2009.135.23

Collection type

Object

Description

Embroidered baby carrier. [FB 14/05/2012]

Long description

Embroidered baby carrier. The baby carrier is made from woven cotton yarn and has been lavishly embellished with different styles of embroidery. The baby carrier is edged with a boarder of approximately 128 mm wide. This consists of three bands of silk striped ribbon which is blue with red, brown, white and yellow silk thread. In-between each band of ribbon are bands of embroidery. The inside band of embroidery is that of a scrolling pattern in brightly coloured silks in red, pink, aqua, green and purple in knot stitching outlined with couched silk gimp in white. The outer band of embroidery consists of alternating squares of embroidered floral motifs in brightly coloured silks in knot stitching outlined with couched silk gimp in white on a black cotton ground and squares of folded silk appliqué with satin stitch separated with flat silk braids. The very outer band of embroidery consists of satin stitched dots and triangles in brightly coloured silk threads. The centre of the baby carrier is a woven panel, woven in silk threads with butterfly and bird motifs signifying the mother butterfly believed to bring good health and luck to children and grants Miao women the blessing of fertility. The edges of the decorative woven panel are boarded with silk ribbons. The decorative embroidered areas of the baby carrier have been backed with black and indigo dyed cotton yarn. The baby carrier has two long lengths of brown coloured twill woven silk both ending with bands of coloured silk in brown, blue, red, orange and pink ending with a laced fringing. These lengths of textile would be used to wrap around the wearer and secure the baby carrier. [FB 14/05/2012]

Geographical reference

China

Asia > Eastern Asia > China

Guizhou Province Kaili

Cultural groups

Hmong

Person

Field collector Deryn O'Connor

PRM source Deryn O'Connor

Date / Period

Date made: Before 10/1993

Date collected

October 1993

Acquisition information

Donated: 2006

Materials and processes

Material Cotton Textile Plant, Material Cotton Yarn Plant, Material Pigment, Material Silk Textile Animal, Material Silk Yarn Animal, Process Woven, Process Stitched, Process Dyed, Process Embroidered, Process Appliqué

Dimensions

Length x Width: max 780 x 6450 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 2009.135.23 Other numbers: 26

Research and responses

Miao Costumes from Guizhou Province South West China by Deryn O' Connor. Catalogue of an exhibition at James Hockney Gallery, WSCAD, Farnham. [FB 08/05/2012]

Associated publications

Miao Costumes from Guizhou Province South West China by Deryn O' Connor. Catalogue of an exhibition at James Hockney Gallery, WSCAD, Farnham. [FB 08/05/2012]

Search terms: Children and Childcare, Textile, Baby-carrier