Summary

Cushion Cover made by members of the Hmong community in Victoria, circa 1991 - 1992. The Victorian Hmong community developed after many Hmong fled from Laos in 1975 and arrived in Australia in mid 1980s after spending time in Thai refugee camps. The women of the Victorian Hmong community produced and sold these types of works at the Fitzroy Craft Market to supplement family income.

Fine needlework has always been a source of great pride to Hmong women and girls are taught to sew at age seven or eight. The primary applique pattern is the Basic Heart Motif. The central motif is the Simple Cross with embroidered triangles completed in Satin Stitch as embellishments.

Physical Description

Square shaped cotton cushion cover. Back is black and also large border on the front. Central square shaped hand applique in the centre with a thin white cotton border. Surrounding that is a wide dark red border with royal blue and white stitching. Surrounding that is another thin white border, then a wide black one. The front is hand stitched, while the edges and back are machine stitched and there is a white commercially made zip inserted into the back, off-centre running parallel to the seams.

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