The Polotsk Talisman brought together Belarusian and Russian craftswomen for the first patchwork festival in Belarus

October 7, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The Polotsk amulet has gathered more than 30 Belarusian and Russian craftswomen for the first patchwork art festival-competition "Polotsk-Quilt" in Belarus, Nina Yarmukh, head of the "Roshva" patchwork sewing club at the Polotsk Center for Crafts and National Cultures, told a BELTA correspondent. Over fifty works made in various patchwork techniques were presented for the competition. 37 works were selected for participation, made by both recognized master artists - winners of international patchwork sewing competitions, and novice amateurs. You can see the competitive and non-competitive works, and along with them, the Polotsk amulet itself - a giant patchwork canvas with an area of over 90 sq.m - starting from October 12: the festival will start on this day. The "Roshva" club initiated the creative competition called "Peace to My Land". The competition is held in two nominations. The "Traditional" nomination features three-layer works made according to the canons of the "quilt" technique: a colorful top, a batting, a backing, and quilting. In the "Modern" nomination, any technique is allowed, as long as fabrics are used. Speaking about the competitive works, Nina Yarmukh noted that a wide variety of materials helped to bring the craftswomen's fantasies to life - from handmade lace to photo prints on canvas. The interlocutor was also pleasantly surprised by the additions to the works - poems, and notably, they were usually written by the contestants' husbands. The winners of "Polotsk-Quilt" will be announced on October 24. It is expected that all participants of the competition will come to Polotsk on this day: from Minsk, Vitebsk, Grodno, Smolensk, Yaroslavl, Rybinsk, St. Petersburg, Murmansk. They will share the secrets of their art at a master class and discuss creative issues at a round table. As Nina Yarmukh noted, festivals of this kind are popular all over the world. They are held in France, Spain, the USA, Austria, Japan. Two patchwork festivals are held in Ukraine, and five in Russia, including the prestigious Moscow "Euroquilt". According to the interlocutor, such festivals-competitions benefit not only lovers of decorative and applied arts but also help manufacturers of fabrics and needlework supplies promote their products. Often, the latter use such festivals as advertising platforms for their products.-0-