Needlework with “ojë” represents one of the most valuable forms of Albanian artisanal heritage, showcasing skill, patience, and cultural identity.

“Ojnat,” or ojë embroidery, is a hand-sewing technique using a fine needle with thin gold or silver threads. Each stitch reflects patience, love, and tradition.

The Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage in Gjirokastër preserves patterns of this embroidery method, widely used between 1958 and 1990. Locally, it was called “cimb,” referring to fine-needle work. Because it produces delicate, beautiful designs, it was mainly applied to girls’ garments: sheets, pillowcases, nightshirts, decorative covers, and household embellishments. It also appears in bridal costumes of Gjirokastër and Lunxhëri, and in other traditional outfits mainly on headscarves and belts.

Ethnographer Stavri Çati noted that mastery of ojë work is essential to mastering Albanian handcrafts. He studied the Lunxhëri costume in depth, highlighting the finely embroidered collar and sleeves created with this method.

Ojë embroidery continues to be preserved and passed down through generations in Gjirokastër, remaining a vital element of the region’s cultural identity and tradition.

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