Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
UNWLA 100
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
Spinning and Weaving. Even without em broidery, spinning the threads and weaving the linen used for the rushnyk contributes to its spiritual powers. As Ukrainians make the sign of the cross holding three fingers together, so too the threads are twisted together using the same three fingers, imbuing them with all the human energy that becomes part of the material as the threads are woven into a “living cloth of life.” Through the process of its creation, the linen goes through five levels of sainthood, eventually whitened in the magic of the Sun and the Moon, white being a sacred color to our ancestors. Needles and Threads. Needles used in em broidery were carefully selected, kept hidden, never loaned or used for other purposes, and preferably pur chased on a Monday, a day of the Moon, a celestial body associated with the female gender. There should be one needle for every color thread used in a pattern. Threads used range from the cobweb of a silkworm cocoon, to wool, silk, flax, hemp, and raw cotton with silk being the most valued. Sacred Stitches. Over 200 known stitches, divided into 20 technique groups have been identified. Choosing the particular stitches and laying them out has a meaning and energy that impacts on the pattern. Each element of a pattern using the two-sided thread technique, for example, consists of a separate flattened spiral, which is a model for the creation of the Uni verse. The pattern, both above and below the linen, creates the negative and positive and the visible and the invisible, which is interpreted as the side one shows the world and the hidden, inner person. Two rules of the old traditions underscore the mysticism of ritual embroidery. The first required that “mistakes” should never be ripped up, for this could confuse the energy field of the towel and bring de struction. The second held that both sides, visible and invisible, should be in full harmony since the visible side reflects our public actions and the invisible re flects our thoughts and desires. Colors and Numbers. Color has always been an integral part of customs and rituals. Black and white are the most ancient of colors and symbolize Life and Death. These two colors are usually used in towels for burial rituals. White is the color of power since it con tains all other colors and radiates energy. Black ab sorbs energy and is also the color of earth, richness, and solemnity. Like white, red is a strong, active color and radiates energy. It is used for wedding towels. Two- color combinations of red and blue symbolize the un ion of the active, hot male red with the passive, cold female blue. The classic Ukrainian embroidery con sists of red and black threads on white or the “trypil- lian” look. The colors of the five races of Man: blue for Arabs, yellow for Asians, red for Native Ameri cans, black for Africans, and white for Europeans, are all present in the traditional colors of rushnyky. Numbers make up Nature and the rushnyk passes on the harmony of nature and numbers in its motifs and symbols. Divided into even and odd, num bers symbolize the spiritual and material sides of man. From the number One, which is the basis of all life and all numbers, to the number Twelve, which is a perfect number of completeness, each pattern in a rushnyk is carefully thought out for a specific purpose. Symbols. The symbols embroidered on a rushnyk can be looked at in three ways: exoteric— forms, parts, lines, colors, and other parameters; con ceptual—the idea behind the symbol and its meaning; and esoteric—the effect of the symbol on feelings. One of the most prevalent symbols is the Tree of Life that can be traced back to the ancient Celts and Druids. The grape, the only fruit to absorb most of the sun’s energy, dates back to the ancient mysteries associ ated with the sun. The oak, which symbolizes health and long life, and the lily, which symbolizes spiritual life, are two predominant symbols in rushnyk designs. Other symbols used depict animals, birds, crosses, stars, spi rals, chevrons, squares, and rhombuses. Each symbol has a specific purpose and radiates a particular energy. Preserving tradition. Established in 1993, the Ivan Honchar Museum is dedicated to the collec tion and preservation of Ukrainian culture and ethnic identification and is a center for the study of traditional Ukrainian arts. The three-volume Encyclopedia of Ukrainian Embroidery, being prepared for printing, has a large section devoted to the rushnyk, which serves as a bridge between the past and the future. Mr. Melnychuk has left materials on this subject at the Ukrainian Heritage Studies Center as a reference for individuals interested in further research. “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЖОВТЕНЬ 2003 13 “ Chernytsky. ” Cherkasy Province, City o f Chyhyryn, 1809.
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36-37 
38-39 
40 
