Ukrainian embroidery: colors, ornaments

2025 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-22 22:09

The Ukrainian people, like all other cultures, has its own specific symbols. One of the most characteristic symbols is Ukrainian embroidery. From the article you will learn a little about its history, elements and something else no less interesting.

A bit of history

First of all, it should be noted that Ukrainian embroidery has a rather long history. Modern researchers find evidence that it existed as far back as the sixth century: people's clothes were decorated with embroidery. Today, this decoration is also inherent in things from a modern wardrobe. Interesting for many will be the fact that at all times the embroidery on men's shirts and women's dresses differed depending on the area where the person lived. So, in Polissya, for example, simple compositions were predominantly embroidered, in which lines and triangles predominated. As for the Kiev region, it was mainly a plant-geometric pattern that was inherent here, and in the Chernihiv region, white embroideries were held in high esteem. The southern Ukrainian embroidery is very interesting, the pattern there is often filled with semi-crosses, thanks to which the drawings are obtained in an almost perfect shape. Ternopil embroidery is also very unusual. Therecraftswomen love oblong stitches, which is why the pattern turns out to be voluminous and convex. It will also be interesting that the Carpathian Ukrainian embroidery looks the richest. The scheme in this version will be full of different colors, and the drawings themselves change not only regionally, but even from village to village. Transcarpathian regions are characterized by the use of the so-called "krivuly", zigzag. As for the colors, here the embroidery can be done both with white threads and show off with all the colors of the rainbow.

Embroidery as a talisman

It will be very important that Ukrainian embroidery is not just a decoration of clothes. Each ornament in it means something and carries a certain sacred meaning. In general, we can say that for Ukrainians, an embroidered pattern often became a talisman: girls decorated scarves for their loved ones, protecting them, women embroidered towels that were supposed to protect the house from evil spirits, etc. As for the towels themselves, they occupied a central place in many rituals - at a wedding, during the birth and baptism of a baby. Even people were sent to another world with towels.

Ornament elements

So, what are the main elements of Ukrainian cross stitch in its arsenal?

1. Water and Sun. It will be important that all Ukrainian embroidery is permeated with these elements. The celestial body is most often depicted in the form of an octagonal flower, while water often resembles a coiled snake ormodern dollar sign. These symbols are often embroidered in pairs.
2. Mother symbol. Also very important in each embroidery is the indicated element, which looks like an eight-pointed star.
3. Rose. Previously, in Ukraine they spoke not a rose, but a rouge, which is based on the ancient name of the sun - Ra. This flower is also a solar symbol, a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
4. Kalina. This is a very important element of Ukrainian embroidery. The word "viburnum" comes from the word "kolo", i.e. circle, sun circle. In addition, viburnum berries are a symbol of blood and the immortality of the family.
5. Oak. This is a male symbol, mainly adorned men's clothes, giving the guys strength and energy.
6. Poppy. This plant was also the main one in Ukrainian embroidery, because Ukrainians have always believed that it is the poppy that protects from evil and evil spirits.
7. Stars. This is the people's view of the universe.
8. Rhombuses and geometric shapes. Security symbols that prevent evil from penetrating a person (in the case of embroidery on clothes) or a house (security towels, tablecloths, paths, etc.).

Colors

It is worth mentioning that Ukrainian embroidery can be created in various colors. However, each of them has its own specific meaning and interpretation.

1. White color. This is an attribute of the sun god, it is protective from evil spirits.
2. Red color. The color of love, consanguinity. Attracts positive energy, protects from evil.
3. Black color. Do not think that this is the color of death. In Ukrainian embroidery, it symbolizes prosperity,we alth. It is also the color of wisdom. And all because the Ukrainian people have long valued and revered the land (in this case, black is the color of the earth, black soil).

Other colors are also present in embroidery common in Ukraine, but they are less significant and not used as often.

Clothes

It will also be interesting that not only women's, but also men's and children's clothes have been decorated with embroidery at all times. So, men always had beautifully embroidered shirts, and small children had shirts. However, ladies especially liked to decorate themselves with various ornaments. So, it could be Ukrainian dresses with embroidery: for everyday wear and festive ones, various shirts, scarves, aprons, etc. In addition, towels, firankas (window curtains), paths, bed linen, various napkins and scarves were also embroidered.