Ukrainians’ energy in modern folkways

Nearly 200 participants, all masters of folk art and enterprisers who promote Ukrainian embroidered outwear, have taken part in this year’s nationwide festival “The Colors of Embroidered Shirt,” which has been held for the fourth time in Ternopil.

The oldest vyshyvanka presented at the feast was over 100 years old. It was also the most expensive one: it cost about 7,000 hryvnias. The prices for modern embroidered shirts with stylized ancient ornaments started from 2,000 hryvnias.

EMBROIDERING CODES AND THEIR INTERPRETATION

Vyshyvanka is honored in Ternopil. During the festival whole families came wearing embroidered shirts. I also put on one. In the public transport I learned that a vyshyvanka is not only a fashionable piece of outwear, it is a financially advantageous garment to wear on holidays. The conductor refused to take the fare. “We don’t take fare from those who wear vyshyvankas,” she said.

Taras Shevchenko boulevard was densely covered with tents with Ukraine’s brand produce: folk costumes, dresses, embroidered towels, women’s blouses, men’s outwear, accessories to adorn the dress. The residents of Ternopil and guests of the city looked closely at the embroidered beauty and ask its price. The embroidery masters did not spare time to tell the history of vyshyvankas, their kinds and peculiarities.

Bohdan Tserebliuk and his wife draw the buyers’ attention to the rarity and old age of their vyshyvankas.

Bohdan asserts, “Nobody can embroider in this manner nowadays, that is why they are so precious. Besides, they are embroidered on hemp linen. By the 1970s such linen was made in our villages. Now it is a rarity.”

Where do you find the shirts?

“I travel across the Chernivtsi oblast and ask who has old-age embroidery. And people sell them in the markets. I have a shirt aged over 100.”

Merited Master of Folk Art of Ukraine, a researcher of embroidery and weaving Natalia Kosakivska-Shak came from Vinnytsia to show her works. She embroiders only traditional shirts and says that there is a great demand for such kind of embroidered shirts.

“I try to keep to the old-age canons of embroidery of our great grandmothers, because they knew the ornaments, their actions and meaning. The symbols are living and they have an effect on a person. Therefore people should be aware of the meaning of the ornaments and where they should be placed, for sometimes incompatible symbols are embroidered on vyshyvankas. This brings tension into person’s soul. Embroidery has a psychological and energetic meaning. It can stir talents, help one realize oneself. The embroiderers put thoughts in order and direct the life path of the person who will wear the embroidered short. On the whole, mainly shirts are embroidered. They say, on person’s body there are vitally important centers, sources that are protected by the embroidered shirt from external negative influence. So, the person comes to feel himself in harmony with the universe.”

Do you know beforehand what ornaments you will place on the vyshyvanka?

“When you take the linen and needle, the ornament appears. There should be the specific range of colors the person needs. While you embroider, you can tell the destiny of the person. If the ornaments are in harmony, they will tell about the person’s past and future.”

What materials do you use in your work?

“I use only non-whitened or sometimes whitened natural hemp linen, homespun linen and natural yarn. I like calm tones and rather natural non-bright colors, which are close to the colors used previously. There were no artificial dyes, the yarn was dyed with vegetable dyes.”

Lesia Seniv-Luchkiv brought her works from Lviv. She embroiders only in modern style. She became fond of embroidery five years ago, she used to embroider for herself and relatives. Her works so much amazed her acquaintances that they asked her to embroider a shirt for them too. Now the master receives orders not only from Ukraine, but from abroad as well, via a social network.

“The demand is so high that I don’t know whether three lives will be enough to accomplish all of them,” Lesia asserts. The orders come from the local people, as well as from Ukrainians who work in Canada and other countries. The social network is very helpful.

Does it take you long to embroider a shirt?

“I embroider for one to two months. It is difficult to embroider on black canvas, because eyes lose the trace on the black background, and the process is very lengthy.”

How many vyshyvankas have you embroidered?

“Over 50 in a matter of 4.5 years.”

How the idea appears what to embroider?

“I see it in my dreams for a couple of nights and finally make up my mind. I have some knowledge, which must be genetic. It comes through my dreams, some synchronization takes place, I don’t sleep for a couple of nights, and then the idea is born. Most importantly, you should embroider with positive energy, a good thought about the person.”

HOMESPUN HUTSUL LINEN AND FRENCH YARN

Liuba Drohomyretska embroidered the map of Ivano-Frankivsk oblast to mark the 20th anniversary of Independence Day. It was hard to embroider, because small ornaments made the work time-taking. The woman chose the maximum traditional ornament for each raion. It was the third time that the master presented the embroidered map of the oblast. Liuba asserts that the piece of embroidery is not for sale.

The master also embroiders the modern versions of outwear: jackets, suits, and dresses. She applies traditional classical patter, but she does not lay it out on linen in a traditional way.

“Many people want clothing with traditional embroidery. Those who already have traditional pieces, seek modern embroidery,” Liuba says.

Is it possible to make modern garments without breaking the spiritual meaning of embroidered shirts and continue the spiritual heritage of embroidery?

“The spiritual heritage is reflected in the ornament and colors. Currently we can create modern outwear with embroideries, choosing ancient ornaments. But I keep to the old-age manner of embroidery and traditions of combining the colors, and place them on the linen in my own way. Not like they used to be placed before.”

What materials do you use?

“Homespun cotton Hutsul linen and French yarn that don’t lose color.”

Oksana Hrebeniak, head of children’s family band Eastern Grain came to the festival with her family in traditional family vyshyvankas. She came not to choose an embroidered shirt, rather to watch and perform at the concert.

“I feel comfortable in the shirt embroidered by my mother. I put it on and feel that it is mine. I have modern shirts, embroidered on linen. But the ornaments are traditional. I think it is not good to use non-Ukrainian elements in embroidering ornaments.” 

At the feast, apart from embroidered shirts, my attention was caught by the interesting observation of one of the initiator and organizer of the festival, Yevhen Fil. He noted that today embroidered shirts have become a norm for Ukrainians. He says that the attitude has changed. Previously, when a person put on a vyshyvanka, everyone thought it had something to deal with a big holiday. Now embroidered shirts do not surprise anyone. People wear on usual days if not an embroidered shirt, then at least a garment with its elements. Many designers use embroidery in their works. The man is sure the new sprouts of Ukrainian’s spiritual energy are shooting into the modern folkways.