Bulgaria, which is bordered by Romania, the former Yugoslavia and Greece, was occupied for 500 years by the Turks, forming part of the Ottoman Empire and resulting in a very varied tradition of national costumes and folk embroidery. In every region of the country, Bulgarian women have created magnificent woven cloth, rugs, garments, knitting, bed linen and towels. Domestic textiles, especially the towels or kenareni, which were two metres long and made of silk were placed on mirrors or given as presents and were richly decorated.

Bulgarian costumes were traditionally embroidered along the hems of sleeves, bosoms and tails of the chemise, along the seams of underwear and on top garments, kerchiefs and aprons. Domestic textiles, especially the towels or kenareni, which were two metres long, made of silk and richly decorated, were placed over mirrors or given as presents.

Geometric motifs were the most often used and usually formed stripes. The lozenge or square were most common, with rectangular and triangular shapes in a secondary position and there were many linear, animal, floral, human and symbolic motifs which were all stylized and depicted geometrically. The meanings of these motifs signified the bringing of health, prosperity, fertility and victory over evil powers. The colours used were mainly warm, with a strong predominance of red complemented by blue, green, yellow, white, black, and brown. Traditionally, red was the colour which had power to avert evil spirits or bad luck but in some regions in the north the embroidery was mainly dark brown and black, with the same significance as the red in other areas.