Embroidery of the Hutsul region, Part 3. Kosmach

 

Hello all, 

Today I will talk once more about Kosmach embroidery. I have a couple of old articles on the subject which I will delete, and incorporate the material into this article. This embroidery is mostly used on chemises and shirts for men and women, but is also used on tablecloths, serviettes, alter cloths and Church banners, etc. In prior centuries, folk embroidery was not considered fit for use in Church, but the 20th cent. brought a change in attitude. 

The folk embroidery of Kosmach today can be described as 'sunshine made tangible', but in previous times this was not as prevalent, and I will be showing some older examples below. 

Here are two possible schematics for Kosmach embroidery, using DMC numbers, on the left, and on the right. 

The images which I will present are from many sources, but I am relying most on two: 'Kosmachski Vustawky' by Hryhoryj Smol's'kyj, and 'Hutsul's'ki Vyshywky Karpat Vol 5a & b' by Iryna Svjontek. 

This embroidery on linen is mostly done on women's chemises and men's shirts. The chemises have a block of embroidery on the shoulder insets, collar, cuffs, and all the seams. The men have embroidery on the collar, front opening, cuffs, shoulder seam, and sometimes the other seams.

The main bulk of the embroidery is cross stitch, but the narrow bands also use ancillary stitches like running stitch, outline stitch, diagonal stitch, and 'chicken feet', which are three stitches emanating from one point which together form a paw like design. You can see these on the upper edge of this design above. Besides this, various types of gathering are used on the upper and lower edge of the sleeves. This is also visible in this image. 

I personally find the narrow edging motifs almost more interesting than the main ones. Here are some examples. 

The rest of this article will focus on the main designs, their names, and variations on them. Do not take the names too literally. Iryna Svyontek has embroidered many of these partially so as to outline the designs. Her book has much more information. 

Лекичі Lekychi, Летячі or Летючий - Flying

Баранкові Barankovi - Ram[horns]

Безконечник Bezkonechnyk - Neverending 

Білоцвітний Bilotsvitnyj -  White Blossom

Черешневі Chereshnevi - Sweet Cherries

Довбушевий Dowbushevyj - Dowbush [a brigand folk hero of the Carpathians]

Дубовий лист Dubovyj lyst - Oak leaf

Горiшкові Horishkovi - Walnuts

Ільчисті Il'chysti - Flower

Качурові Kachurovi - Drakes

Хлопчики Khlopchyky - Boys

Ключкові Kljuchkovi - Keys or birds flying in a V

Кнігинькові Knihynkovi - Princess

Кучериві Kucheryvi - Curly

Кучерявий Kucheryavyj - Curly

Микулинськi Mykulynski - From the village of Mykulychyn or Курячі лапки Kurjachi lapky - Chicken feet

Нумерові Numerovi - Numbered

Павукові Pavukovi - Spidery

Перлові Perlovi - Pearls

Пушкаті Pushkati - Puffs

 Рітські Ritski - From the village of Richka

Pіжкаті  Rizhkati - Horned

Росохатський Rosokhats'kyj - Plants

Рожнівські Rozhniwski - From the village of Rozhniw

Рожеві Rozhevi - Roses

Серцевий Sertsevyj - Hearts

Штерновий Shternovyj - Stars

Скосики Skosyky - Diagonals

Сливові Slyvovi - Plums

 Соснові Sosnovi - Pine tree

Тюльпановий Tiulpanovyj - Tulips

Волоськi Voloski - Wallachian

Вишневий або 9 пушок - Sour Cherries or 9 Puffs

Звіздовий Zvizdovyj - Starry

And just a few more designs that have no names. 

Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this to be interesting and informative. Bring some sunshine into your life from Kosmach. Use some of these designs. 

Roman K

email: rkozakand@aol.com