It's May 8th here in Hanoi -
It has been a while since I've had time to sit at my laptop with a wifi connection and download/edit photos and write a post.
We kind of knew it would be this way - our group has had hotel checkouts by 7:30 am, and then we don't get back to our rooms in our next location, or the location we are currently at until 9pm after dinner.
The last I was able to write was just a bit about our long drive from Hanoi up to Sspa - and oh, what a time we had in Sapa!
Our first needlework excursion was in the village of Ta Phin where we went hands-on with Red Dao embroidery.
What an incredible experience in every way!
The women all wore traditional garments embellished with embroidery they did themselves - and each piece could take months.
The base fabric is hand woven hemp - with a texture much like linen. The silk embroidery is TINY! And we were counting picking up 2 threads at a time with our needles.
I tried - I really tried - but my eyes just couldn't see it on the dark blue fabric.
All of this beautiful embroidery is done in traditional patterns the girls learn from a very young age - usually taught by their mother or grandmother.
Even more mind-blowing - the embroidery is worked from the back side of the cloth, with the finished side not being seen until you turn the piece over.
Working form the back side -
All of the embroidery you see on her tunic, and the white stitching down her trousers is all stitched by hand - it is incredible!
Of course when you are working with hand-dyed indigo fabric, after years it is going to permanently stain your fingernails and nail beds.
Using toes to separate the silk strands.
This was fascinating to watch - they would separate the silk strands, pick up 3 strands or so, and then roll them on their thigh to twist them together into one strand.
I will never take another pre-wound spool of thread for granted ever again!
There was one teacher for every group of 3 tourists - and my travelers were trying so hard!
And oh, how I love the oldest grandma!
She was so precious!
Hannah is our youngest traveler, and big time into cross-stitch so here she is learning to work from the back side from a master embroidery.
I think she is having the time of her life!
I was distracted by this cutie!
And of course, I'm missing Zoey & Mabel - so any dog photos I can get are fun too.
This was one smiley pup!
And of course, there are so many photos that I can't post them all - so here is a little video slide show for you:
Click to Play:
And even this isn't enough to capture it all!
Lunch was served in the home to all of us - and the food kept coming - so good!
What a fantastic experience!
Our Craftours guide Deb with these two beautiful ladies
From the oldest to the youngest!
With love from Vietnam -
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