• Historical information about cross stitching. History of embroidery

    28.07.2019

    Cross stitch is the most ancient type of needlework. After all, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers also did cross stitch. In many homes you can find an antique embroidered towel or pillow. What makes a person pick up threads and start embroidering? Maybe someone will say that you are very passionate about creating beauty when its birth occurs before your eyes. Others will talk about the feeling of joy that comes after finishing difficult work. After all, joy is an inner feeling of satisfaction, happiness and pleasure!

    When you start embroidering, do you ask yourself: do I really have nothing else to do? Why do we always give away ours? free time for a hobby? And ask yourself: is anyone interested in my hobby other than myself? You know the saying: “ Best gift“It’s a gift made with your own hands.” Embroidery most of all reflects the essence of the saying, because with its help we can show all our love and devotion to a person. We try to put a piece of ourselves into every work, so such work becomes much more valuable, unlike a factory product. The recipient will undoubtedly appreciate your work and care for him, and will think that you have invested a lot of time and effort in making his gift! This gift will remind you of your attention and will never be forgotten. Therefore, when distributing your time, think that the gift that you make yourself, with your own hands, will be much more valuable and closer than a purchased one.

    Cross stitch is one of the most oldest species handicrafts. The exact time of the appearance of embroidery is unknown. There is no information about when cross-stitching became a separate type of needlework. Nowadays, there are examples of embroidery even from the 10th century. However, it undoubtedly arose much earlier. IN different countries a specific color predominated, and the pattern styles differed from each other. The embroidery reflected the national color and individual vision of beauty of each nation.

    In the 16th century in Western Europe counted embroidery has gained particular popularity. At that time it included most of the biblical texts and stories. Already in the 18th century, the classic cross stitch became more prominent in embroidery, and the themes became more diverse. In eastern countries, embroidery was traditionally used to decorate household items - capes, carpets, pack bags. They have always been distinguished by a huge variety of colors and complexity of patterns. Over time, embroidery became an integral part of costume and household utensils in the West.

    Since the 18th century, embroidery has entered the homes of all segments of the population without exception. Folk embroidery was associated with rituals and customs, while urban embroidery was formed under the influence of the West. Embroidery played not only the role of decoration. It played the role of a talisman, being located at the places where the human body came into contact with the outside world (i.e. on the collar, sleeves, hem). Nowadays, cross stitch is a common hobby.

    Embroidery is one of the types of needlework that has its roots in primitive culture. Initially, hemp fibers, animal skin, wool, and hair were used as embroidery materials.

    Since embroidery was done using a needle, which is like the sharp end of a thread: paper or wool, silk, then the needle, until it became metal and came to perfection, was made from various materials: bones, trees, and ancient people had fish bones, tree needles, bristles and more. They embroider with paper, silk, thread, gold, wool, using beads, silver, beads, glass beads, sometimes real pearls, using sparkles, coins, and semi-precious stones. The embroidery of India and Iran is distinguished by a great variety of depictions of birds, animals, plant motifs and classic national literary subjects. Cross stitch in the Byzantine Empire, stood out for the beauty of silk embroidery (silver, gold), various patterns, significantly influenced the development of the art of cross stitch in many European countries during the Middle Ages, when their own unique patterns, colors and cross stitch techniques appeared, their own for each nationality .

    Cross-stitching can easily be turned into a favorite pastime, by doing which you can create nice interior items with which any home can purchase cozy view. And embroidery on pillows, shirts and towels can serve as an excellent souvenir.

    In past times, ladies embroidered using completely different tools and working materials than now - fragments of animal bones served as needles, and hard sinews served as threads.

    They also used various improvised means, such as animal skin and hemp fiber. Thinking about which now it is impossible to imagine them being suitable for embroidery. This is not surprising, because bone fragments have long been replaced with metal needles, and canvas is used instead of animal skin.

