Myanmar Tapestry
Myanmar Tapestry is the genuine Myanmar handicraft. It is gold embroidery and we called ‘Shwe-Chi-Htoe in Burmese. It has flourished since a thousand years ago. The earliest record is Pyu Period of around 800 AD. Myanmar Royal families loved to wear tapestry clothes and accessories. Although the royal kingdoms of Myanmar disappeared, this tapestry is still alive, catching the people’s eyes. Especially, the tapestry paintings are the most famous and the one we have found the most. The original place of the tapestry is Mandalay. The tapestry is a form of needle work to create a variety of pictures and patterns with gold and silver thread on the clothes, especially on the velvet.
Process of Tapestry
Firstly, a piece of white cloth of suitable proportion that has to be stretched and tightened on a square wooden frame. Making the cloth rigid and smooth on the wooden frame, the artistic desired figure and patterns are drawn in outlines on the surface of the cloth with a drawing pencil. Lastly, we sue sequences using gold and silver threads. Depending on the designs, other ornaments like semi-precious gems, colorful cut glass, seeds pearls, and beads are systematically and beautifully decorated. This stage of the process makes the figures and patterns alive and interesting. After this process, the stitches are brushed over with glue to strength and prevent the thread from breaking. It also makes the craftsman cut the pattern easily and exactly. The cut patterns are then moved and applied on the piece of velvet or satin or silk or papier-mache which forms the background of the embroidery. But, the opening is left through which cotton is stuffed to make an embossed figure.
In the former time, most of the designs are based on the floral pattern. Nowadays, both traditional and modern designs are available. For traditional designs, it comes from the stories of Buddha life and nats. Myanmar Tapestry reflects the spirit of Myanmar people. Myanmar Tapestry we can see the most are in the form of wall hangings. U Sein Myint is a famous craftsman for Myanmar Tapestry. One of his Myanmar Tapestry wall hangings was given to the UN as a present by the Myanmar government and now, it is being hanged in the UN building.
This gold embroidery is so delicate and detailed that it requires skill artistry and patience. That’s why you can see this art in the accessories more than in the clothes, using the velvet as a background. Whatever, Myanmar Tapestry is really interesting and valuable art. If you want to explore more and details about Myanmar Tapestry, join with our LM Travel Myanmar.