Children's embroidery: how and which one to choose?

"My mother embroidered my shirt,
As if fate was leading with a cross..."

From time immemorial, Ukrainians considered embroidered clothing a sacred object and a talisman, wearing it only on holidays and passing it down from generation to generation. When a baby was born in a family, a shirt was necessarily embroidered for him, which was supposed to protect the child, because the symbolic patterns encoded the date of birth, the name of the baby, and wishes for health and happiness.

This wonderful tradition, nurtured by our ancestors and carried through the centuries, has returned to our lives with the revival of the Ukrainian nation and self-awareness. More and more often you can see children dressed in clothes with embroidery elements. Different in color, techniques, cut, purpose, original and beautiful embroidered things in the national style make little Ukrainians incredibly attractive.

The most energetically strong, of course, are things embroidered by a mother's hands. They carry within themselves all the boundlessness of a woman's love, care and tenderness for her child, filled with the warmth of her soul. However, if you don't have a talent for needlework, you can always buy beautiful children's embroidered things made by skilled craftsmen who know the secrets of Ukrainian embroidery, its symbols and signs, because today their choice is huge, for every taste.

But before embroidering yourself or buying a ready-made item, it is worth determining key points for yourself: what kind of embroidered item you want to see on your child (ornament, color, fabric, etc.), where and with what to wear it, how you will care for it.

Embroidery – as protection for a child

Each pattern in Ukrainian embroidery has long had its own meaning, they established the connection between the child and the family, they attracted good energy to the baby and protected him. Shirts embroidered with cross stitch protected from the evil eye, and girls' embroidered shirts sewn with a flat stitch symbolized the ability of their mistresses to find a compromise, to smooth out sharp corners in any situations.

Traditionally, all symbols on children's embroidery were divided into floral and geometric. Gradually, these ornaments began to be combined, and embroidered birds and animals appeared.

Boys' shirts are mostly embroidered with oak leaves or geometric ornaments, as a symbol of courage, strength, and firm character. Girls' clothes are decorated with signs of the earth, symbolizing hard work, flowers, a sign of feminine beauty, and viburnum, as a symbol of procreation.

The color of the ornament plays an important role in an embroidered shirt. For example, red embroidery is a symbol of fire, light, and love, blue is a symbol of water and sky, yellow symbolizes the sun, green means youth, and white means a pure soul and thoughts.

In different regions of Ukraine, traditional patterns differ in colors, their significance, and techniques. Therefore, it is worth considering all these features when choosing a children's vyshyvanka to feel a little calmer about your child, because he has a talisman.

But the main thing in children's clothing is, first of all, its quality. Our great-grandmothers used exclusively natural fabrics, linen and hemp for this. Natural fabrics are still one of the best for making children's clothes, however, modern materials are not inferior in quality. Silk, cambric, linen, calico, knitwear, satin - shirts made from these fabrics are pleasant to the touch, comfortable and easy to care for.

Modern technologies have affected not only the production of fabrics, but also the technique of embroidery itself. Of course, hand embroidery is beautiful and unique, always looks spectacular, but it is also valued the most. Machine embroidery and patches on shirts are cheaper and more affordable, while also having a very beautiful and attractive appearance, and the colors on them retain their brightness for a long time.

Children's embroidered shirts for all occasions

Beautiful, patriotic embroidered children's clothes are versatile. Children can wear them both for holidays and every day, and they will always look neat and attractive.

Elegant bright shirts, dresses, skirts with national Ukrainian embroidery will be appropriate for a baby during special events: state and religious holidays, at ceremonial events in kindergarten or school, at thematic lessons and class hours. They will be appropriate both at family events and for a walk on a day off. Less bright and not multi-colored things can be worn every day to school or kindergarten, at meetings with friends. Moreover, today embroidered things are not only and not so much a part of the national costume - they can be successfully combined with other things, creating unique images.

The most conservative combination is always relevant - shirts with a skirt or trousers. Such a set, possibly combined with a jacket, vest or blazer, will be appropriate for school classes.

A fresh and stylish look can be created by combining an embroidered shirt and jeans. With denim clothes, you can wear both classic embroidered shirts, tucked in or out with a belt, and T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters with embroidered or knitted ethnic ornaments. Girls like long tunic shirts, tied with an embroidered belt or a thin strap, under which you can wear leggings.

But most of all, girls definitely like embroidered dresses of any cut and style, which are suitable for holidays, for a walk, and for going to the movies or theater.

A wreath or headband decorated with flowers can be a great addition to a girl's look dressed in an embroidered shirt, blouse, skirt, or dress. Embroidered accessories such as a bow tie, tie, or suspenders can make a boy's look patriotic, stylish, and sophisticated.

Secrets of caring for children's embroidery

To keep your baby's embroidered items looking like new and retaining the beauty and brightness of the ornament for a long time, they need to be carefully cared for and several basic rules must be followed.

The main rule is mandatory hand washing in warm soapy water (you can use baby washing powder) without soaking, rubbing, boiling, bleaching, and wringing. The washed item should be rinsed very thoroughly, adding a little vinegar or baby fabric conditioner to the water. Instead of wringing, the wet embroidered item should be rolled up with a terry towel, then spread out on a dry towel to dry, but do not overdry. Iron on the wrong side with a not very hot iron; you can use gauze for this.

If your baby has soiled the embroidered item and stains remain on it, they should be removed very carefully with a special product carefully selected for the type of fabric, applying it to the stain for only a few minutes, then rinsing thoroughly.

Manufacturers sometimes allow machine washing, but even in this case you need to be very careful: wash only on delicate mode, at a low temperature, in a laundry bag.

It is better to store embroidered items on a hanger rather than folded, as excessive ironing is harmful.

Properly selected and well-groomed children's embroidered shirts will certainly become favorite items in the wardrobe of little Ukrainians. It is in them that children, growing up, will feel like a part of their family, their nation, and will be raised in love for their country. It is they that will one day be passed on to their children, from mother to daughter, from father to son, as has been the custom in Ukraine since ancient times.