    Currently, there is a wide variety of embroidery techniques: satin stitch, cross stitch, ribbon embroidery, carpet technique, tapestry. Thanks to such a huge variety of embroidery techniques, it will undoubtedly be possible to realize any designer’s ideas. Also, there is a very wide variety of embroidery kits on sale. And any pattern can be viewed in magazines, newspapers and in an online embroidery store. Embroidery kits can also be a separate gift.

    Krolya87

    It occupies a special place among other stylistic trends. She is not only beautiful, but also very versatile. Throughout the vast Russian territory, different provinces used their own distinctive techniques. In addition, there were differences in the materials used and in the color palette.

    What is interesting about this type of needlework?

    In each country, embroidery and other methods of decorating clothes are different and unique. Russian embroidery was divided into several types:

    • urban;
    • peasant handicrafts;
    • embroidered motifs that were used as a talisman.

    From an early age (from about 5-6), peasant girls were taught the art of embroidery, sewing and even making lace. It was they, unlike the city girls, who carefully honored traditions and tried to convey all cultural features (ornaments, patterns) in their works. Embroidered different ways: cross stitch, regular satin stitch, Moscow seam.


    Russian embroidery - antique look folk art

    At that time there was a custom according to which girls from the age of 5 should begin to prepare a dowry for themselves, which was quite voluminous.


    Painting "Peasant Woman Embroidering". Malyavin Philip Andreevich, Russia, 1869-1940

    They had to decorate various textile accessories (tablecloths and towels) and items of clothing with crosses and other stitches.


    The art of embroidery has a long history

    The clothing used was numerous sundresses, high skirts, fur coats, shirts, aprons, etc. At the same time, not one set of clothes was prepared, but several (for each individual occasion or celebration: wedding, festival, celebrations, for work, etc.).


    Hope chest

    City girls tried to introduce a little European fashion into the patterns of their creations. The French style had a great influence on embroidery.

    French style embroidery

    No less popular was embroidery, which was used as a talisman. The cross was considered the most popular execution technique. Moreover, even the smallest detail in such embroidery had its own meaning and significance.


    Slavic amulet embroidered with a cross

    Ornaments and cross patterns were quite varied, but the most popular was the image of Rhoda, the mother, who was surrounded by deer. As a talisman, it could often be seen both on the clothes of newborn children and on wedding dresses. It was believed that it would protect its owners from various misfortunes.


    Embroidered amulet with a picture

    Each of these types is incredibly beautiful and has its own characteristics. In addition, each area had some distinctive features.

    Northern traditions

    The folk traditions of the north, which includes the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Vologda, Arkhangelsk and Leningrad, were united. The most popular techniques were satin stitch, oblique stitches, and painting.


    Full cross stitch was common only when creating some amulets.


    The most popular was the painting, which was essentially a half-cross. It consisted of small stitches, mostly bright red, that created certain patterns. After the edging was ready, the interior space was filled with other decorative seams. In some cases, edge decoration was also used. For this, additional touches, patterns of stars or snowflakes were made.


    Ancient Russian embroidery, like the process of embroidery, had ritual significance and was close to agrarian ritual actions

    The white stitching also looked beautiful.As a basis for embroidery, a slightly sparse fabric was used, which was slightly translucent.


    White embroidery

    Thus, the dense snow-white plot on a light and transparent background looked amazing.

    Features of Southerners

    The southern regions (Voronezh, Tambov, Oryol, Kursk and Penza) were characterized by the presence of various geometric patterns. In these territories there was embroidery with painting, white stitching, sometimes cross stitching and other stitches.


    Hand-painted embroidery

    But the most common were considered to be colored weave and counted stitch.


    Satin stitch embroidery on snow-white silk

    The colored weave is somewhat similar to the white stitch. The main feature that unites these two techniques is the use of a translucent fabric base. This technique was quite complex, especially if a fairly large colorful plot was taken as the basis. Therefore, the presence of embroidery in this style was very prestigious and indicated a certain wealth of the family.


