Pearls and Golden Twists
“The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths, it has its pearls too.”Vincent Van Gogh
An exquisite air of the technique, rooted in the 16th century - the traditional needlework found in Olonets, Novgorod and also in some southern regions of Russia. The patterns remind the filigree of bobbin lace - the motifs of "frozen" twists and curls, flower buds and twigs.
The name of the embroidery technique refers to the process of a “white laid work" made with white cotton or linen cords, couched by metalized or the same colour threads, constructing the base for stitching the pearls onto.
The imagery is quite simple but significant: the pagan heritage is mixed with Christianity symbols, Solar-centrism, the symbol of the Cross, the Tree of Life, Mother’s womb and family, seeds which give growth to the new generations.
Pearls and mother of pearl were typical elements used for embroidery decoration since medieval times. The rives and lakes in ancient Russia were rich in molluscs such as Unionidae and Margaritifera. The shells of these molluscs, even today are used for beads and sequins making, serve as the material for pearl buttons, while the tender flesh hides the gemstone, used for embroidery and jewellery making.
The pearl industry in Russia, in comparison with India and China, seemed huge and, the volume of pearl production and trading to the European countries was extremely huge. In some regions of the so-called "Pearl stream" (Terijoki), the Volga, Lake Onega and the Baltic sea, even peasants could afford to wear pearl beaded jewellery or embroider clothes with freshwater pearls.
Artisans did not use the stones of a regular shape - which were in demand and for sale. Own clothes they embellished with the uneven, "potato-shaped" and "rice-shaped" beads. In the design, they appeared quite inventive too, creating the embroidery technique, which at that moment appeared rather "sustainable", as we would call it today.
The pearl beads were set on a high relief made of thick cotton/linen cords (usually white). These cords were sewn to the fabric with metallic threads or thin cotton threads, forming the curls of the design. The reverse side of the embroidery was stabilized with a special sort of self-made glue, "cooked" of starch and flour. After drying, the "stabilizer" made the embroidery firm and possible to cut out. Such decorative elements were sewn onto various clothes and reused. The name "Sazhenie" is derived from the process of "laid work" and thread "couching". When a constructed base is "crowned" with pearl beads, laid side-by-side. This embroidery method can be combined with goldwork embroidery, bead weaving and silk embroidery.
"Mtu wa ""Moyo wa Mtu"" ni kama bahari, ina dhoruba zake, ina mawimbi yake, na katika kina chake, ina lulu zake pia. - Vincent van Gogh, ""Moyo wa Mtu"" ni kazi ya kawaida ya kushona iliyopatikana katika Olonets, Novgorod na pia katika baadhi ya mikoa ya kusini mwa Urusi." Michoro hiyo hukumbusha filigree ya lace ya bobbin - michoro ya miundo na manyoya ya "kuyeyushwa", buds za maua na matawi. "Jina la mbinu ya embroidery inahusu mchakato wa ""kazi nyeupe iliyowekwa"" iliyofanywa na kamba nyeupe za pamba au kitani, iliyofunikwa na nyuzi za rangi sawa, kujenga msingi wa kushona lulu juu yake." "Mfano ni rahisi lakini muhimu: urithi wa kipagani ni mchanganyiko na ishara za Ukristo, Solar-centrism, ishara ya Msalaba, Mti wa Maisha, tumbo la mama na familia, mbegu ambayo kutoa ukuaji kwa vizazi vipya. """ Lulu na mama ya lulu zilikuwa vitu vya kawaida vilivyotumiwa kwa mapambo ya kutengeneza vitambaa tangu nyakati za kati. Mito na maziwa ya Urusi ya kale yalikuwa na wanyama wengi kama vile Unionidae na Margaritifera. Makombora ya mollusks hizi, hata leo hutumiwa kwa ajili ya beads na sequins kufanya, kutumika kama nyenzo kwa ajili ya beads lulu, wakati nyama nyembamba huficha jiwe la thamani, kutumika kwa ajili ya embroidery na jewelry kufanya. Kwa mfano, katika Urusi, biashara ya lulu ni kubwa sana ikilinganishwa na India na China, na kiasi cha uzalishaji wa lulu na biashara kwa nchi za Ulaya ni kubwa sana. Katika maeneo fulani ya mto wa lulu (Terijoki), Volga, Ziwa Onega, na Bahari ya Baltiki, hata wakulima waliweza kuvaa vito vyenye lulu au kuvaa mavazi yenye lulu za maji baridi. Wasanii hawakutumia mawe yenye umbo la kawaida - ambayo yalikuwa yakitafutwa na kuuzwa. Mavazi yao wenyewe waliyapamba kwa shanga zisizo sawa, "za umbo la viazi" na "za umbo la mchele". Katika muundo, walionekana kuwa wabunifu sana pia, wakitengeneza mbinu ya kushona, ambayo wakati huo ilionekana kuwa "endelevu", kama tunavyoiita leo. Vipande vya lulu vilitengenezwa kwa nyuzi nzito za pamba au kitani (kwa kawaida nyeupe). Kamba hizo zilitengenezwa kwa nyuzi za chuma au nyuzi nyembamba za pamba, na hivyo kutokeza nyuzi za muundo huo. Upande wa nyuma wa utengenezaji huo ulitegemezwa kwa aina ya gundi ya pekee iliyotengenezwa na mtu mwenyewe, "iliyotiwa" kwa wanga na unga. Baada ya kukauka, "kiunganishi" hicho kilifanya utando huo uwe imara na uweze kukatwa. Vitu hivyo vya mapambo vilitengenezwa kwenye mavazi mbalimbali na kutumiwa tena. Jina "Sazhenie" linatokana na mchakato wa "kazi iliyowekwa" na nyuzi "couching". Wakati msingi uliojengwa "unapopakwa taji" kwa shanga za lulu, zinazowekwa kando-kando. Njia hii ya kushona inaweza kuunganishwa na kushona kwa dhahabu, kushona kwa shanga na kushona kwa hariri.