Embroidery of Zhowkva [Nesteriw] and Rava Rusa counties, Halychyna, Ukraine

Hello All.

Today i will be continueing my series on the costumes and embroideries of Halychyna. I will still be focused on L'viw Oblast. There are in fact, some counties that i have little to no informantion on. I would be glad to recieve any information that anyone might have. Today I will be presenting some old embroideries from Zhowkva, previously Nesteriw, and Rava Rusa counties. Here is our map of L'viw Oblast again for orientation.

The only source i have for this material is Krawchuk. I would dearly love to get a grant and be able to go around western Ukraine/southeastern Poland, and visit the small local museums and document their material.

Dreams. This is likely some of the oldest types of embroidery found in the area. Very simple, based on holbein stitch, running stitch, buttonhole stitch, etc. Elaboration of the same stitches used to construct clothing. I will start with a few examples from Zhowkva county. Here is the inset [ustawka of a woman's chemise.

you can see the outline of the ustawka at the top, with two rows of running stitch around the edge. then some herringbone, overcast [blanket] stitch and running stitch on the top of the sleeve. Embroidery likely developed from this desire to strenthen seams. Here is an example of a collar from this county.

Some travelers in the 19th century reported that some villages had a rich embroidery tradition, and others had none at all. Here is an example of a simple yet elegant tradition that we have at least some record of.

Some of the designs included some simple cross stitch, like this one. This again is the ustawka of a woman's chemise, you can see the outline, and the top of the sleeve at the bottom.

One more example of a collar. The lines of double running stitch are sewn on to strengthen the collar, and here they form a frame for the embroidery.

And one design from a different source, confirming the general nature of the embroidery of this region.

If we go north a bit to Rava Rusa, we encounter very different embroidery. One type is done in zavolikannia stitch, where the thread is run over and under the length of the embroidery, imitating a woven design. We encountered this in Horodok county and others as well. It is executed like this.

Unfortunately, all of the examples given are simple labelled 'fragment of embroidery', so i have no idea what they were used on. I suspect whoever collected them just cut the embroidery out, a despicalble habit that was all too common among those who went around collecting. So all that the museum has is a scrap of linen with embroidery on it, usually not even edge stitched or hemmed. But at least we have examples of this embroidery. Here is a very simple one.

As you can see, this was done in mostly red stitching, with just a touch of blue or black. This type of stitching is also done in Polissia, where they have developed different designs.

A couple more examples. I have not yet tried to duplicate these, but i think i should, just to be able to do it. They have a particular simple attractiveness of their own, owing to the texture due to repetition.

There is another style of embroidery that was done in the villages of this area, apparantly only on the collars of men's and boy's shirts. I have not yet figured out how some of them were stitched. Here is one example which is reminiscent of Javoriw work. Cross stitch, herringbone, and flat stitching.

Here is a similar one, with the addition of reshetiwka, or poverkhnytsia added in the middle, It was apparantly done in white, and is only visible as an erasure of the other colors and of the grid.

Here is a schematic as to how you do this stitch. There is one row in the center of the design, apparantly worked on the diagonal. I will have to try this to see if i can replicate it. It would be much easier to see a photograph.

There is one more type of embroidery in this group, which the text says was done in 'poza holku' which is the term used for herringbone, or any stitch where the needle comes out next to the previous stitch, such as stem stitch or some flat stitching. Here is a graph. I am not sure i can figure out how it was done. If any of you can replicate it, I would love to see it.

It would have to be done very fine. Here is a challenge for you.

Thank you all again for reading. These are relatively unknown types of embroidery, but they are also part of our history.

Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals.

Roman K.
Rkozakand@aol.com

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Source Material:

L. Krawchuk, 'Ukrajinski Narodni Vyshywky L'viws'ka Oblast' [Ukrainian Folk Embroidery of Lviw Oblast], Kyjiw [Kiev] 1961
V. Zabolotnyj et al, 'Ukraijinske Narodne Dekoratywne Mystetsvo' [Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art], Kyjiw [Kiev], 1956

Ukrainian Church Embroidery and a meditation for the feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ

Hello All,

Today I would like to devote a posting to the feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, known by Ukrainians as Velykden', The Great Day. This is the greatest feast of the year for the Christian East. I get tired of all the silliness involving rabbits that lay eggs, candy, those inedible peeps, [they are fun to shoot off on bottle rockets tho], and suchlike. I will include examples of Byzantine church embroidery from Ukraine, and a couple from Russia, interspersed with the words of St. John Chrysostom of Constantinople, in his most famous [and uncharacteristically short] sermon. Much of this embroidery was done in gold and silver threads and has become tarnished.

