SHEVITSA by Kalina Zlatkova

SHEVITSA

I. INTRODUCTION ..................................... 5 II. COLORS ................................................ 9 III. ELEMENTS ............................................... 23 IV. TYPEFACE ........................................... 27

INTRODUCTION

A lot of magnificent pieces of the folk applied art have been preserved in the Bulgarian ethnographic museums. Most remarkable among them is the part of the embroidery created by generations of tireless women’s hands. This in fact happens to be one of the most complicated house chores. Being a result of many years of labor and created with love, the Bulgarian embroidery turns to be a resource of emotional relish. As an element of traditional Bulgarian costume decoration it is usually located along the necklines and the hems of the women’s robes, around the neck and on the sleeves of the shirts, it could be seen also adorning the traditional Bulgarian low-necked sleeveless dresses, aprons, kerchiefs, etc. Besides everything else, the Bulgarian embroidery has always helped in the education of the rising generations, forming in them virtue and aesthetic taste as well as a flair for beauty and convenience of the clothes and home. Looking at the patterns you can feel the love for family, friends and the lovely Bulgarian nature, laid as seal on them by the master hands. In the past embroidering was a very substantial part of the women’s and maidens’ everyday life, to which even a special ritual was dedicated. At a spring fest all the lasses had to embroider a number of different stitches and patterns on a piece of cloth and drop it flowing along the river, believing that this would make their fingers really fast and quick, which is preserved nowadays by our pieces of embroidery. I remember an elder illiterate woman in a village near mine, in the region of the city - Kyustendil, saying that for her stitches and patterns were the same as letters to those who could write and read. The Bulgarian traditional embroidering ornaments are unique both with the plenty of patterns and stitches and with the wealth of colours. According to the technique of fulfilment two types of embroidering could be detached, one of them based on planning the number of stitches and

canvas threads, and the other using a drawing sketched beforehand on the textile. The first of these types is the one to offer a wider variety of creative possibilities and to be much more popular for this reason. Among the patterns the greatest is the share of floral ones, stylized flowers with four, six or eight petals being the most frequently met. The usual practice is to represent them fully with a seed-vessel as a symbol of the new beginning. Roses, carnations, tulips, hollyhocks, vines, apples can be seen embroidered, as well as the ancient pattern of the tree of life. The oldest patterns, anyway, though being much more rarely met, are the ones representing animal figures. These are simplified and generally schematized images, mainly in profile, most often of roosters, ducks, pigeons, peacocks or simply hens, horses, caterpillars, etc. Along with the floral, animal and human patterns, purely geometrical ones can be found in the Bulgarian embroidery too, lines (straight, curved, zigzag), triangles, tetragons, rhombi and polygons dominate among them. Sometimes they are used separately, but most of all in combination with the other kinds of patterns. The special artistic impression of the Bulgarian embroidery is due to the masterly reached harmony of materials, technique and decoration. The technique is the one that assures the large range of possibilities for recreating the complex natural motifs without duplicating them. The basic decoration methods used include geometrical schematization, abstraction, over-simplification. Concentrating her attention on some separate part of the object, the embroidress emphasizes on the essential and typical in it eliminating everything casual, the result being an abstraction. In a similar 5

INTRODUCTION

way, through generalization of the imaginary subjects’ their basic properties are reached too. Gradually a significant part of the patterns have lost their pictorial roots because of an extreme simplification to obtain the look of geometrical figures. One of the most important terms of turning a piece of embroidery into a work of art is the appropriate composition, including rhythm, symmetry and contrast. The rhythm of the simple repetition happens to be not only the oldest, but the most often applied too. Its appearance may be observed at different structural levels. Elements, patterns, friezes and even whole compositions could be an object of repetition in different types of rhythm as successive, reflexive, etc. Sometimes ornamental forms could be composed on the principle of the contrast, its aesthetic means of expression are mainly the opposite positions, as horizontal – vertical – diagonal, as well as left – right, when regarding the direction, or big – small, long – short and wide – narrow, in respect to the size. A telling example of the wide – narrow opposition are the Elhovo regional patterns called “mezhdulki” (in-betweens), representing themselves black and narrow, high and schematized ornaments alternated with wide colourful one. Symmetry has a very important place in the embroidery of ornamental decoration as the symmetric construction of the ornaments, patterns and even of whole compositions resembles the natural bilateral symmetry of the human body. In many of the cultural and ethnographic regions asymmetrical ornaments have been used too. But even so, they have been constructed in a way to call forth the impression of optical equilibrium. The perfection of an ornamental form, in the end, depends on its structural centre. The last can coincide optically with the geometrical centre of the composition, but that coinciding is not obligatory and 6

