Embroidery

 

Edge of woman's chemise, Doupnitza region,19th century

 

 

Edge of woman's chemise, Ihtiman region, 19th century

 

 

Sleeve of woman's chemise, detail. Doupnitza region, 19 century

 

 

Sleeve of woman's chemise, Sofia region, 19th century

 

 

 

 

 

Embroidered belts

The Bulgarian women's embroidering art was noted by many a foreign traveller in the Bulgarian lands during the 16th-19th centuries. The tradition of embroidery was mostly spread among the peasant population and predominantly connected with the decoration of garments. Ornamental needlework involved counting the cloth fibres and, in the case of thin cotton and silk textiles, using an embroidery frame for stretching the material with the pattern being previously drawn on it using a pencil or a stick of charcoal.

Traditional Bulgarian embroidery is characterized by great regional and local diversity. There is a wide variety of flat, raised and open-work stitches. Among those most often applied are several types of stitches: straight stitch (horizontal and slanted); cross stitch (or Koumanian); loop stitch, and two-faced stitch. The high artistic value of the designs is largely due to the skilful selection and treatment of materials. Commonly used are woollen and silk threads. Metallic (golden) threads would give a touch of brilliance and magnificence to the embroidery. The designs are primarily geometrical, combined with stylized floral motifs and animal and human figures. 
Colour is of key importance for the ethnic specificity of Bulgarian folk costumes. The typical colours used in ornamental embroidery  designs intended for clothing are red, black, and white. This seemingly narrow range of colours, however, does not represent  the actual situation. Each colour is displayed in a number of shades and combinations, sometimes clear and brilliant, sometimes dark and harmonious, and sometimes deep and contrasting.
By Nadia Rashkova

Bulgarian women were allowed to embroider only until their wedding day – after that, they were having the right to do it again only when their own daughters become 12 years and they need to learn how to do it.The girls start at 12 years old embroidering what it will be later her trousseau when she gets married, and this was the highest skill of all domestic crafts.The color of the dresses as well have significance, many colors dye the Bulgarian costumes, but the main ones are red and green, yellow and white.

The red color symbolizes the mother’s blood and the continuation of life. It will protect from “bad eyes” and spells. The bride wore a red veil (this was common practice until 1920′ s), and the newborn child was a red-haired diaper; red is also the first Christ’s egg painted for resurrection. The green color was the expression of eternal life and was connected with the Tree of life – the universal human symbol of the universe.

The yellow with its shine was associated with the sun, the fire, and the light, and on the other side the dead and the prosperity of the people that they were predetermined.

The white color revealed the purity, the impenetrability, the immaculate youth, and the divine light. And to this day, as a transformation of the old traditions, the.  newlyweds have come to pay for whitewash; white wool set the bride in the wedding ceremony. Traditional Bulgarian embroidery is characterized by great regional and local diversity and can be seen on regional costumes of both men and women. Once upon a time, Bulgarian embroideries revealed the social status and ethnic origin of a person. 
Tree of Life: It stands for a three-level vertical representation of our world. The crown symbolizes the Upper World or the Heavens, the trunk embodies the Earth and the roots stand for the Underworld, the home of demonic forces. The Young Sun or what Bulgarians called The Young Deity was believed to climb down the Tree’s branches at a certain time every year to illuminate human life and mark a new beginning. This motif appeared on cardigans and shirts in the entire country.
The swastica:The Swastika is associated with the cult of the Slavic god of the sun and the fire of Svaroh.and have been in the Bulgarian embroidery since the early Neolithic period. For thousands of years, it has illuminated people’s best hopes for fertility, success, love, joy, and prosperity.
By Yoana Lyubenova 

The Bulgarian embroidery hides mystic enigmas, containing ancient Bulgarian and antiquity symbols. The placing of the embroidery is not random at all and here is why...

Traditional Bulgarian embroidery is incredibly versatile. There are several types of stitches: straight stitch (horizontal and slanted); cross stitch (or Koumanian); loop stitch, and two-faced stitch. Commonly used materials are woollen and silk threads. Metallic (golden) threads would give a touch of brilliance and magnificence to the embroidery. The designs are primarily geometrical, combined with stylized floral motifs and animal and human figures. The hem embroidered with anthropomorphic figures is typical of the patterns from the town of Samokov. Embroidery from the Sofia region is a symmetrical, elaborate combination of geometrical motifs of ancient origin and meaning. The dense embroidery from South-west Bulgaria, with its typical interplay of red and wine-red hues, is entirely different from the sokai embroidery of the Gabrovo area - open-worked and decorated with gold threads.
The typical colours used in ornamental embroidery designs intended for clothing are red, black, and white. Each of these colours is displayed in a lot of shades and combinations, sometimes clear and brilliant and sometimes dark and harmonious.

The colours that are used also carry their own symbolism, and heavily influence the meanings behind the designs. Associated with the Tree of Life, the colour green represents eternal life and resurrection. Red, is the symbol of maternal blood and life expectancy, and is often found used alongside green. White, as in many cultures, symbolises purity and innocence, but also joy, grandeur and beauty. Today, contemporary designers adopt on-trend colours to recreate these folkloric elements in modern design.
There are a variety of symbols, but one of the most important is the rhomb, which represents the feminine being. Different combinations of rhomb produce different shapes and messages, and each position has an individual meaning. Traditionally, the shapes and colours of a woman's clothing will be used to communicate her social status, for example, whether she is married or where her family came from.

Contemporary designers often draw their inspiration from an array of sources, both modern and ancient, to express their ideas in new and unique ways. Bulgarian embroidery has provided inspiration to many designers over the years, from fashion design to jewellery, graphics and interiors. 
Bulgarian embroidery is a modern enigma, which houses deep-seated embedded technology and ancient unbreakable codes.

Lilia Petrova