    The color scheme was quite varied:

    • Ryazan was famous for its embroidery in blue tones;

    Shirt embroidered in blue tones
    • in Smolensk one could often find a golden background and colorful lemon, orange, red and white scenes;

    • Tula and Kaluga were characterized by a reddish-white palette, interspersed with a wide variety of (blue, cyan, green and yellow) inserts;

    Russian embroidery is an extremely complex and multifaceted phenomenon
    • in Kaliningrad, a bright crimson background was used, and the plot was created from various scarlet, white, green and golden threads.

    Embroidery is perhaps the most developed art among many types of Russian folk art.

    At the same time, the main geometric shape was a rhombus or a square. They were embroidered with protrusions at the corners, diagonals, spirals, etc. The figures were placed one after another, embroidered with a double cross, a hem stitch, a satin stitch, and an oblique stitch. And the material used was silk threads.

    Embroidery rhythms in the center of Russia

    The central regions well combined the traditions of both northern and southern territories. But at the same time they added their own “zest”. They borrowed white stitching from the North, as well as its inherent motifs and themes. This technique is still used to this day for decoration. textile products in the Ivanovo and Kalinin regions.


    Russian embroidery is an integral part of the art of the Russian people

    In some regions (Yaroslavl, Kostroma), the white stitching was somewhat modernized. Instead of traditional all-white subjects, white embroidery with a colored outline and decor of gold, blue and pink threads began to appear.


    Over the course of several centuries, the Russian people have developed certain techniques for performing embroidery, the nature of the ornament and its coloring

    Embroidery looked most elegant in the Kostroma region. There, needlewomen used mainly pastel colors and silk threads to create their works of art. Thanks to the calm color transitions the embroidery looked incredibly beautiful, and the silk gave the product glare and shimmer.


    Snow-white embroidery with silk threads

    Traditional painting for the North has also been modernized. Unlike the original version, in the center it was done with a greater density of stitching, since mainly woolen threads were used in the work. Image of a rhombus in Russian embroidery

    The unique technology glorified the Gorky region. “Gorky guipures” were an unusually elegant technique. The most common motif for Gorky openwork embroidery is considered to be a medium-sized rosette with rounded corners in the shape of a diamond.



    It’s quite difficult to understand all the styles and techniques of folk embroidery the first time. After all, each area had its own characteristics that distinguished its work from others. The cultural characteristics were most accurately preserved in the peasant type of embroidery, as well as in the technology of making amulets.

    Today, among many craftswomen, the art of embroidery is especially popular. Once purely a household activity, embroidery has turned into one of the most wonderful hobbies, helping to create amazing motifs with the help of simple threads and a needle. Many thousands of years ago, primitive “needlewomen” came up with a wonderful way to attract attention - decorating outfits with embroidery. However, everything has its own backstory, and embroidery is no exception.

    Once upon a time, our distant ancestors lived in caves, warmed themselves by fires, went hunting and had no idea what high-fashion or a simple embroidered pattern. They simply fastened scraps of skins together to create products that could cover the body and provide warmth. And here, perhaps quite by accident, one of the primitive fashionistas came up with the idea of ​​decorating plain clothes in a very special way, using unusual, visible seams.

    Time passed, new ways of creating a pattern on material appeared, the tools of the craftswomen changed and improved: the stone and bone awl was replaced by a thin needle, animal skins were replaced by elegant and light fabrics, and a simple line of threads turned into many different stitching options. The cross stitch has become and still is one of the most popular, which is probably why the history of cross stitch is one of the most interesting and educational.

    Nowadays, decoration finished products embroidery is especially popular. Embroidered products not only look beautiful and unusual, but also help fashionistas express their individuality more clearly.

    Of course, work done by the hands of a craftswoman is valued much more, but in our age of technology development, an alternative hand embroidery became machine-made.

    Machine embroidery

    Hand stitch embroidery

    The motifs created by the skilled hands of embroiderers also changed over time. Once upon a time, clothes were decorated with amulets, the motifs for which were taken from Everyday life and the surrounding nature.

    At the same time, all available materials were used in the work: hair, beautiful stones, beads, ribbons, shells, herbs and dried flowers. The preserved motifs of the works of needlewomen from the past are a real historical heritage, giving us a more complete understanding of the life of our distant ancestors.