For those of you who do not celebrate the Christian Religion, i invite you to join in as a meditation of the rebirth of Life in Spring, and the marvel that we are alive and aware of and able to rejoice in our being. And appreciate the skill and beauty of the embroidery.

In our tradition, we believe that Christ spent the three days between death and Resurrection destorying Hades and the power of death from within. Because he is both man and God, he was taken by the power of Hades, but it could not hold him, and he set free all that were therein.

As humans, we are part of the physical natural world, and also part of the spiritual world. Because God as Jesus became one of us, through him we also partake of the Divine. Let us love and treat one another accordingly.

In the ikon below, Christ is standing on the broken doors of Hades. He is surrounded by a Mandala, the shape made by the intersection of two circles, symbolizing the intrusion of the Eternal into the realm of Time. Death is symbolized by the bound figure underneath his feet, surrounded by broken locks and chains. Adam and Eve rise from their tombs to take the hands of Jesus, and they are surrounded by the Old Testament Saints and John the Baptist.

 

The Easter Sermon of John Chrysostom

Pastor of Constantinople (~400 AD)

Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!
Is there anyone who is a grateful servant?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!
If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.
To the one He gives, and upon the other He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!
Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go hungry away. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hades when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said,
"You, O Hell, have become bitter by encountering Him below."

Hell became bitter, because it was done away with.
Bitter, because it is mocked.
Bitter, for it is destroyed.
Bitter, for it is annihilated.
Bitter, for it is now made captive.
Hell took into itself a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took the visible, and was dashed to pieces by the invisible.
O Death, where is thy sting?
O Hades, where is thy victory?

For Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!
Christ is Risen, and not one of the dead remains in the tomb!
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be the Glory and the Power forever and ever. Amen!

May you all have a life filled, blessed Holiday.

Roman K.

I  took this format from the Medevial Source book, added images and changed the text to more closely match the translation which i am used to. I thank them for making this beautiful text available. You can read their version here. The original, of course, is in Greek.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/chrysostom-easter.html

Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals.

Roman K.
Rkozakand@aol.com

Source Material:

Tetiana Kara-Vasylieva, 'Ukrajins'ka Vyshywka' [Ukrainian Embroidery], Kyjiw [Kiev], 1993

T. Manushyna, 'Early Russian Embroidery', Moscow, 1983

V. Zabolotnyj et al, 'Ukrajijns'ke Narodne Dekoratywne Mystetsvo' [Ukrainian Decorative Folk Art], Kyjiw [Kiev] 1956

Plemenova & Lykhachova, 'Old Russian Decorative and Applied Art', Leningrad, 1985

Kybal'nyk et al, 'The State Historical and Cultural Museum of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra', Kyjiw [Kiev], 2nd ed. 1990

N. Rossoshynska et al, 'The UkrSSR State Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art', Kyjiw [Kiev], 1983

Embroidery of Javoriw [Yavoriw] county, Halychyna, Ukraine

Hello All,

Today i will continue the discussion of Javoriw [Yavoriw] costume by focusing on the embroidery.
The oldest embroidery on the apron, linen kabat or kamizelka, and the chemise, is based on back stitch, counted satin stitch, and cross stitch. This was done in waxed linen thread, which was yellowish, and black, often with some addition of red, but not always. Here is a close up of an apron done only in hemstitch, waxed linen thread and black. The hem of the hand printed skirt, maliovanka, shows beneath.



Here are a couple of other aprons, done mostly in cross stitch. You will notice throughout that the costume pieces have compositions which are in rows, seperated by lines of back stitch, hemstitch, or herringbone.

This first one has fewer rows than usual, The embroiderer may not have wanted to spend the time, or perhaps planned on adding more later, and never got around to it. The following one has large designs in the top row, which is sometimes done.



There are more examples of apron embroidery in the first posting. Here are two more examples of the type of embroidery done on the linen kabat or kamizelka. There are others shown in the first posting.

This type of embroidery was also done on the chemise. Kul'chytska sketched a couple such designs during her travels. These are intended to indicate cross stitch in black and red.

