In the Russian North, all kinds of domestic women’s crafts were widely developed: patterned knitting, embroidery, weaving, stuffing. Crafts made it possible to decorate everyday clothes, create elegant woven and embroidered items for ritual purposes. Each of them had its own expressive means, ornament features and special techniques of its implementation. In certain areas of Pomorie it even had its own characteristics and unique features.

The history of weaving dates back several millennia. The unique feature of the North Russian folk fabrics is the abundant pattern and its careful graphic development which is quite complicated sometimes. At the same time, it is restraint in its application: only the edges of the product were decorated with a colorful pattern, which left the main part of it either smooth-white, or with a white, relief, modest and discreet pattern.

The color of northern fabrics is also restrained: it is based on a strict combination of red and white, where white prevails (for instance, the white cloth and narrow red border). On the border a red pattern appears on a white background. White and red colors are balanced, their presence is almost the same, which is why the overall tone of this pattern is not thick red, but pinkish. This gives northern fabrics a certain lightness and sophistication. Even on the multicolored fabric (for example, a striped or checkered rug) the color is more often soft, relatively light.

 

One of the most common ways of decorating fabric in the Russian North along with weaving was embroidery. Embroidered simple patterns decorated Pomors’ clothes and household items. Embroidery was common, as it did not require particularly complex devices. But in embroidery masters saw not only a way to decorate the fabric, but also an opportunity to endow this fabric with ornamental symbols that hold magical power which could protect people from evil forces.

Embroidery decorated the interior of the houses and various items with ritual purposes: sheets edges, tablecloths, towels, zippers and so on. Great importance was given to embroidery in the design of festive and ceremonial clothing. Headwear of young married women and girls were specifically decorated. In addition, in a number of villages jewelry was also embroidered: neck decorations, ribbons, armbands, etc. In some volosts mittens, gloves and belts were embroidered. Embroidery was a domestic occupation and had no artistic value, although some of the finished items were for sale. Headwear and jewelry with gold embroidery were sewn on request.

Arkhangelsk patterned knitting has undergone almost no changes for many centuries. The craftswomen passed on the secrets of their craft from generation to generation. Thanks to them, the art of patterned knitting still pleases us today.

Photo credits to: E. Terpilko, L. Ashitok, the company "White Sea patterns"

Information was prepared by the staff of the Arkhangelsk Regional Scientific Library named after N.A. Dobrolyubova, more information on the website http://cultnord.ru/