    Modern craftsmen have it much easier; in stores and on the Internet there is a huge selection of embroidery tools and various threads of various colors and shades.

    Embroidery is not only a beauty created for the soul, but also a great opportunity to understand the customs of a particular people, get acquainted with their culture and values, and learn about the events that once happened to them. We can say that ancient works are a way of communication between nationalities and even entire generations, an attempt by ancestors to convey to their descendants the most important wisdom of life.

    Where did this magical art come from? Scientists believe that the birthplace of embroidery is China. It was there that the most ancient works were discovered, dating back to the fifth century BC.

    Time has passed, but embroidery is still visible in the interior and clothing modern people. Look around your home and you are sure to find embroidered items in the most unusual places. That is why this type of art stands alongside painting and sculpture.

    The history of cross stitch in Rus'

    What was the history of cross stitch in Rus'? The art of embroidery in Rus' has been known since time immemorial, and proof of this fact can be found in books. Whether you read fairy tales or works of classics, the needlewomen described in books were engaged in embroidery everywhere. Remember the same Frog Princess, who during the night had to embroider a towel (in some versions of the fairy tale - a carpet or a shirt) for the king as a gift.

    Girls were taught to hold a needle in their hand from the very beginning. early age, and by the time she grew up, the girl could already create works that were in no way inferior in beauty to the works of the fairy-tale princess. The finished canvases were decorated with motifs emphasizing the beauty and originality of Russian nature, the depth of rivers and lakes, the shade of forests and the expanse of fields. Looking at them, it’s hard not to fall in love with the unusual and Great Rus'.

    However, the origin of embroidery in Rus' is of a deeper nature than a simple desire to brighten up life and look attractive. Cross stitch is one of the symbols of the life of our ancestors. For the Slavs, the cross has always been a talisman that helps ward off evil spirits and protect, and therefore craftswomen, armed with needles and threads, created real masterpieces on clothes and household items.

    The beginning of the history of cross stitch among the Russians is not known for certain, but canvases found on the territory of the ancient state, dating from the ninth to twelfth centuries, indicate that already at that time the art of embroidery was not only developed, but was at an advanced stage. the highest level. Most often, people decorated household items: sheets, bedspreads and tablecloths. Among the clothes, embroidery adorned hats, shirts and sundresses. Cross stitch occupied a special place on ritual items: wedding dresses, decorations for sacred trees and grave crosses, panels for decorating pagan temples.

    Embroidering towels was also a responsible and painstaking task, since for our ancestors they played a greater role than for us. From the moment the young wife crossed the threshold of her husband's house, the family used only towels made by the hands of the new mistress. In addition, they were an integral attribute of the wedding celebration; icons were placed on them and the red corner of the huts was covered. This extremely important work was trusted only to the most skilled craftswomen, whose skills were simply amazing.

    You should not think that the skill of our ancestors ended with the embroidery of Old Slavic symbols. The needlewomen did an excellent job depicting everyday scenes, animals and various landscapes.

    In 988, the young Russian state took a huge step forward, overthrowing paganism and adopting Christianity, the symbol of which is also the cross. Thanks to this, the history of cross-stitching received further development, and works made using this technique became attributes of Orthodox life, occupying their own places of honor on iconostases and altars.

    Products made at a certain time acquired particular value: work began at sunrise, and the last knot was tied with the last ray of the setting sun.

    Since the scope of work expected for this period was huge: amulets for births, christenings, weddings and other significant events were made simultaneously by several embroiderers. It was believed that amulets made in this way acquired special magical properties and could not only help in everyday life, but even ward off fatal illnesses.

    Cross stitch patterns carried a special, sacred meaning: hooks, ovals, diamonds - all these figures symbolized certain things found in everyday life. For example, a diamond with a hook was considered a symbol of fertility, just like the image of a unicorn. Only a knowledgeable person could decipher such embroidery, and today there are practically no such experts left.

