Hmong Embroidery

EF11: This piece is embroidered with cross-stitches on brown monk’s cloth. The figures depicted on this embroidery are Green Hmong women, animals, insects, plants, and flowers. There is a cross-stitch frame of motifs that resemble fish hooks, the sign of a young woman looking for a mate, or ram’s heads, then appliquéd borders of blue, green, and brown.

By Shoua Susan Vang, 1990, 49x42 cm
Photo by Noah Vang, item at the Hmong Archives

EF12: This tapestry depicts the typical attire for White Hmong men and boys. The jacket and pants were usually black, and the jacket cuffs were blue. As seen in this tapestry, the boy is
wearing a hat and carrying a basket. The method used involved surface stitching on a blue cloth. White and gray borders were sewn to create a frame. The triangle shapes were made utilizing
appliqué in a mountain motif and also serve as a frame. The mountain motif implies that the Hmong are historically a highland people, and from an agrarian society.

By Yer Lo, 1980s, 31x30 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

EF13: The attire worn in this tapestry is characteristic of Green Hmong women. It involves a skirt that is usually black or indigo, and is decorated with bright red, green, blue, and yellow embroidery and appliqué. Surface stitching is used for the figure, done in cotton thread on cotton cloth. White and gray borders create a frame, as well as the triangles of the mountain motif that were created using appliqué.

By Yer Lo, 1980s, 31x30 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

EF14: This is an embroidered artwork depicting Green Hmong women. The skirt is a typical colorful Green Hmong skirt sewn in red, green, blue, and black. An apron is worn in front of the skirt and sewn to a red sash that is wrapped two or three times around the waist. Here, two Xieng Khouang girls are standing by a flowering plant. The technique used involved
cross-stitching with a cotton thread. This is the most basic form of sewing techniques that Hmong use. The words Hmong Lao and Vientiane at the top were included by the artist in
reminiscence of Laos, her place of birth and home.

By Cher Moua, Laos, 1998, 31x30 cm
Photo by Noah Vang, item at the Hmong Archives

EF15: This is a tapestry depicting courting couples. The young men are playing the Qeej, a bamboo reed pipe that uniquely belongs to the Hmong people. It is considered an ancient musical instrument. The Qeej is used for entertainment and cultural purposes. The Qeej is played at community events, festivals, to welcome leaders and officials, and at funerals and weddings. It is more common to see the Qeej used in weddings among the Hmong in Vietnam, and China as opposed to Laos. The young women in this piece are dancing with their colorful umbrellas to the song of the Qeej. This embroidery was done by hand utilizing darning stitches. The frames were done in applique methods and serve as a frame.

By an unknown artist

Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Cultural Center

EF16: It is unusual to see a scene like this by itself. Normally in Hmong tapestry, a whole
village or several people would be depicted. However, this paj ntaub focuses on two
individuals. They are probably a young couple who recently got married or are about to get married. Where they are heading or coming from is uncertain. The embroidery is done with darning, straight, and running stitches, and the piece is not hemmed or framed.

By Tong Vang, Laos, 2010, 27x29 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

EF17: This tapestry piece involves a depiction of love. The couple shown in the tapestry is climbing up a mountain for the purpose of sightseeing. Unmarried Hmong couples often visit such places to view the beautiful scenery, and make promises pertaining to their love and
affection towards each other. This embroidery was constructed utilizing darning, or surface stitching, as well as running stitches, and is also not hemmed.

By Tong Vang, Laos, 2010, 30x28 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

EF18: The figures presented in this tapestry are distorted and do not look like the figures
usually seen in a typical village paj ntaub. They are much more cartoony and childlike
illustrations because they were sewn by a seven-year-old from Luang Prabang, the youngest
artist in the Hmong Archives collections. Each figure is outlined with lineal surface stitches. The colors are black and pastels, and less vibrant than usual. The skirts resemble Lao skirts, but with red Hmong sashes at the waist. The duties performed include feeding chickens, carrying water, and tending and harvesting crops.

By Mee Lee Xiong, Laos, 2005, 25x28 cm
Photo by Noah Vang, item at the Hmong Archives

EF19: This embroidery storybook shows the village and farming life of the typical Hmong farming tapestry story cloth. The book features the English and Lao languages. 

By Ziag Yaj, Laos, 2012, 14x17 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives