Czech Center New York presents a workshop as part of its ongoing exhibition "Beautiful Work: Young Designers Redefining Tradition". Come to experience and learn the unique craft of embroidery from Moravia focusing on traditional Horňácko embroidery and fish scale embroidery. The workshop is part of the design exhibition Beautiful Work and has been prepared by the students from the UMPRUM in Prague.
Workshop: Learning the Traditional Embroidery
Friday, November 3, 2023, at 4 pm
Duration 2 hours. No skills necessary.
Free registration here.
Horňácko is a region with a rich tradition of folk art preserved to this day in costumes, songs, customs, and even architecture. The Horňácko costume is one of the oldest in Moravia county. This region was quite poor in the past, so the costume has a simple form but rich embroidery.
The embroidery of fish scales comes from Germany, from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Various shapes were cut out of the scales, which were traditionally embroidered onto black velvet, and arranged in floral motifs and ornaments. The most difficult part of the production process is the preparation of the material. The carp scales have to be soaked in soapy water for several days with regular water changes. Then each scale is cleaned individually with a brush to achieve transparency. They are then starched, spread side by side between two pieces of cloth, and left to dry. After the scales have undergone this treatment, they become flexible and last for several decades.
You can come try these wonderful techniques on the roof of the Bohemian Center in New York City on November 3, at 4 p.m. We look forward to seeing you!
Photo credit: Ivo Jedlička and Sára Kučerová
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