Thread by @denfordauthor

Happy Monday, allies. This week on May 18th, Ukrainians celebrate #VyshyvankaDay- the second one that has happened during this war. What is a vyshyvanka and why do Ukrainians wear it? A thread. (sources: uamodna. com, tvoyemisto. tv) #Ukraine

"Embroidery is an important craft within #Ukraine and traditionally, the thread was colored according to local formulas using bark, leaves, flowers, berries. In this way, the environment is literally reflected in the embroidery — Echoes of the Past: Ukrainian Poetic Cinema

A vyshyvanka's fabric, cut, and motifs in it, can tell a lot about its owner. In some areas, flax linen was common, in others – hemp. In the Lviv region they used mostly flax – Lyubov Svarnyk, Lviv Museum of Folk Architecture and Life

Shirts have always been embroidered by women, and that is why they were talismans of goodness, love and loyalty. An ancient spell said "the shirt on one’s body is white and clean, so let the husband’s attitude towards his wife be the same".

One of the first people who combined vyshyvanka with workaday clothes was the writer Ivan Franko. He wore it under his jacket and together with modern garments. He appears on 20-Hryvnia note dressed exactly like that.

bright red colours were typical of the ancient Yavoriv region. The inhabitants of Sokal region used black thread (so-called graphic embroidery), and there were always bright flowers on the Bukovynian shirt.

On weekdays, people embroidered simpler shirts, but on holidays the embroidered shirt had to be more colorful. The best shirt was made for the girl when she was going to get married. Both the canvas and the threads had to be new. Such a shirt was kept by the woman her whole life.

"The vyshyvanka was embroidered by a mother, grandmother or great-grandmother. We remember our family, land, and traditions. Even in the years of exile, people take documents and clothes, including an embroidered shirt as the basis of the national costume."- Lyubov Svarnyk