the structural centre can be moved upwards, downwards, aside of the geometrical one or even near the outline of the composition. One of the most valuable qualities of Bulgarian national embroidery is its colouring. It is built on numerous colour combinations – serene and clear, saturated and dark, harmonious and contrasting. Variety and diversity arranged in specific colour relations are characteristic of it. The typical colours are the red, green, blue, brown, black or very dark tones. The shades of the red from the darkest to the pink, are definitely prevailing. In the past they were regarded to the holidays and the rituals. But in some ethnographic regions, near Pleven and Razgrad for example, brown black are prevailing. The expressive power of the embroidery depends, not only on how many colours are in the decoration, but also on the rich harmony of their shades and nuances. This richness is based on the grade of saturation of the tones a well as on the contrast of cold and warm colours. Well measured in both strength and taken place, the colours in the Bulgarian embroidery exist in the condition of absolute balance and harmony. Regarding the colour, exclusively interesting is the Elhovo regional embroidery again as there are almost no prevailing colours in it. All of them as a rule are taking practically equal places in the composition and besides that it is hardly possible to harmonize the hues to be used there – fiery red next to bright orange, grape purple, saturated pink, earth green, sky blue, lively yellow. Yet, if in the first of the patterns red is prevailing, purple is the second, orange the third and so on, divided by black “mezhdulki”, as a final result this adds colouring through harmony and balance. All of the hereby described qualities of the Bulgarian national embroidery form its unique beauty. Therefore it is not a matter of fortune that, among

INTRODUCTION

all the Bulgarian applied arts, embroidery is the most worshipped abroad. A lot of magnificent pieces of original embroidery, being preserved up until now, arouse in us feelings of admiration and great esteem for their unknown creators. But the point is that the same patterns could be successfully applied to our nowadays life, bringing a lot of beauty and style into our homes and clothes. These pages represent the result of many years of creative search and travels through the length and the breadth of the country with great love for Bulgarian embroidery, and hopefully will paint a picture of this magnificent traditional art, and mostly its value as a source of ideas for recreating its form in the present day.

THE COLORS

The significance and power of impact in Bulgarian embroidery lies in the magical ability of the embossment, written by the people’s faith, to bring health and well-being to mankind. That is why the Bulgarian woman keeps it and protects it through the ages and necessarily hands it over to her daughters along the secrets of this ancient art. They called it “writing”, and within it can be observed the age old message of our ancestors. According to the old Bulgarians, what we carry in ourselves (our Soul) and what we bring to ourselves (our apparel) are in direct connection and so we attract certain forces in our lives. With its incredible shapes and colors, the embroidery had blessed the Bulgarian and satisfied his ideal of beauty. The differences are the result of an authentic creative act, a striving to highlight individuality in every self-respecting village. The richness and symbolism of Bulgarian embroidery are subject to analysis by scientific ethnographers who rely on the ancient messages encoded in them. The three components of the traditional Bulgarian embroidery: rhythm, symmetry and contrast, are valid throughout the ethnic regions of the Bulgarians. Compared to the ornamentation of the fabrics, the embroidered compositions are characterized by an even greater variety due to the specific decorative techniques. Color is essential for the ethnic character of Bulgarian folk costumes. The typical colors used in the ornament of clothing are red, black and white. The seemingly limited color range is actually rich enough, as each color is represented by a number of shades and combinations, sometimes clear and bright, sometimes dark, harmonious, sometimes saturated and contrasting. An ancient tradition tells how the colors of the Bulgarian embroidery appeared. According to the legend, when St. George killed the dragon, three rivers flowed from it: the first of a white grain, the second of red wine, and the third of golden honey and oil. It is believed that the

