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Weekly Embroidery News...

Book review: One Needle, One Thread: Miao (Hmong) embroidery and fabric piecework from Guizhou, China

10/6/2019

12 Comments

 
I was given this lovely book about ethnic embroidery from China by the lady who organised my teaching trip to China last year. This book on an interesting topic has a rather special and highly pleasing visual concept as well. Although it is not your classic project book, the step-by-step photographs and descriptions mean you can easily recreate particular stitches and patterns. Especially for those of you who are already adept at wielding a needle, there is a lot of 'new stuff' in this book which will make your hands itch.
Book review One needle one thread Miao embroidery China
The book is written by Dr. Tomoko Torimaru, a Japanese woman who studied Chinese textiles at the University of Shanghai, China. She is the daughter and research-associate of her mother Dr. Sadae Torimaru. Together they have studied the textile traditions of the Miao and related ethnic groups for many decades. They are both well-known and respected textile researchers and deserve to be more widely known among Western embroiderers as well. Full details of the book: Torimaru, T., 2008: One Needle, One Thread: Miao (Hmong) embroidery and fabric piecework from Guizhou, China, University of Hawai'i Art Gallery, ISBN: 978-1-60702-173-5.
One needle one thread book review Miao embroidery China
And this is what a typical two-spread from the book looks like. Many detailed pictures with explanatory text. In this particular case, the darning stitch is worked from the back in order to protect the finished embroidery. One needs great skill to not make a mistake when carrying threads or otherwise the pattern on the front will show a mistake. There are several embroidery techniques detailed in the book where the embroideress works from the back to avoid soiling the finished embroidery.
One needle one thread book review Miao embroidery China
Throughout the book, you will learn about the myriad ways of pattern design and transfer. I am blown away by the fact that some paper-template cutters are so skilled that they do not need to make an outline drawing prior to cutting ... There are also many 'recipes' in the book for making starch and thread conditioner from local plants. You'll be amazed at how often the silk threads for embroidery are conditioned to behave during embroidery. I am always quite reluctant to use thread heaven or the like on my silk threads. I usually talk them into submission (with various degrees of success, I must admit).
Another thing I was reminded by when reading the book from cover to cover, is how ingenious people are. We can be one heck of a clever naked ape! For the Miao, embroidering their folk costumes is typically done in between other tasks. When waiting or tending the family, for instance. There's often no ergonomic position to be had or good lighting. Slate frames or hoops for perfect tension? How about using your knees and thighs instead? And it is almost always an activity you'll share with other females. Knowledge transferred from mother to daughter. Underlining and taking pride in one's ethnic identity one peaceful stitch at a time!
12 Comments
Rachel link
10/6/2019 13:06:00

Yes, so ingenious - sometimes I think we don't give ourselves credit for quite the right things...

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
10/6/2019 15:03:11

Indeed Rachel!

Reply
Ann Bernard
10/6/2019 13:17:11

Tempting information. I would have liked to have heard more.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
10/6/2019 15:04:05

Thank you Ann! What else would you have liked me to have included into the review?

Reply
Genevieve
10/6/2019 14:26:40

Hello thank you for letting us know about this very interesting book. Do you know how / where we can buy it?
Kind regards

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
10/6/2019 15:05:19

Thank you Genevieve! Just google for the book title or the ISBN provided in my post. Google when then come up with the best buying solution for the geographical location you are in.

Reply
Sarah
10/6/2019 21:05:59

Another very interesting blog post. The book looks very tempting.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
10/6/2019 21:31:48

Thank you Sarah!

Reply
annelot
11/6/2019 16:15:03

Hallo Jessica,
T is inderdaad t prachtig boek vol met "how to do" foto's. Bij toeval heb ik t boek al paar jaar en t blijft n plezier er in te kijken, bladeren en inspiratie op te doen. Al die geometrische patronen zijn geweldig . En wat je zegt: gewoon als je n maar minuten overhebt, even n paar steekjes doen. Niks daglichtlampen en borduurringen!
groeten
annelot

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
12/6/2019 22:06:24

Helemaal mee eens Annelot!

Reply
Mari-jan Bakker link
12/6/2019 17:38:31

Hey Jessica,
Wat leuk deze boekbespreking :)
Het is ook een van mijn favoriete boeken!
Groetjes, Mari-jan

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
12/6/2019 22:07:02

Leuk om te merken dat het boek in Nederland wel bekend is bij borduursters, Mari-jan!

Reply



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