Every year on the third Thursday of May, Ukrainians worldwide celebrate Vyshyvanka Day – a moment to wear your embroidered heritage with pride. The vyshyvanka is more than just clothing; it symbolizes identity and resilience, with each stitch carrying stories passed down through generations.
This year was no exception. Hosted at Koorenhuis in The Hague, our annual Vyshyvanka Day brought together not only the vibrant craft of Ukrainian embroidery but also traditions from Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, and the Netherlands. From hands-on workshops to collaborative projects and an ethno-musical performance, the day celebrated creativity, storytelling, and cultural heritage.
Embroidering beyond Ukraine 🇧🇬 🇷🇴 🇱🇹 🇳🇱
The day opened with short presentations about embroideries from various places: Ukraine, Romania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands – each telling the stories that were stitched into fabric over centuries.
Ukrainian embroidery tradition, deep-rooted in history, remains a powerful tool of self-expression and resistance. Patterns vary widely across regions: from Tree of Life motifs in red and black on a linen shirt from Central Ukraine, to the intense and voluminous black stitches typical of the Borshchiv community in the Ternopil region, to the elegant white-on-white vyshyvankas of the Poltava region. What is more, traditionally, vyshyvankas functioned like calling cards, revealing not only the wearer’s region of origin, but also personal details such as marital status or social standing.
In Lithuanian tradition, embroidery has long been more than a decorative art. It acts as a language of symbols, where botanical and geometric patterns express growth, nature, and spirituality. Like in Ukraine, each region has its own distinctive style, reflecting communal identity, beliefs, and values. For instance, the žvaigždutė (meaning ‘a little star’ in Lithuanian) motif symbolizes harmony, guidance, and connection to the cosmos.
Romania is also known for its vibrant embroidery, and it is no surprise that every stitch is encoded with a mysterious language. Often seen on the traditional ie (Romanian word for ‘blouse’), each stitch carries a message, whether of protection, life, or ancestral wisdom. Regional differences are evident in styles like the altiță, an embroidered shoulder panel that is now part of UNESCO’s intangible heritage and recognized as an element of cultural identity in Romania.
As Camelia Vizitiu from the Romanian Orthodox Women’s Association put it, “We share the same values. [Ukrainians] value this embroidered blouse as much as we do. The embroidered blouse is very important for our national identity, our rich culture, and traditions. It’s a matter of pride.”
As in the other countries, in Bulgaria, embroidery is a cornerstone of cultural identity, with every region boasting its own unique stitches, patterns, and meanings. Traditionally, the female shirt (riza) is long, falling to the knees, setting it apart from the shorter styles found in neighboring countries. While each community has its own recognizable patterns and motifs, the embroidery as a whole reflects a deep connection to a shared heritage and identity.
“It protects, it surrounds,” concluded Gloria Angelova, comparing embroidery on clothing to a fence around a house that safeguards its owner.
Dutch embroidery may be less known internationally, but it holds deep cultural significance. In the 17th century, embroidered symbols like tulips and violets signified marriage and loyalty. By the 19th century, women across the Netherlands created decorated household items and garments, each piece echoing personal customs and regional traditions.
These diverse embroidery traditions are more than beautiful designs – they are living archives of identity and memory. From Ukraine to Romania, from Bulgaria to Lithuania to the Netherlands, every pattern tells a story rooted in place, people, and shared meaning. By learning about each other’s stitches, we also learn about each other’s (hi)stories. This part of the day reminded us that embroidery is not only about what is seen on the surface but also about what is passed down through generations – a thread of connection across borders and time.
My Own Vyshyvanka Project
Concluding the presentations, several participants of the My Own Vyshyvanka project from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague (organized by Anastasiia Khomenko, Iryna Umanets, and Olha Andruschenko) had the opportunity to proudly showcase their own vyshyvankas that they had been creating over the past six months. Each work told a story, which you can find in My OWN Vyshyvanka: The finished works.
Featured Performance: Ukrainian Ballet
The program also featured a touching performance by the Ukrainian International Ballet, whose dancers brought the stage to life with a blend of classical technique, contemporary choreography and traditional Ukrainian motifs.
From theory to practice: Hands-on workshops
This Vyshyvanka Day, embroidery took center stage not just as an art form, but as an inspiration, too. A series of engaging workshops brought theory to life, showing how traditional techniques can inspire new forms of expression far beyond the embroidery and fabric.
Vybijka (stamping) with Tetiana Rumilets explored the bold visual technique of stamped embroidery, while the keychain workshop led by Iryna Kulikova and Olha Andrushchenko offered a playful way to carry tradition in your pocket. Ivanna Kniazevych’s storytelling workshop had participants let their creativity go wild by cutting self-designed symbols on tote bags.
“Cutting fabrics and shapes is cultural heritage. Humans have always been doing that. We forget that sometimes,” Mieke Klaver, Vyshyvanka Day co-organizer, mentioned at the event.
Attendees also had an opportunity to contribute to Marfa Vasilieva’s project Carpet of Love and Sorrow, by braiding pieces of fabric, each symbolizing and honouring a life.
The event concluded with several songs and folk dances by Trio Koza, which brought everyone even closer together.
Thank you!
In partnership with Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
In collaboration with Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania & Embassy of Romania to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Embassy of Bulgaria
Supported by Gemeente Den Haag