colors of the Bulgarian embroidery appeared then. However the most distinctive feature of the national embroidery is its combination of simple and complex colors. The main color of all fabrics embroidered is red, the other colors are additional, most often in soft tones. The Red color for the Bulgarians symbolized the mother’s blood and the continuation of life. It protects people from “bad eyes” and curses. Brides were covered with a red veil, the newborn wore a red nappy, with a red thread were fastened together the ritual flowers.The White color reveals the power of purity, impenetrability, immaculate youth, and divine light. Stepping on a white wave - the newlyweds were married, a white wave covered the bride in the wedding ceremony, with a “white” coin were washed away all illnesses, in “white” vessels was poured silent water for the ritual breads. The Gold also has its own manifestation and symbolic meaning in the embroidery. It connects the sun, the fire and the light, with the prosperity of the people. In the golden waters of the magical river, according to the folk tale, the sorceress gilded the virtuous maiden. Green gave an expression to the ever-resurgent life and was associated with the tree of life-the universal human symbol for the cosmos. The two main ethnographic regions of Bulgaria, Eastern and Western, are known and characterized by a certain difference in both ornaments and colors. The red and green ones are basic, but in the embroidery of the regions of Western Bulgaria (such as Vidin, Vrats, Sofia, Kyustendil, Troyan, Sevlievo, Pleven and others) there is a predominant red color and its lighter shades in Combination with blue and green. While in the regions of Eastern Bulgaria (Razgrad, Ruse, Elhovo, Karnobat, etc.) the red color is accompanied by dark tones (dark blue, brown, black), with the exception of Sliven, Stara Zagora and Kazanlak regions whose embroidery is characterized by brightness and colorfulness. 9

COLORS

1. Embroidery from Elhovo.

COLORS

2. Embroidery from Burgas.

3. Embroidery from Yambol.

COLORS

4. Embroidery from Kazanlak.

5. Embroidery from Kardzhali.

COLORS

6. Embroidery from Gotse Delchev.

7. Embroidery from Blagoevgrad.

COLORS

8. Embroidery from Samokov.

COLORS

9. Embroidery from Sofia.

COLORS

10. Embroidery from Vratsa.

11. Embroidery from Troyan.

COLORS

12. Embroidery from Vidin.

13. Embroidery from Lovetch.

COLORS

14. Embroidery from Pleven.

15. Embroidery from Veliko Tarnovo.

COLORS

16. Embroidery from Razgrad.

17. Embroidery from Dobrich.

COLORS

18. Embroidery from Varna.

19. Embroidery from Silistra.

COLORS

20. Embroidery from Kyustendil.

TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS

A primal element in the Bulgarian folk embroidery is the rhomb. It is an ancient symbol, part of the fine art of mankind, and is connected with the Goddess Mother, with the fertility of the earth and the female beginning. The rhomb is among the most important elements of the Bulgarian national costume. The apron with diamond shapes marks the birthplace of the female body. Worn by sexually mature girls and brides, it is a sign that they can already bear children and participate in the biological reproduction of the genus and continuation of the blood-line. The rhomb is also found in men’s clothing, wishing for fertility. It grows on and embraces the upper part of the shirt on the shoulder and represents a square or rectangular motif from which two straight narrow strips descend. The ornament is made of rhombic images with cloves, hooks and smaller diamonds in them. One of the most common topics in our ancestors’ archive is the subject of family, fertility and welfare of the clan. A series of wishes to the relatives are expressed in the weave. In some parts of Bulgaria, the tradition of “Engagement” or “Wedding” is preserved, when two clans come together and gift each other with aprons, handkerchiefs, towels, etc.Even while weaving her trousseau, gifts for future relatives, the bride had traditionally invested her wishes to the family members of her fiancé and future husband, as well as to her family. Embroidering or weaving itself had been subject to the strict wishful symbolism that the young bride donated to all attendees to the engagement or the wedding. In the gifts she had embroidered the figures of Makaz, Kanatitsa and Babitsa appear with their varieties. The Makaz is embroidered for an engagement. This figure is an example interpretation of a diamond composed of two triangles whose sharp peaks