    If you look at the paintings of craftswomen of past centuries, you can see that not only motifs of everyday life served as subjects for embroidery, magic talismans, but also mysterious animals and creatures. Many works that have survived to this day were decorated with silver and gold threads, pearls and other precious stones, and embroidered on velvet and silk. As one of the types of needlework, cross stitch from the moment of its inception was considered an activity for noble people. The fact is that the materials used were simply beyond the means of ordinary people.

    Finished products embroidered with silk and jewelry served as decoration for royal chambers, temples and churches. Unfortunately, only the names of a few embroiderers of that time became known to their ancestors.

    One of the most skilled craftswomen of the 16th and 17th centuries was the daughter of Boris Godunov named Ksenia. Her works captivated not only the king himself, but also all those who saw them at least once.

    Much later, namely in the 18th century, embroidery became a common activity for village girls. Naturally, the materials and threads they used were much cheaper. However, despite the cheapness of the material and the absence of decorations, the work they embroidered was superior in its skill to many merchants. The girls made up for the lack of expensive stones, threads and pearls to decorate their works with their unsurpassed ability to select colors and emphasize the most important details in their works.

    The history of cross stitch is very rich, and patterns embroidered using this technique decorated many things, including the bride's trousseau. They began to prepare a dowry for a girl from early childhood. Already at the age of seven or eight, peasant girls began to think about a wedding, because by the time of marriage it was necessary to prepare a lot of necessary things: clothes for holidays and everyday life, tablecloths, towels and other things that should have been enough for the first couple of years family life. Moreover, all products had to be made perfectly, because the very next day after the engagement, the bride had to present her dowry to the people.

    This was done for a reason; this tradition helped the groom and his relatives to appreciate the neatness and hard work of the future relative. The most important attribute of the planned celebration is Wedding Dress, made by the hands of a Russian beauty, was an unusual sight and represented a riot of colors and superbly embroidered motifs. White color in Rus' it was considered the color of purity and holiness and that is why it was not used as the basis of a wedding dress.

    Regardless of who did the work, all embroidery can be divided into northern and central Russian. What is the difference between products made by masters of different latitudes? The fact is that craftsmen different areas used different materials, colors and even motifs. Central Russian works are more colorful, both threads and warps. Northern peoples were more restrained, preferring white and red colors. Most often in their works they used embroidery techniques such as cross stitch, painting, white stitching, through sewing, as well as white and colored satin stitch.

    Another distinctive feature of the embroidery of Central Russian craftswomen is the use of a mirror effect. The patterns they depict seem to be reflected in a mirror, repeating themselves several times. Cross stitch paintings suggested an image female figures, lizards, snakes, roosters, chickens and other birds. In addition, colored parts of fabrics not covered with embroidery often acted as a pattern. Most often, decorations were located in places of folds and seams on clothes, hems of sundresses and dresses, as well as along the edges of cuts. In their works, the craftswomen of Central Russian latitudes were not limited to any one type of seam, just like the northerners, to give the product originality and uniqueness, they used such seams as satin stitch, goat stitch, braid, hemstitch, cross and others that have survived to this day .

    Thanks to the research, it became known that the development of embroidery in Rus' was greatly influenced by the culture of Byzantium. Looking at the works of our ancestors, you can see that all their originality, originality and unusualness are the result of a mixture of many styles.

    Despite the fact that cross stitch has a centuries-old history, it has not lost popularity today. And every year this hobby has more and more fans and admirers.


    Embroidery is one of the most common types of folk art and needlework.
    Its origin is associated with the appearance of the first stitch made by primitive people when fastening the skin of a killed mammoth. Of course, sewing first appeared as a necessity. Over time, embroidery appeared as a decorative addition to sewing. After all, the materials from which clothes were created did not differ in variety, and embroidery always made it possible to make an outfit special, not like others.
    Embroidery
    - this is the decoration of various materials or ready-made products with ornaments or plot designs using threads (silk ribbons, beads and other materials) and a needle (embroidery machine).

    At different times, depending on the level of civilization, different embroidery tools were used.

