The Moravian Star

I enjoy digging in a bit to find the history of what I'm sewing. I've had my eye on the Moravian star (pronounced "Muh-ray-vee-ehn") for a while, just seeing it on social media. Now I know I have to have it, because now we have a pattern for it, with two fabric bundle options by Giucy Giuce. I personally will be after the blue/green color combo, but there's a luscious red and green that might speak to you instead.

Back to the Moravian star. Moravia is a historical region in the Czech Republic, dissolved in the 1940s. It is named after the river Morava, which divides the Czech Republic from Slovakia, and divides Slovakia from Austria. The region dates all the way back to the year 1000, and it has a rich history that you can read more about here.

The actual Moravian Star itself was developed as a Geometry lesson for German boarding schools. Missionaries began carrying them across the globe, and the stars were adopted as a symbol for advent and Christmas. In 1897, a man named Pieter Hendrik Verbeek created a design for the Moravian Star that could be mass-produced and shipped all over the world. He began the Herrnhut Star factory that still produces them even today! You can check them out here!

It feels good to grab this project, knowing what a rich history it has. Just like when I use a piece of precious fabric from my late grandmother's stash, I like feeling connected to history while I work. If you're not into history, it's still a fun project, and a lovely gift to give for Christmas!