The Excellent Chinese Embroidery Exhibition

If you are going to be in Bangkok between now and 16 May,  The Excellent Chinese Embroidery Exhibition looks like it's well worth a visit. Both ancient and modern embroideries are on show and there are opportunities to learn about Chinese embroidery techniques.

Part of an embroidery, 112 centimetres wide and 483cm long, depicting urban lifestyles along a section of the lower Yangtze River a century ago. (Photo by Mongkol Bangprapa)  (Source Bangkok Post)

Click on this link to read the article in the Bangkok Post and find out more about the exhibition. I would love to visit it.

Thai Cross Stitch Panels

Going through my linen cupboard before we moved, I found these two embroidered panels tucked into a back corner waiting for inspiration. 

At the time I bought them, I thought they looked charming and I couldn't walk out of Srisuwan, a wonderful fabric shop in Bangkok, without them. 

With no one nearby to interpret, it was impossible find out the origin of the embroideries. I had just been North to Chang Mai and visited some of the Hill Tribes where I saw some impressively large cross stitch pieces. I would guess they could quite possibly have been stitched there.

The cross stitch must have been done by someone with good eyesight. I can't imagine counting and working those tiny cross stitches on a black background. (The fabric is a 14 count Aida-like material.) Black does however make the colours pop and I find the overall effect rather appealing. I especially like the way the limited palette has been used on the elephants.

I wonder if the panels were designed to decorate the bottom of skirt?

Till next time, happy stitching!