    These were: stone awl, bone, bronze, steel and gilded needles. With the improvement of tools, the art of embroidery itself developed, new techniques appeared, and the possibilities for executing various designs and ornaments expanded.

    Embroidered patterns and drawings reflect a person’s ideas about the world around him, artistic preferences and national identity. The most ancient embroideries that have survived to this day date back to the fourth – fifth centuries BC. These priceless ancient embroideries were created on the territory of Ancient China. The basis for embroidery was silk fabrics; the design was made with hair, raw silk, silver and gold threads. The embroidery art of Ancient China had a great influence on the needlework of Japan, Russia and other countries. History of Russian embroidery
    In pagan times, embroidery was mainly used to decorate towels, sheets, towels, tablecloths, curtains and various bedspreads. Clothes were also decorated with embroidery: sundresses, hats, shirts.
    After the arrival of Christianity in Rus', embroidered products acquired a new meaning. People began to decorate windows, mirrors and icons with embroidered items. Products embroidered in one day were considered especially valuable. Usually several craftswomen worked on such things at once. They started at dawn, and if they managed to finish the work before sunset, then the product was considered perfectly clean and capable of protecting against evil forces, natural disasters, diseases and other misfortunes.
    The motifs of the embroidered works were very diverse. There was a lot of symbolism and hidden meaning. There were human figures with raised hands, birds of paradise, and fairy-tale animals. In ornaments, for example, a rhombus and a circle symbolized the sun, and a hooked cross symbolized a wish for goodness and mutual understanding.
    Initially, embroidery in Rus' was an activity for the elite. Until the seventeenth century, it was practiced by nuns and members of the nobility. The materials were expensive fabrics such as velvet and silk, gems, pearls, gold and silver threads.
    Since the 17th century, this type of needlework has been included in the category of compulsory activities for peasant girls. Starting from the age of seven or eight, girls began to prepare their dowry for the wedding. It was necessary to embroider tablecloths, bedspreads, towels, tablecloths, as well as various clothes. It was also customary to embroider special gifts for the groom's relatives and guests. On the eve of the wedding, an exhibition of the prepared dowry was held in front of all the honest people, this helped everyone to appreciate the skill and hard work of the bride.
    Historians will divide Russian peasant embroidery into two categories, based on geographical characteristics.
    Embroidery of the Central Russian strip characterized by the use of threads of different colors and a variety of fabrics that could act as pattern elements.
    - characterized by the use of mainly red threads and white fabric. Or vice versa. You can read about her

    17.03.2010

    The development of Russian embroidery was greatly influenced by Byzantine needlework. Therefore, in the works of the craftswomen, native Russian motifs are combined with the heritage of foreign embroidery schools. Many needlewomen are interested in where embroidery originates, that is, the history of its origin. It is also interesting to explore the chronicle of its development and spread among. In this article we will look at the history of the art of embroidery, its main points, and also make a brief excursion into each type of embroidery.

    Embroidery in the primitive period

    Yes, oddly enough, embroidery originates precisely at this time. Our great-great-great-grandmothers first began to embroider in the primitive age. Of course, this embroidery had little resemblance to modern beautiful creations, but still this beginning means a lot in the life of every needlewoman!

    Primitive women in their work used all available means that could be compared with modern needles, thread and fabric - chiseled stone in the form of a needle, sharp bones, animal sinews and skin, hair, wool, etc. Agree, cross-stitch done with hair and embellished with veins would not look very attractive nowadays. But in those days there were no other materials in nature, and we had to start somewhere.

    The first stitches were more of a practical use: women sewed together pieces of leather that they wore as clothing. Then they began to embellish their clothes with primitive ornaments. This became the first purpose of embroidery as an aesthetic decoration and served as a basis for the further development of this needlework.

    The first embroideries on fabrics

    It is recorded that in history such embroideries first appeared in Ancient China. Of course, this is very relative information about their primacy, but it is still believed that it was in China, in the 6th-5th centuries BC, that they embroidered on silk fabrics. The drawings were related to nature and often depicted birds. By the way, the first silk fabrics began to be produced there, in China. They were very expensive, so embroidery was done exclusively by women from the nobility.