touch or connect. Their touch is the meeting, the beginning of the contact, which is an engagement in its sexual symbolism. Ie. The Makaz’s symbol stands for “Couples,” “Coupling.” In ancient symbolism, two triangles connected with their sharp peaks are a sign of the male and female beginnings, of the divine and the earthly, of harmony and equanimity. The Grand Makaz means Wedding - the triangles penetrate each other. They symbolize the engagement already realized, ie. The sexual act of the newlyweds is sealed.The Great Makaz is a symbol of Marriage, the Father and the Mother in their sacred unity of future parents. The Kanatitsa or Family is illustrated with two small triangles on both sides of the main body of Makaz. The Father and the Mother have performed their ability to bear a child. The ultimate goal of creating the family is fulfilled. Triangles illustrate two children - a boy and a girl, but they are not sexually marked. The Grand Kanatitsa is the Clan (the figure grows with another triangle on the side) - when the first generation has its own heirs. The Great Kanatitsa - People. Here we see the triple symbol of fertility, the expansion of the genus, which symbolizes the creation of a nation, of a genetically connected genus and common wealth or tribe. We already have oneness of people, one ethnic group, one genetically and blood-related group of people belonging to the same roots. These people are connected by families and clans. Here, the kinship is not between two people, but between large groups of the population. The figures of the two triangles are already in contact with their larger sides and form a Rhomb the sign of unity of the kins. 23

ELEMENTS

With the Babitsa or connected families - to the main figure of the diamond are added two outward triangles. They illustrate not the children of the family, but members of the family who have created a relationship and formed families with members of another clan. Triangles directed outward mean leaving the native knee, its genetics and joining another. The Babitsa symbol can grow to Grand Babitsa - joint kins and joint tribes.

1. Makaz 2. Grand Makaz 3. Kanatitsa 4. Grand Kanatitsa 5. Great Kanatitsa 6. Sacred Diamond 7. Babitsa 8. Grand Babitsa

ELEMENTS

THE TYPEFACE

A Shevitsa is an embroidery on fabric serving for decoration. It comes from the word Шев (Shev), which means – a seam, a stitch. It is applied almost on all the parts of the Bulgarian folk costume, both in men’s and women’s clothing all over Bulgaria. It is the inspiration behind the design of this typeface. The harmony between thread and color in traditional Bulgarian embroidery is a form of art I have been surrounded by since I was a child. My great grandmother spent restless hours lingering over a piece of hem with a needle between her fingers, giving life to dozens of colorful cloths and patterns which I get to cherish till the present day. Many of her designs, and my own grandmother’s such years later, are what initially made me interested in patterns, textiles and the contemporisation of elements so ancient yet always remaining in style. The typeface itself is a repurposement of the embroidery. The letters were developed upon the model of the Great Kanatitsa – the Clan, formed through the happiest and most celebrated expansion of a family. Each symbol was built on top of the same primal shape, to give uniformity to all. Apart, each letter has an individual character, but combined together and readjusted, they form new patterns – new clans of shapes and letters. Ultimately the patterns can be again combined and shifted into print, or even adapted for textile.

The possibilities and combinations of shapes, colors and outcomes are endless. However, they will hopefully inspire others to look beyond the surface of textile and be able to understand better its purpose and find new applications for the threads and traditions it carries.

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SHEVITSA Typeface and Pattern Design Kalina Zlatkova Publication Design and Publishing Kalina Zlatkova Typeface Available for Download @ www.kzlatkova.co.uk Further Information and Contact kalina.r.zlatkova@gmail.com +44 754 22 121 40