Violeta Dabrilienė (with Lina Lapelytė, Augustinas Serapinas, Emilija Škarnulytė)

Violeta Dabrilienė (b. 1969 in Pasvalys, Lithuania) lives and works in Ežerėlis, Kaunas district. She began experimenting with traditional straw mobiles (sodai) around the year 2000. A decade later, she received valuable instruction from ethnographer Jūratė Bytautė in Zapyškis. From that point on, she began crafting sodai not only for herself but also for her friends and loved ones. In 2018, she was officially recognized as a folk artist. Her sodai are displayed in public spaces – including at the cultural organization “STUBA”.

In addition to making sodai, Dabrilienė also designs and sews linen garments. She has been drawn to textiles since childhood – learning to draw, sew, create doll clothes, dye fabrics, embroider, knit, and crochet. After completing her studies in tailoring and garment design–construction, she launched her own business. She sews linen clothing using traditional cut–and–sew techniques adapted for modern wear. Some garments are hand-stitched and embroidered with folk motifs and symbols.

Since 2018, she has led sewing camps for women and girls every year. In 2019, she conducted a youth workshop on hand-sewing traditional shirts. That same year, she also led both theoretical and practical sessions as part of the “Master’s Kitchen” and “Zero Waste Generation” educational initiatives.