Adornment is never anything but an expression of the human heart, and the human need to align oneself with the world.

The word ‘adorn’ and ‘ornament’ relate directly to the word ‘order,’ to the pattern of the cosmos. And so to adorn has also been associated with aligning to a greater pattern, a pattern evident in the harmonic structures of nature […] 
(Joshua Schrie, The Emerald)  

Embroidery is one of the oldest ways humans have been expressing their heart’s desire and need to adorn themselves and all they touch. It dates back as far as 30,000 years (at least). 

The tradition of making rushnyky, or ritual cloths is also ancient, and continues to this day, as a way of imbuing cloth and threads with prayers and spells for an important or special occasion. Rushnyky are prepared for all important rites of passage, and especially in times of crisis and calamity, when the need for protection, and good forces is even more important. 

Delve into this beautiful and sacred practice and begin your journey into the rich world of embroidery.

Join instructor Bozena Hrycyna of Kosa Kolektiv & Folk Camp Canada for an introduction to free form embroidery through a day-long immersion into the tradition of the ritual cloth (“rushnyk”).

The workshop is designed for beginners and will focus on learning best practices and gaining general familiarity with various materials and techniques used in embroidery, and specifically stitches used for rushnyky made with drawn forms.  

You’ll be introduced to some freeform techniques such as stem stitch, split stitch and chain stitch, as well as satin stitch, which can be used to beautifully depict any drawn form, and are used to “draw” organic forms onto the cloth  (namely flowers, birds, vines). 

We’ll look at the traditional archaic motifs of natural forms such as the ‘tree of life’ and its variation- ‘the flowers in a vase’ which are characteristic of the rushnyky from the central and eastern (Leftbank) parts of Ukraine. 

This class is suitable for ages 12+

$150.00 + HST
$20 material fee to be paid to Božena on the day (for embroidery hoops, fabric, needles and floss)

Fresh lunch, snacks and drinks included. All dietary needs accommodated.

CALL TO REGISTER – (613) 464-2105

EMAIL TO REGISTER  admin@thecordwoodstudio.com