This vyshyvanka is more than just a garment; it’s a tribute to my mother’s strength, a reflection of my own creative spirit, and a symbol of Ukrainian resilience.
Finishing this blouse felt like coming full circle—from that little girl who loved her colorful vyshyvanka, to the maker I am today. My modern vyshyvanka is stitched with love, memory, and a healthy dose of craftsmanship. It’s got tradition, it’s got flair, and it’s got a whole lot of me in it. I’m so glad I finally made the time for this project—and I love to wear something that carries both my heritage and my hands in every stitch.
If you want to learn more about the cultural history of the Ukrainian vyshyvanka blouse, please refer to the first vyshyvanka post in my previous vyshyvanka series— How to Make a Vyshyvanka Blouse: The Planning
Tools and Notions Resource Listing
- 100% linen woven with windowpane checks from Fishman Fabrics $15 per yard
- 100% silk organza for sew-in interfacing from New Rainbow Fabrics $15 per yard.
Note: this silk is kept behind the counter. - 14 count water soluble waste canvas from Etsy seller
- DMC cotton embroidery floss from local embroidery shop Tomorrows Heirlooms
#807 Turquoise Tide (blue)
#907 Granny Smith (chartreuse green)
#700 Meadow Green (bright green)
#986 Boxwood (dark green)
#728 Mustard (yellow)
#32 Tanzanite (purple)
#817 Japanese Red - Style Arc Anita Peasant Blouse pattern
- (12) 7/16″ full ball buttons with cloth shanks, covered with my own embroidery from The Button Baron
- Necklights from Lumos
I am greatly enjoying reading about your process to rediscover your heritage. My heritage includes Polish/Jewish ancestry and I have two granddaughters whose heritage, as well as this, includes Croatian and Polish. You have inspired me to create similar heirlooms for my granddaughters that will remind them of their ancestral origins and their grandmother’s love. While none of the Ukrainian heritage specifically belongs to us, we lived through the same traumas that now lead us to empathise with Ukrainians in their fight for freedom and their unique identity. It is the Central European traditions that speak to us and that will convey meaning in these heirloom blouses. Thank you for producing and documenting and sharing your cultural history, including as you do the small but meaningful importance of every day, where everything has value and is worth remembering and reproducing.