Thursday, February 21, 2008

Stitching Up Wildflowers - Thai Hill Tribe Wall Hanging


Click on the photos to enlarge)
About 7 years ago my family spent a summer in Thailand. My husband taught for one semester at a Christian college there. While we were there I was given this beautiful wall hanging. It is hand made, and hand stitched, on possibly hand woven and hand dyed fabric. The fabric is cotton. There are irregularities in the dye work. The mural is more then six feet wide and over 3 feet high.

The mural features hand appliquéd and embroidered hill tribe women and children and wildflowers. I wish I could remember which specific hill tribe it features, but unfortunately I have forgotten that important detail.
In the above photo there is a woman with a baby tied to her back. You can find her in the middle of the large mural.
I'm assuming this section features children playing with a handmade toy. I have seen actual children in Thailand pushing a wheel connected to a stick for a toy. They got so much more fun and joy from that simple object then most American kids do from something with batteries, animation and noise.
There is a toddler in this picture accompanied by her mother. I am fascinated by the pack she is carrying on her back with some kind of blooming flower or herb that she has gathered. It makes me wonder if the mural actually teaches about useful plants, but unfortunately I can only guess.

The third person from the left in the large mural is doing some kind of stitching, though I didn't get a close up photo of her.

The exciting thing about this wall hanging is that I have pulled it out of the closet, and it is now on the wall above my sewing machine. I really like seeing it there. It has really brightened up my sewing area.

3 bouquets of wildflowers (Comment here):

Gumbo Lily said...

What an interesting piece! I love it!
~Jody

Silly Goose said...

This wall hanging is a treasure!

Barb said...

At first I thought this was Central or South American but now that I take a close-up look at it, I see the marks of Thailand. :)

It is made even more special because it is a memory of your trip.

I love the red.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom