May 8, 2020 by in Art & Fashion, Culture, Rituals, Ukraine
Crafts as Cure
In Ukraine, there is an old tradition of embroidering a rushnyk, a hand towel, during dark periods of one’s life. It matters less what’s embroidered than the process of doing so. Once the rushnyk is done, it’s tied to a tree branch and allowed to decay. This way, people say, one’s worries and dark thoughts become scattered.
I don’t know if my great-grandmother Asya followed this tradition consciously–at any rate, she was far too practical to hang perfectly good fabric in the garden, but she wove her own cloth and embroidered. Even the most ubiquitous items in the house like newspaper holders and bread bags were embellished. Her most beautiful embroideries, however, weren’t meant to be seen. They were her undergarments.
Emily in Lavender Perfumes : Not So Simple (and my Lavender Gold Standard): Mmmmm, MEM by Bogue. Got a sample early on in my fragrance obsessive phase & then a decant. My first prismatic encounter. Haven’t smelled it in too long, you’re inspiring… January 13, 2025 at 12:58pm