Design Hunter's Journal

There is something special about the artisans of this country, and I wanted to feature some of their remarkable creations. Because the situation in Ukraine changes day by day, these items may not be available for purchasing or shipping at the time you read this. Still, I wanted to highlight their artistry as a way of showing support for these talented artisans during a very difficult time.

Ukrainian Peasant Blouse by Vyshyta

I had to include at least one embroidered peasant blouse to show the amazing quality of Ukrainian folk embroidery. I learned an appreciation for Ukrainian folk costumes from my parents, who belonged to a folk dance group based in Chicago that used to perform in authentic costumes. This amazing designer blouse is embroidered with flowers and birds in saffron yellow and forest green. The blouse is available in cotton or linen from Vyshyta, which calls itself a “Ukrainian slow fashion brand for embroidery lovers.”

Ukrainian Vyshyvanka Blouse with Blue Birds

I couldn’t resist including another gorgeous example of Ukrainian embroidery. I am so glad that the boho peasant blouse trend is still going strong here in the U.S. This blouse is embroidered with luminous blue birds on a black background by the talented hands of Galia Saldan of Lviv, Ukraine.

Ukrainian Hand-Carved Shoulder Bag

Carved wood objects are another popular folk craft in Ukraine. But this shoulder bag, hand-carved in Hutsul folk art patterns, takes this craft to a whole other level. I must say I have never seen anything like this bag, hand-carved out of pear wood by ProWoodUkraine.

Handmade Ceramic Tea Mug

Perfect coffee mugs are hard to find, and this one has been sitting in my Etsy Favorites folder for a couple of years now. I love the warm yellow glaze and the imprints of wildflowers and grasses on the mug’s surface. The mug’s shape, handle size, and organic appearance are all just right. Handmade in several sizes and patterns by Leaf Pottery Shop of Horodenka, a small village in the west of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Folk Embroidery Patterns

Although it may be impossible to receive physical items from some shops in Ukraine right now, it is still possible to purchase digital downloads to support individual makers. I chose to feature these embroidery patterns because they are sorted by region of Ukraine! This download is a great anthology of the variety of Ukraine embroidery patterns. From HandyHappyFabrics of Kyiv, Ukraine.

There are literally thousands of artisan products available on Etsy that are similar to the ones profiled here. In fact, Etsy is featuring a collection of items made in Ukraine as a way of showing their support to Ukrainian artisans.