Embroidery

Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, embroidery in Bulgaria, practised especially by women, attracted the attention of many foreign travellers passing through the Bulgarian lands. Primarily a rural art, it was used to decorate clothing. Embroidery involved counting the threads of the fabric. An embroidery hoop was used for fine cotton and silk materials, with the designs first outlined in charcoal or pencil.

Traditional Bulgarian embroidery displays considerable regional and local variety, based on three main colours: black, red and white. Its techniques use flat, raised and openwork stitches. These include straight (split) stitch, cross stitch (also called Cuman stitch), loop stitch and double-sided stitch.

The high artistic quality of embroidered ornament comes from the skill involved in selecting, combining and working the materials. Woollen and silk threads are commonly used, while metallic threads, known as sarma, add brilliance and splendour. The motifs are chiefly geometric, combined with stylised floral, animal and human forms.

Different Bulgarian regions developed characteristic styles. In Samokov, for example, works featuring human figures are typical, while embroidery from the Sofia region combines ancient geometric motifs rich in meaning. The dense embroidery of south-western Bulgaria is distinguished by the blending of red and wine-coloured tones. It is quite different from the openwork and metallic-thread decoration of sokay embroidery. Bulgarian embroidery thus combines a wealth of traditions, techniques and motifs, preserving the country's rich cultural and artistic heritage.