Girls in peasant families learned to spin, weave and embroider at an early age of 7–8. As they were growing up, they were gradually preparing a dowry for a future wedding and gifts for a groom’s family. Embroidered shirts, sarafans, skirts, apron, sleeves were an obligatory part of the dowry. Also, the craftswomen created items that were useful in everyday life — tablecloths, towels, bedskirts, and other things.
Kargopol and its surroundings were known for the good embroidery for many years. This craft was practiced in every family. Even in the first half of the 20th century, almost every house had a stretcher — embroidery hoops. The scenes and ornaments for embroidery were passed from generation to generation. Some of the ornaments were created several hundred years ago.
The collection of embroidery items in the museum’s collection includes about 500 items and dates back to the 19th — early 20th century. Embroidery was used to decorate numerous items, but most often it can be found on the oplechye (shoulder part) of women’s shirts.
Usually, the oplechye was made in the form of a rectangle or trapeze. It was embroidered in a rectangular shape and featured a dense carpet pattern. Most often, young women decorated the edges with various flowers. A pattern of rhombuses, rosettes (flower ornaments), eight-pointed stars, triangles and other shapes created one zigzag line in the center. The entire space of the oplechye was embroidered. As a rule, Kargopol craftswomen made it dark crimson or rich pink, adding blue, green and golden silk, and sometimes gold threads.
Oplechyes feature a variety of embroidery techniques. Local craftswomen mastered almost all sewing techniques, including a double-running stitch, a textured stitch, an openwork “perevit” stitch, a satin stitch, and a feather stitch.
Kargopol oplechyes are famous for their intricate composition, the harmony of the detailed pattern elements, the elegant mix of red and other colors. These small embroidered items look like miniature carpets. Throughout the Russian North, there is no other embroidery school with such a variety of colors and diverse techniques, as the Kargopol one.
Kargopol and its surroundings were known for the good embroidery for many years. This craft was practiced in every family. Even in the first half of the 20th century, almost every house had a stretcher — embroidery hoops. The scenes and ornaments for embroidery were passed from generation to generation. Some of the ornaments were created several hundred years ago.
The collection of embroidery items in the museum’s collection includes about 500 items and dates back to the 19th — early 20th century. Embroidery was used to decorate numerous items, but most often it can be found on the oplechye (shoulder part) of women’s shirts.
Usually, the oplechye was made in the form of a rectangle or trapeze. It was embroidered in a rectangular shape and featured a dense carpet pattern. Most often, young women decorated the edges with various flowers. A pattern of rhombuses, rosettes (flower ornaments), eight-pointed stars, triangles and other shapes created one zigzag line in the center. The entire space of the oplechye was embroidered. As a rule, Kargopol craftswomen made it dark crimson or rich pink, adding blue, green and golden silk, and sometimes gold threads.
Oplechyes feature a variety of embroidery techniques. Local craftswomen mastered almost all sewing techniques, including a double-running stitch, a textured stitch, an openwork “perevit” stitch, a satin stitch, and a feather stitch.
Kargopol oplechyes are famous for their intricate composition, the harmony of the detailed pattern elements, the elegant mix of red and other colors. These small embroidered items look like miniature carpets. Throughout the Russian North, there is no other embroidery school with such a variety of colors and diverse techniques, as the Kargopol one.
