“Bosa” is dedicated to my grandmother, Baka Bosa.
She was a self taught designer for her neighbourhood in Slavonski Brod (Yugoslavia). My family often compares us in our enthusiasm to sew for others. I wish to convey the joy I see when people recount stories of her generosity and optimism”.

c.a. 1960
Vjeko, Stjepan, Ljubica, Ivana i Bosa
All clothing pictured here are sewn or knitted by Bosa.

c.a. 1955
Friends & Mandica Bašić, Ivo & Bosa Tokić
Stjepan, Ljubica, Vjeko Tokić & Ankica Bašić
Most clothing pictured here are sewn or knitted by Bosa.

BOSILJKA (BOSA) ZELIĆ (1924)

Growing up in a small village (Kandija, Bosnia i Herzegovina), it was custom for girls to learn how to sew, knit and weave. They were taught to use looms from a young age to make rugs and blankets using Flax (Linen) and Wool.

At the age of 28, Bosa moved to Slavonski Brod (Yugoslavia/Croatia). A few years later, her husband gifted her a foot powered mechanical Singer machine. He dispelled her fear of it, and showed her how to operate it.

What made her prolific was her ability to revive second hand clothing. She would be given garbs from people in the neighbourhood, and reconstruct them for barter or donation. When knitted items had holes or stains she would ask her children to hold the garment taut to easily unwind and reuse the yarn.

26th September, 1998.
Tokici u Slavonski Brod, Hrvatska
Vilma, Ljubica, Bosa, Stjepan, Vjeko, Ivana, Mandica, Vedran, Ivona

8th September, 2001.
Mandica, Mackovica & Bosa after watching soap operas

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Written by Ivana Tokić / Dućić

Mama i tata njeni su prije nje imali djecu koja na žalost nisu ostala živa. Tako da su nju čuvali kao nalo vode na dlanu. Bila im je prva. A bila jr nježna i boležljiva. Na selu gdje je živjela su bile tražene rumene krupne debeljuškaste djevojke A ona sitna mršava malih grudi… Tako da nije baš bilo puno dečki koji bi joj se nametali. Osim toga nije bila baš za teški rad na polju pa je mislila ići za časnu sestru. Jer bila je stvarno veliki vjernik. Vjerovala u Boga Isusa i Majku Božju. I tako je iza osnovne krenula u drugi grad kod časnih sestara. Ali relativno brzo se vratila jer nije mogla bez svojih pogotovo bez mame-

Sve što vidiš na nama ona je šila. Ali kako smo bili dosta siromašni ona bi na takozvanoj staroj pijaci kupila jeftino neku robu rasparalq ju oprala opeglala i iz toga krojila ili plela. Bili smo uvijek jako lijepo obučeni

A da se vratim šivanju maminom. Tata joj je kupio stroj za šivanje i ona je bila samouka. Ima jedna priča kojoj smo se uvijek smijali. Znači prve haljine je šila svojim sestrama. I sad priča ona :"Uvijek smo odšivali rukav sa neke sestrine haljine i ponovo ga zašivali. Nije nam palo na pamet da ga prekopiramo na papir pa da imamo kroj. Nego uvijek odšivali i zašivali!". A onda je počela kupovati časopis Svijet u kojem je bilo nekoliko krojeva pa polako krenula ona u svoju misiju stvaranja

Meni je zanimljivo to što je umrla na blagdan koji zovemo Mala Gospa. A.ona se toliko molila Gospi Majki Božjoj za sve nas. A ja bila i uz mamu i uz tatu kad su umrli. Kako to živoz isplete. Ljubavi naše mile.

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Translated version:

“Her mom and dad had children before her who unfortunately did not survive. So they kept her like a drop of water in the palm of their hand. She was their first, and she was tender and sickly. Compared to other girls in her village she was small and fragile, so not many guys were interested in her. Besides, she wasn't into hard work in the fields, so she thought of becoming a nun. And so, after elementary school, she went to another town to live with nuns. But she returned relatively quickly because she couldn't live without her own, especially without her mother

She sewed everything you see on us. You would rarely see her without something in her hands. Even though we were quite poor, we were always very nicely dressed

There is a story that we always laughed at. She sewed the first dresses for her sisters, and she would tell us: "We always sewed the sleeve off one of my sister's dresses and sewed it on again. It never occurred to us to copy it on paper so that we would have a pattern. Instead, we always sewed and sewed!".

I find it interesting that she died on the holiday we call Our Lady, as she prayed so much to the Mother of God for all of us. And I was with mom and dad when they died. How the living creature weaves it.

The love of our darlings”