Here is a woman's chemise [sorochka] done in this style of embroidery.

Unusually, this sorochka has embroidery around the front opening, as well as cuff, collar and shoulder inset, [ustawka]. As is often found in Halychyna, the shoulder piece is not only embroidered in  a wide band along the bottom edge, but along the sides, and in a stripe up the middle as well. There is a narrow strip of embroidery along the top of the sleeve, interrupted in the center where the cloth is gathered, and smocked in lines of the same colors as the embroidery. There is also a narrow band of embroidery on the front and back body pieces, along the seam, echoing the embroidery on the edge of the shoulder inset. This is often found in Halychyna as well. The seam is emphasized instead of being hidden.

The second type of embroidery done in Javoriw [Yavoriw] is simply called Javoriw Embroidery. It was originally done just on the bawnytsia, the headpiece, and consists of rows of herringbone, with braid stitch, and designs in flat stitch, back stitch, and a few cross stitches between groups of herringbone. Here is an example of a bawnytsia. This garment is never embroidered in any other technique.

This style of stitching is distinctive and very pleasant. It has become popular all over Ukraine for table linens and many other items. Here is an example.



Here are a few Javoriw stitching patterns graphed out.

This type of stitching is also done on the chemise, but never on the apron or the outer garments. Here is a chart of the embroidery of a shoulder inset done by Krawchuk.

You can see that it is combined with back stitch, braid stitch and cross stitch as well.

The last type of embroidery done in Jaworiw is Haft, that is, free satin stitch with stem or braid stitch. Here is an old example which shows continuity with the embroidery of neighboring Horodok county. This is very fine work. This is the design on the bottom edge of a woman's shoulder insert.

Haft is done more commonly in Javoriw than in neighboring counties. When the kabat and the kamizelka came to be made in wool or factory made cloth, the primary type of embroidery done on them was haft. Here are a couple examples.

As you can see, the chemise has come to be embroidered in this style as well. Here are a couple examples of such chemises. This is obviously not counted thread embroidery as the others are. The composition is typical of the region, featureing large open flowers, similar but distinct from Hungarian designs.

This example above seems to be framed by maching stitching. Here are a couple of collars done in this style of embroidery.

This has been adapted to table linens and pillowcases. Here is a closeup of one such piece.

The kerchiefs, which originally were done in cross stitch, are often done in haft now as well. Here are a few examples.



This type of embroidery can also be done on fine woven store bought cloth as you can see from this last photo. I have even found one example of the apron being done in haft That is unusual, but is done, as we can see from this last photo. All of the embroidery she is wearing, on apron, kerchief, chemise and kamizelka is done in haft. She is not wearing a bawnytsia, which would not be done in this technique.

Thank you all for reading. I hope that this may inspire you to make something beautiful.

Feel free to contact me with requests for research, or commissions for research-design, sewing or embroidery projects.

Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals.

Roman K.
Rkozakand@aol.com

Source Material:

R. V. Chuhai, 'Narodne Dekoratywne Mystetsvo Javoriwshchyny' [Folk Decorative Art of Javoriw], Kyjiw [Kiev], 1979

N. K. Kyjanyncha et al, 'The UkSSR State Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art', Kyjiw [Kiev], 1983

P. Odarchenko et al, 'Ukrainian Folk Costume', Toronto, 1992

Tetiana Kara-Vasylieva, 'Ukrajins'ka Vyshywka' [Ukrainian Embroidery], Kyjiw [Kiev], 1993

O. Kul'chytska, 'Folk Costumes of the Western Regions of the Ukrainian SSR, 1959
L. Krawchuk, 'Ukrainian Folk Embroidery of Lviw Oblast' Kyjiw [Kiev], 1961
Maria Kalyniak, 'Ukrajinska Vyshywka, Suchasne Traktuvannia' [Ukrainian Embroidery, a Modern Approach], Lviw, 2004
Najden, Sorokinka et al, 'Ukrajinske Dekoratywne Mystetsvo, Vyshywka' [Ukrainian Decorative Folk Art - Embroidery], Kyjiw [Kiev] 1990
Kmit & Luciow, 'Ukrainian Embroidery', New York, 1978
O. Moshynska, 'The Book of Ukrainian Embroideries', Cleveland, 1980