I didn't buy any vintage Miao garments at the exhibition but I got this beautiful old Ge Yi Miao jacket from Mrs Zhang. I think the scrolling patterns were called 'dazi'. They have couched outlines and are infilled with what looks like French knots or a similar stitch. It is also known as 'forbidden stitch'.
The jacket's fabric would probably originally have been dark indigo, but it is now a purple colour. I think Mrs Zhang said it was about 50 years old.
She had cooked a big lunch for us too.
Even next to the dining table, there were small pieces of antique embroidery pinned to the wall.
An antique suit of armour was next to the TV.
The long and narrow box with the rounded end slung across the front of the armour is an arrow quiver.
This is the shield that went with the armour.
A bronze drum? It has the star/sunburst pattern on the top.
The triangular designs around the base reminded me of ancient Japanese designs found on bronze bells.
This embroidered blanket was Qing (pronounced Ching) dynasty (1644 - 1912). The colours reminded me of the 1718 coverlet. I wonder if this was also 300 years old? Certainly these are natural dyes. There were all kinds of animals, including phoenix and dragon.
Another blanket, similar age. The figures seemed a little more defined in this design. The creatures include the kirin (Japanese) or qilin (Chinese).
The style of this jacket, combined with the variety of different techniques decorating it, are very similar to a jacket in Gina Corrigan's book 'Miao Textiles from China', which is listed as coming from Danzhai county, Qingdongnan, so it was made locally.
It combines simple patchwork in various special fabrics with several kinds of embroidery.
Mrs Zhang stitched this jacket herself.
It was one of several pieces for which she has received many awards. It seems the Chinese don't go in for rosettes at textile shows but issue certificates instead.
We are used to seeing the Miao jackets displayed with a pole or lath through the arms and shoulders rather than actually being worn. The fronts cross over and form two points rather than just hanging loosely, and are held in place with ties stitched to the jacket.
An apron completes this festival ensemble.
This one is hand embroidered.
We had only just begun looking at Mrs Zhang's collection and there was much more to see...
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