DETAILS:

The one-of-a-kind Mu Cang Chai II throw pillow celebrates the delicate and harmonious combination of indigo-dyed batik with traditional decorative red applique from northern Vietnam alongside beautiful and intricate examples of Indonesian ikat. This decorative pillow will be a welcome addition to any room where it is placed.

• 19” x 19”

• Front—cotton

• Back—linen, in black

• Zipper closure

• Down feather insert

• Fabric origins: Indonesia, Vietnam

THE STORY:

The Mu Cang Chai II throw pillow is one of my favorites because it shows several of my favorite textile techniques—batik and ikat. The focal point of this pillow is an indigo batik made by the Flower Hmong of the Che Cu Nha community in Vietnam. Their art of indigo dyeing features different levels of light and dark shades on the same drawing, which is a unique technique and completely different from other Hmong groups. Even the embroidery and batik motifs have special cultural significance. During the six visits I have made to Vietnam, not once did I have the opportunity to visit the Hill Tribes in the northern part of Vietnam, but I must admit that the textiles produced by the Hill Tribes are notably some of my favorites. I purchased these fabrics during visits to Craft Link, a fair trade organization in Hanoi that supports ethnic minority groups and traditional craft producers to revive and promote traditional culture and skills through handicraft production.

The two handwoven ikat fabrics are beautiful examples of the intricate patterns achieved by traditional Indonesian ikat technique. Ikat is the exact art of wrapping warp threads to form a resist before submerging the warp into the dye bath. It requires the re-wrapping of threads if more than one color is used in the fabric. Ikat requires a very precise technique to ensure a consistent pattern. I purchased the Indonesian fabrics used in this pillow from Pekerti, a fair trade organization I have worked with for many years which is located on the island of Java. My first visit was in 1992 as a consultant of SERRV International and then, years later, as a Buyer for SERRV. The first visit opened my eyes to the beautiful ikat weaving of Indonesia.