You would ask — "Where does it come back? — I'll tell you everything.

First of all, I have already written about the sacral stitch in my articles about Novgorod crafts. Now I return to the topic after visiting the factory.

Secondly, it is a come back of legendary products, magic dresses, tablecloths, napkins, bed linen decorated with embroidery to life. Besides, you can now easily buy, order, give which is a miracle.

Read about the history of the craft in the first part, and here I share my impressions about the tour around the factory.

Businessman Anton Georgiev bought at a loss, what can I say, just destroyed enterprise Krestetskaya Strochka (lit. Sacral Stitch) in 2015, and now wants to revive the former glory of these products.

How? He restored building, found the old factory employees, established training, in particular, training of local residents. Next, he found fashion designers, famous people who told the world about this unusual embroidery. Shows, exhibitions, training, tours. To keep it short, he got engaged in promotion and brand creation.

In March 2019, the factory Krestetskaya Strochka participated in the Moscow exhibition "GIFTS. SPRING 2019" for the first time.

Stands about the past and the present of the factory tell about the main milestones of the enterprise. This is the last stand, more optimistic than the previous ones.

The miracle happened, the craft and art of the Sacral stitch is preserved, and people are proud of their enterprise and attention to it.

What a great idea it is to show visitors not a Museum hall with products, but to take us through the shops of the factory, to give an opportunity to understand the process, to touch, to talk to young and experienced workers.

People from St. Petersburg, Moscow, in groups and alone enjoy these tours. Here we are, at the May sunny weekend, along a wonderful spring road driving into Krestcy.

At the entrance to the factory it becomes clear that something unusual is waiting us ahead. The facade of the building is decorated with the pattern of the most famous stitches, and you want to look closer at it at the background of running clouds.

The factory has made a grand renovation. Brick masonry is the same old, not covered with beautiful plastic. Apparently, the walls themselves help people to create and work to revive the legendary brand. Fashionable loft, combined with foam embroidery and makes a lasting impression.

This is the room for Museum, there is glass, air and light everywhere. You need a lot of light for such meticulous work.

One of the walls shows a letter of thanks, found while cleaning the rubble. The husband bought his wife a blouse and expressed admiration for the work of skilled workers. A member of the Communist party of 1917, by the way.

Everywhere you can see photos of ancient masterpieces and modern models. I loved the curtains on the windows and covers on the coolers, they are also with the air patterns.

Now it employs about 70 people, many young girls, among them daughters and granddaughters of hereditary embroiderers.

They were growing up when the enterprise, plundered by perestroika, was in ruins, and could not even think that one day they would revive the legendary art.

The production is labour-intensive, a part of operations is executed by the machine, but still, it cannot be called a machine embroidery. Embroiderers, literally, keep track of every thread with their hands and eyes, making magic airy patterns.

Firstly, we were in the shop of artists who develop drawings and produce "layouts". There are still samples stored that were drawn on millimeter paper by hand. But, of course, now computer and printer help. This is design office of the factory.

Let`s go to the work shop. It all starts with cutting. Linen is impossible to tear, we tried — it did not work. It can only be cut, following the thread and with very sharp scissors.

The section of machine embroidery still uses equipment from the Soviet times. It's not easy to replace it. Some time ago in the "stagnant years" this equipment worked 24 hours a day, 600 people embroidered there in 3 shifts, carrying out the plan. The stuff had to change the heads, motors, needles. What was found, is adjusted and fully used.

In addition to the machine, there is a section of highly artistic embroidery, there are products more like lace. This is the same stitch, but it has more threads and air in its pattern. Works in this section are created for 3-6 months and exist in a single copy.

I got interested by the work in the hoops. I thought it was the sun or someone's face, and asked: "What would it be?".
— Portrait, they answered us. — Guess whose?

We guessed, but a picture that was lying right there helped us. Try to guess yourselves!

Do you know how to iron products? Old very heavy and hot irons, only these can be used to quickly and efficiently smooth linen.

We also were in the sewing section. Now the enterprise starts mass production of clothes with sacral stitch. Cutters cut, skilled workers sew sundresses, skirts, and blouses with magic patterns. Each person is responsible for the product and the label with a surname of the artist is put in the package.

In general, the packaging deserves a separate article.

Elegant paper envelopes with a bird, sewn on the sides, with a transparent pocket and a label.

Inside it you can find thanks for the purchase and a famous postcard with a photo of an ancient fair with embroidered works.

All products are presented in the factory shop. This is a real salon where every detail is thought out: cozy sofas, photo zones, baskets and shelves with products, showcases with birch branches instead of metal hangers.

The products are very beautiful, designer, I would say.

We used to have white bed linen with sacral stitch at home, we bought tablecloths and napkins as gifts for friends. Now it is not cheap for an average visitor. It is due to the high cost of work and lack of domestic raw materials. But I noticed that simple products for mass consumption at the factory are not made anymore. Perhaps, bookmarks with this pattern is a good idea not to leave with empty hands, having looked at such beauty.

Let's hope that joint projects with fashion designers will breathe new life into production. Sacral masterpieces are already included in the gift fund of the President and the government of the Russian Federation.

This year, in the competition "The Best Social Project of the Year", devoted to the revival of the folk arts and crafts, "Sacral Stitch — Cultural Heritage of Russia" won!

So, I advise you, if you are in Novgorod region.. well, you understand :)