Blue Like a Dream - Vintage Russian Scarf

There's not much to say about this cobalt blue Russian scarf. It is just beautiful with the lace-like pattern and clusters of roses and bluebells. Even though it is not large - about 34 inches - it is very visible. I think it can look amazing with denim of a proper shade. It is available in our Etsy shop here.

A Stunning Russian Shawl with Roses and Hydrangea

Some Russian shawls just have to be shown to the world. This one, for instance - full of fiery roses and lace - like hydrangea - is one of the most beautiful shawls I have ever seen. These richly coloured flowers really stand out against jet black background. I do not think the shawl has a name - could not find anything in the archive - but it does not really matter, for "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet", and this beauty is sold, anyway. I just wanted to keep the photos here.

We have many more beautiful Russian shawls in our shop here.

Russian Scarf Seen Anew: A Puffer Scarf in Russian Patterns

I have been thinking much about scarves recently. We love making scarves from Uzbek silk or Russian shawls, but we were mostly making infinity or circle type. We love infinity - we adore infinity - but certainly there should be other options?

I was thinking of a practical scarf, easy to wear, not prone to wrinkling, sturdy and long lasting and warm. I hate scarves that can be ruined easily; graze them with your nail and there is a snug, touch them with your ring and there is a hole. Oh, no. I am for spending money in a reasonable way, at least this is what I try to do with mine. I also needed to take the latest fashion trends into consideration. Iceberg, Balenciaga and Chanel displayed puffer scarves in their Fall/Winter 2016-2017 collections.

(source: Pinterest) 

All these arguments combined, I came to a perfect decision (we'll see!) - a puffer scarf! These have been seen on runways lately, and they are just the perfect combination of practicality and beauty.

So... we came up with these!

Frankly, I think it is insanely beautiful.

This is a fantastic patchwork scarf made from various vintage shawls. My mother did her best to arrange a striking array of colors and patterns. I cannot even decide which side I prefer.



These flowers are so lovely.

The opening for the tail of the scarf is large and sturdy.

And this is the general view. I can tell my mother enjoyed making this scarf!

I think it is a unisex scarf; I can easily see it worn by a man or woman.

The scarf can be bought in our Etsy shop. I will list more scarves very soon. In the meantime, the sneak preview!

Million of Roses on a Russian Shawl

The name says it all: this is a gorgeous vintage Russian shawl dubbed "Million of Roses" by collectors.There is famous Russian song with that name, and it evokes pleasant memories in most Russian speaking people. 

The shawl is indeed stunning; the lace-like pattern is airy and elegant, and the thick border of roses makes the piece look complete. I love the rich colours. They do not make shawls like this anymore, honest. 

So far, this beauty is available in our Etsy shop here, but I know that it will not last. It is collectable and highly sought after. And it is just breathtaking. 

A Hand Block Printed Vintage Russian Shawl with Mirabilis

 ...Long time, no see. I know I am supposed to write more often, but my real life has been too busy lately. I will write an update later - it will also help me to take stock of my news - and in the meantime I just want to share this fantastic vintage hand block printed shawl that I have in stock currently.

The shawl is brilliantly bright, even for a vintage piece (modern ones are mostly muted, but vintage were bold and rich). This one is especially vibrant. I love those huge flowers - they certainly make a statement - and the relaxed ease of the drawing, where flowers seem to be moving under the wind. Their playful disarray lends a lot of life to the print. I think that the lily-like flowers are actually Mirabilis jalapa, the marvel of Peru or four o'clock flower, that blooms at night - they are very popular in Russia.

This is a fantastic Russian shawl; they do not print them by hand anymore, which is a good thing, since this was a very hard and harmful work to do. However, these shawls are amazing, and I love them much more than modern mass produced specimens. For now, it is available in my Etsy shop, MulberryWhisper.

Vintage Hand Block Printed Russian Shawl: A Must See

I know I have been away for ages, and I do have a lot of news (which is why I did not have time to write). I promise to correct this, but for now I will just show a very unique and vintage Russian shawl that we bought recently. It is new old stock with a tag, and it is at least 50 years old. It has a field of flowers on soft ivory background, and there are also the prettiest tiny branches and twigs which make the print very elegant.

Such delicate and airy print is not often found in Russian shawl. This shawl is like a fine china or elegant lace.

The fine and soft wool drapes like a dream.

And I am always fascinated by hand block printed shawls, because they are so alive. They seem to breath. All the small imperfections are very dear to my heart - you can see that the shawl was made by people, not by metal monsters spitting dyes.

This is a very old tag. The "Weaving and Decoration Factory Named in the Honor of 10 Years' Anniversary of the Red Army" was reorganised back in 1963, so the shawl dates at least to that year, making it 50 years old. However, we feel that it belongs more to the 1950s.

The shawl is available in our Etsy store here.

Rose Evening - a Real Hand Block Printed Russian Shawl

Many sellers on Ebay or Etsy will claim that Russian shawls they are selling are handmade or at least hand block printed. Well, in most cases that is a complete nonsense. The modern Russian shawls as we know them - those made at the Pavlovo Posad Manufacture - are not handmade. They are mass made at a large factory. However, the Manufacture produced hand block printed shawls till 1974: the last such shawl was Russia by Ekaterina Dadonova. As this was quite a long time ago, and Russian shawls, although strong, are made of wool which deteriorates with time and is beloved by moth, there are not too many around in our days. And I can assure you that in most cases the shawls stated to be hand printed are not. This can be a mistake or a marketing move, it depends on the person I guess. Actually I made this mistake myself a couple of times, thinking that vintage shawls printed by photo film method were hand printed (in all instances they were designed by Simeon Ryjov, and his designs always look like hand printed). Now I know better.  

This topic merits a separate lengthy post with examples of different printing methods, but now I just want to show a shawl which was definitely hand block printed. It is called "Rose Evening" and this was an antique design restored by Victor Zubritsky ("Розовый вечер", художник Виктор Зубрицкий, ручная печать). To me, it is immediately obvious that this is a hand block printed shawl: it has that living and breathing quality of print that I value so much. It is as alive as a watercolour, with same lovely imperfections. Some lines seem to be trembling, and dye can run a little beyond the contours, lending a very touching feel of alive beauty to this design.

This shawl is not for sale at the moment, but we have many others in our Etsy shop.

Russian Scarf For a Picky Girl

My daughter is very picky about her clothing, so when she asked for a Russian scarf I knew I had a problem. I told her that I needed some time to think and choose. As she is just nine, I did not want a very classic looking scarf, and certainly not a black or red one. I was looking for something more subtle, to go well with grey and beige shades that she loves. Finally, I found this: Amber Evening ("Янтарный вечер"), a smaller sized scarf (34 inches or 89 cm), which seems to fill the bill. Its soft grey background and orangey-creamy roses look good with Madina's own subtle colours.

What I especially love about Russian shawls is their versatility. It suddenly became cold? Cover your head with it!

..And when it becomes warm again, you can just drape it around your shoulders. Or fold it and put into your purse. My daughter is an expert now, and she is the only girl in her class who has a scarf like this - not something synthetic.

I do not have a scarf like this for sale, but I have many others in my Etsy shop.