The following photograph shows a version of the piece that you will be stitching.

 

 

 

Based on a versiion made by Ruth Smith

 

 

 

Many Miao groups work their embroidery on narrow strips of stiffened cloth and apply them to their garments with bands of decorative weaving and wax resist. In a few villages the fabric is ‘framed’ with strips of split bamboo sewn along the 2 long edges. I have improvised with coffee stirrers! Designs are very often worked over paper cut patterns or motifs which are either pasted or tacked to the cloth, the stitches are worked over the top and the paper remains a permanent part of the textile. You will be able to try out some new techniques