    It is also known that the first fabrics that were suitable for embroidery were made from wool. But the palm was taken by linen fabric, which was distinguished by its whiteness and suitable structure. Its homeland is Ancient India, where the first flax was grown.

    Pagan times among the Slavs

    In pagan times, the Slavs began to attach great importance to embroidered ornaments. Everything that was embroidered carried some kind of “subtext”. Embroidered towels were especially held in high esteem. They depicted colorful motifs that symbolized prosperity in the home and health. With their help, various rituals were performed. They also trimmed casual and festive clothes, bed linen, curtains, etc.

    Christianity

    At this time, women supported the handicraft traditions of their pagan ancestors, and also came up with new ornaments. It was then that icons began to be decorated with embroidered towels, and it was during Christianity that the “cross stitch” technique began to be used very often. The cross had not only aesthetic value, but also had (according to the beliefs of that time) very magical properties- protect from damage, “bad eyes”, as well as from evil spirits. In the XII-XV centuries, they began to often embroider patterns made of rhombuses and hooks.

    Diamonds with hooks in Russian embroidery of the 12th-15th centuries, click to enlarge (the picture shows: 1 - image of the embroidered cover on the icon “The Prepared Throne” attributed to A. Rublev, 15th century; 2 – pattern based on the embroidery on the frontispiece of the Moscow Gospel , 15th century; 3 – image of embroidered clothing on the Yaroslavl icon of the Archangel Michael, late 13th century; 4 – embroidered gold braid from a treasure of the 12th-13th centuries.

    Since all the materials needed for embroidery were very expensive, until about the XVII-XVIII centuries. n. e. this occupation was the prerogative of women from wealthy families, as well as nuns. After this turning point, ordinary peasant women began to engage in embroidery. They scrupulously sat over cross-stitch and dreamed from childhood how they would get married in clothes they had embroidered with their own hands, having with them a dowry of embroidered things (blankets, pillows, towels, etc.).

    In Rus', women usually embroidered with the following types of stitches: cross stitch, half-cross stitch, counted stitch, small white stitch, end-to-end sewing.

    As for other countries, in Rome and Greece embroidery with gold threads was highly revered. These were incredibly luxurious ornaments, often decorating silk fabrics.

    Embroidery today

    Modern needlewomen have stopped paying such close attention to the meaning of ornaments and stitches, although the cross is still considered good sign. Sometimes women embroider amulets for family and friends. But most often, embroidery is done for the soul - it smoothly migrated from a mystical activity to a hobby.

    Now it is much easier to choose an interesting pattern, because there is a great opportunity to buy a book, a magazine with patterns, or ready-made ones. In ancient times, patterns were passed down by inheritance - from grandmother to mother, from mother to daughter, etc., and also, as they say, “from hand to hand” - for example, close friends often exchanged ready-made patterns.

    Nowadays, such a direction as machine embroidery has appeared.

    A brief excursion into history different types embroidery

    • Cross-stitch appeared in the primitive age. This is the most popular type of embroidery, which gained great popularity with the advent of Christianity.
    • Satin embroidery first decorated canvas in China in the 1st-2nd centuries BC. This country has always been ahead of others in terms of handicrafts.
    • First embroidery gold threads According to legend, it belongs to the Phrygian kingdom (west of Asia Minor). It was also common in Rome and Greece.
    • Embroidery ribbons- property of France. It appeared in the second half of the 18th century and was a very favorite pastime of Louis XV.
    • Beadwork appeared around the time beads were made (the first beads appeared in Egypt around the 3rd millennium BC).
    • originally from France - it was there, in 1821, that the first embroidery machine appeared.
    • Richelieu embroidery appeared in Europe in the 17th century and was named after its “discoverer” - Cardinal Richelieu.

    The art of sewing and embroidery has developed rapidly over thousands of years and has managed to turn into a favorite pastime of many women around the world.

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