Wedding Rushnyk
Wedding rushnyk — an element of the traditional Ukrainian wedding.
Traditionally, more than 20 embroidered rushnyks were used for a wedding ceremony, but sometimes the number reached more than 35.
There are 5 main types of rushnyk: one for the korovai, two for icons, one for tying the hands of the bride and groom behind their backs, and one to stand on during the wedding.
The rushnyk the couple stands on is believed to be the most important of all. It is the one that determines the lives of the bride and the groom after the wedding.
This rushnyk symbolizes the path of life. It is believed that when stepping on the rushnyk, the couple is getting blessed from above, and all the embroideries on it are secret codes that hold the destiny of a new family.
The rushnyk (especially the one the couple stands on) is only used for one wedding. If the marriage turns out to be a very happy one, the pattern may be gifted as a legacy, but it has to be embroidered on a new rushnyk.
Traditionally, the rushnyk is kept in the family of the newlyweds as a symbol to protect the happy life of the new family.
It is necessary that all the measurements of the rushnyk be divisible by 7. Because the rushnyk symbolizes the married family life, the fabric needs to be whole, with no leftover space, and the edges cannot be folded.
One-fourth of each half of the rushnyk must be embroidered.
It is quite a sacred act to embroider a rushnyk, as the happiness and well-being of the new family depends on it. Usually, the bride would prepare her own rushnyk for the wedding; this way, she could have the process under her control and set a base for her future married life.
Embroidering the rushnyk is an activity always to be done in a good mood, never letting any bad thoughts interrupt.
The embroidery has to be very tidy. "The right side is for the people, the wrong side for God". Small mistakes in the embroidery are not redone to avoid causing chaos in the couple's life. No knots are allowed. When the embroidery is done, the rushnyk needs to retain its good energy, so it was not washed; instead, the fabric should be washed before embroidery.
First, the right side of the rushnyk is embroidered, which is believed to be the side of the man. Small differences are made on each edge of the rushnyk.
The embroidery on each end of the rushnyk is started at the bottom and moves upwards, just like woven towels are made. No skipping from side to side is allowed, and the center must be kept blank. It is the place for God; this part of the rushnyk makes a deep connection with the divine.
Thursday was the best time to start working on the embroidery, as it is the morning when energy levels are the highest. The work could not be done at night or on Fridays.
Embroidery was done in complete silence, in a calm setting, secretly. (It was best if as few people knew about it as possible. Nobody was supposed to see the work before the wedding, only the family of the bride.)
Only one needle was used for the embroidery of the whole rushnyk. The needles that proved to work well for embroidery were kept for a long time, and it was believed to be a bad omen if that needle broke.
Needles were best to buy on a Monday.
The materials used for the rushnyk must always be natural: cotton for the fabric and cotton or silk for the threads.
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