textiles is honoured in every corner.
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Further Information:
Book a stay at Casa Albastră here.
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Image Credits:
Lead Image: Găteala capului fetelor nemăritate sat Marin, jud. Sălaj Copyright: Patricia Marina Toma.
All other images as credited in captions.