Lace weaving is a special kind of folk craft. Vologda craftswomen created airy and intricate patterns with the help of bobbins. The knitting device was an ordinary wooden stick. Distinctive features of finished products are a wealth of ornaments, a variety of patterns, clean lines and compliance with geometric proportions.
First meeting
Vologda lace is famous for its special, original performance. During the creation of their works, Russian craftswomen were inspired by patterns of woodcarving, with which architects generously decorated the facades of buildings. The patterns used in weaving also influenced the choice of patterns, traditional for the northern regions of Russia.
Special become
The needlewomen found application in ancient motifs of embroidery. A vivid example of this is the weightless and translucent patterns of all kinds of "snowflakes" and "spiders." Vologda lace closely echoes the “Vologda glass”. This fishing existed only in the county. The works of local craftswomen are distinguished by a lot of characteristic features:
- smooth and curved lines;
- clear and rhythmic ornament;
- the presence of geometric shapes;
- an abundance of plant motifs.
In the works of needlewomen, natural images prevail. They repeat the bends of the branches, the outlines of the petals and leaves. Recreating the contours of horseshoes and open fans. Together, they form a unique kaleidoscope of the famous Vologda lace. It is generously decorated with elongated trefoils and pointed inflorescences, rounded buds and a scattering of morning dew.
In the products of the northern craftswomen, the general tendency of weaving is clearly traced. All motifs are arranged in the form of a wide border encircling the core of the work. Drawings merge and form ornate ornaments. Between them and the center stretched a weightless web, forming an openwork background. Carefully looking at the Vologda lace, you can see that all the patterns are made in mirror image.
They are symmetrical and even. This technique was widely used by Russian craftswomen. He provided products with particular clarity, static and rigor. The so-called lattices, of which several dozen are known, replaced the background. They favorably emphasized the composition of the product, the idea of the needlewoman. Songs and verses are composed of Vologda lace patterns. They serve as an obligatory attribute of the design of tourist booklets about the northern regions of Russia. It is lace that still personifies the Russian original art of weaving.
Historical excursion
From ancient times, the edges of holiday and casual clothes were turned away. They were decorated with bedding and table textile. Representatives of absolutely all Russian classes created these unusually light and airy products. Chips of Vologda lace were passed from generation to generation. For the royal court weaved ornaments of gold and silver threads.
Peasants used flaxseed. Later switched to cotton threads. Historians say that the art of creating lace in the Vologda Oblast took shape at the end of the 17th century.
Production
For almost two hundred years, products were knitted at home. And at the beginning of the 19th century, a specialized factory was built a few kilometers from the modern city. On it, every fragment of Vologda lace was woven by serf women. At the beginning of the 20th century, the craft of creating openwork decor was finally formed in Vologda. The needlewomen of the Gryazovetsky and Kadnikovsky districts distinguished themselves. Each of them had its own unique style. They used original ornaments that can only be distinguished by a true connoisseur of this art.
At the end of the 19th century, about 4,000 women were engaged in lace weaving in the territory of the Vologda province . At the beginning of the 20th century, 40,000 girls were already involved in this craft . Fashion for decor from openwork ornaments spread to the capital cities of Russia, and then appeared in Western Europe.
Past and present
The first works were distinguished by an abundance of stylized natural motifs in the form of birds and plants. Over time, the traditions of weaving the Vologda lace gradually changed. Today, local craftswomen are increasingly using geometric contours, unusual floral shapes and monumental elements. Throughout the century, needlewomen regularly received international awards and prizes. They have earned recognition in Paris and Brussels.
Vologda lace: patterns
Openwork weaving of threads today is used not only to decorate linen and clothes. It is used in the manufacture of Christmas decorations, household items. Independent wardrobe elements are created from it. Snow-white collars and cuffs, capes, scarves, aprons and boleros are very popular with fashionistas.
The most sought-after patterns by today's fashionistas are considered to be "squinting", "turtle", "porcelain", "spider". As well as "keys", "fish", "burdock", "circles", "mill" and "ships". Known motifs are "track", "braid", "linen" and "flow the river." Original look “branches-wires”, “eyebrows-torture” and “money”.
Modern needlewomen try to repeat the motifs of the Vologda lace crochet for knitting. Products are airy and openwork, but still a little different. They are imitation, therefore inferior to the original.
Technology
The high cost of woven rather than knitted products is explained by the large number of threads used. In some models, it reaches sixty. Keeping track of so many whooping coughs is very, very difficult. Punched cards came to the aid of modern needlewomen.
These are stencils that facilitate the creation of complex patterns. The device is a sheet in which a huge number of holes are made. The punched card helps needlewomen not to get entangled in threads.
In the XX century, patterns for dimensional lace were drawn from the work of talented painters. Here are just the most famous names:
- A.A. Korableva.
- M. A. Gusev.
- V.V.Sibirtseva.
- V. D. Veselova.
- V.N. Panteleeva.
- M.N. Grunicheva.
- E. I. Humala.
- V.N. Elfina.
- K.V. Isakova.
Currently, there are only a few artists creating ornaments for knitters. This profession is almost completely forgotten and subject to oblivion. But without it you can’t create anything new. The previously developed chips are passed from hand to hand. They are the prototype of the future product.
The photo of the Vologda lace shows how painstaking and difficult this work is. One wrong move of the bobbins leads to a loss of integrity of the picture, a change in the overall impression of the product.
Soviet period
In the era of the USSR, several specialized enterprises existed in the region at once. All of them were engaged in the production of bobbin lace. The leader in this area was rightfully considered the Snezhinka plant. More than one thousand needlewomen worked on it. The main workshop was located in the center of Vologda, on Uritsky Street. Only a few hundred women worked in it.
All the rest wove their products at home, being in remote villages and villages of the region. The main theme of the production of "Snowflakes" was considered a fairy tale. Her motives were traced in the design of napkins and collars, scarves and cuffs. The visiting card of the production was the openwork tablecloth “The Scarlet Flower”. She has received a number of valuable awards and widespread recognition.
The shape of the central motif resembled an unknown bouquet. Small flowers and leaflets intertwined in its center. Together they formed a single painting canvas. The translucent background surrounding the image focuses on the core of the composition. The creation of this air masterpiece belongs to V.D. Veselova. At the Snezhinka enterprise, she worked as a leading craftswoman, and at the same time she created ornaments and stencils for needlewomen. Later, her daughter N.V. Veselova continued her business. The activity of the plant was supervised by the artist G.N. Mamrovskaya.
Distinctive traditions
V.N. Elfina is another outstanding craftswoman of the association. She is a fan of the use of large and voluminous forms, which are combined with the subtlest web of the background. Elfina’s most famous work was the panel “The Singing Tree”. The needlewoman presented this work to the court of lacemakers in 1978.
Creating this canvas, the craftswoman was inspired by the spring awakening of nature. She invested in him the images of singing birds and blooming flowers, swollen buds and first foliage. The pattern of the “Singing Tree” turned out to be very dense, intricate. But the background surrounding him came out amazingly airy and weightless.
In the work, thick severe threads and snow-white cotton fibers were used. Their combination gives the panel an unusual silver tint. In the light, it looks very bright, in the twilight it becomes more contrasting and textured.