Hmong Embroidery

CO11: A ball such as this one is used by young Hmong men and women during the Hmong New Year Festival in the courtship ball tossing game. Folk songs are sung while partners throw the ball back and forth to one another. This piece was hand-sewn with cotton fabric. Cotton is stuffed inside.

By Chee Xiong, 2011, 8 cm in diameter
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO12: This courtship ball was hand-sewn with a synthetic fabric over a small rubber ball.
It serves a cultural purpose. Prior to the Hmong New Year in Laos, young women or their
mothers would sew cotton balls to bring to the fields where they played a game of ball
tossing with young men. Single people lined up in two rows and tossed the balls back and forth for hours as they sang to each other affectionately. The Hmong New Year was an acceptable time for young men and women to be seen in public together. This was also the time for young people to meet a potential spouse. Whenever Hmong gather for the New Year, courtship balls and ball tossing are still an important part of the scene. The traditional indigo or black balls have been replaced over the past several decades with bright colors, glitter, embroidery, and even tennis balls.

By Yee Xiong, 2011, 5 cm in diameter
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at Hmong Archives

CO13: This ornament was developed utilizing batik and appliqué techniques. The white
and blue sections use batik, a wax resistance technique often used among the Green Hmong, especially for their pleated skirts. Appliqué was used to make the red triangles found on this ornament. It includes a pinwheel motif, and serves as an embellishment for the
ornament.

By Ai Thao, 1980s, 5x5x2 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO14: This piece functions as a keychain. It has a mountain motif or pyramid shape. Orange cotton fabric was cut and sewn after being embroidered with darning as well as outline and
running stitches. The artwork was stuffed with cotton and decorated with a bell and orange,
yellow, and red pompoms.

By Pa Xiong, 2008, 8x7x2 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO15: This ornament was made to be hung in the mirror of a car, used as a keychain ornament or on a school bag. The shape of the ornament is a pyramid, and it is hand embroidered with cross stitches. Colorful beads, rickracks, and pom poms are used as embellishments.

By an unknown artist, 2008, 8x8x9 cm

Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO16: This ornament was purchased at the Camacrafts store in Chiang Kham, near Ban Vinai Refugee Camp, Thailand. It is in a style that the Hmong from Luang Prabang, Laos, use as part of their headdress. This type of ornament is also found among the ethnic Iu Mien or Yao people, some of whom were also refugees in Ban Vinai. It is hand embroidered with cross-stitches and contains cotton yarn and beads.

Sold by Camacrafts, Thailand, 1987, 11x8x5 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO17: Traditionally, a mountain or triangle shaped amulet pouch utilized by the Hmong would be sewn in red and stuffed with herbal medicine. These herbal medicines are thought to have scents and properties that ward off bad, evil, and unwanted spirits that cause children to cry at night. They are worn around the neck with a necklace. However, this particular artwork is a Christmas ornament inspired by the amulet mentioned above. It has the Christmas colors of red and green, also very popular in Hmong textiles. The ornament is decorated with mountain
darning stitches.

By Lo Vang, 1984, 5x9x1 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO18: This piece is intended to be used as a Christmas ornament. It was made with white monk’s cloth using cross stitched embroidery. The monk cloth was then cut into a heart shape and hand sewn. The figures depicted on the ornament include a pair of birds. These symbolize the affection and love of a couple. The birds are perched between a modified three headed elephant motif. The ornament is filled with cotton stuffing.

By T-Chue Ze, 1988, 5x5x3 cm

Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO19: This is a Christmas ornament made with cotton fabric. The fabric is cut into reverse
appliqué, and decorated with chain and closed running stitches as embellishments. Pictured on the ornament is a Christmas tree with embroidered ornament balls and colorful snowflakes in white, blue, pink, and yellow.

By Tong Thor, 1984, 9x7x4 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives

CO20: This piece of embroidery work functions as a Christmas ornament. Cross-stitch
embroidery was constructed on monk’s cloth. Cotton was stuffed inside.

By Yer Vang, 1984, 7x5x2 cm
Photo by Xai S. Lor, item at the Hmong Archives