Relive memories with hand-stitched, fabric-patched products

(GLO)- Many people grew up in the warmth of blankets hand-sewn by their mothers, pieced together from scraps of fabric. Now, the fabric-patching technique has been elevated by many women in the mountainous town of Pleiku, creating applied products with a strong artistic quality.

Every meticulous stitch in handmade items always evokes old memories, while bringing new emotions to the user.

Pieces of memory

Ms. Do Thi Lan Anh (19 Pham Van Dong, Pleiku City) is one of the people who “started” the trend of hand-sewing in the mountain town. By chance, seeing a model wearing an evening dress made from impressive hexagonal pieces of fabric, Ms. Lan Anh thought of the blanket her mother used to sew when she was a child. “Why don’t I try sewing a blanket from hexagons?” - that question urged her to start making it.

The classic dark-colored blanket was completed by Ms. Do Thi Lan Anh with great effort. Photo: Minh Chau

To complete a blanket, she needed 350 flowers, each with 6 petals and 1 pistil, made from small hexagonal pieces of fabric. The back was quilted and lined with fabric. All stages were completely hand-sewn. After 2 months of sewing "forgetting to eat and sleep", meticulously stitching each stitch, the blanket was completed to her own amazement.

“I never thought I could do it. Hand sewing requires patience, meticulousness and aesthetic taste. But when I saw the finished product - a blanket that is not just for covering but is like a work of art with colorful flowers, I was truly happy,” Lan Anh shared.

Ms. Lan Anh shows off her unfinished work - small pieces of fabric combined into six-petal flowers - a hexagonal pattern typical of quilting art. Photo: Minh Chau

Although working in a government agency, Ms. Lan Anh still devotes a small corner to her passion for sewing. Not stopping at blankets and pillowcases, she also sews handbags, backpacks, wallets, personal items, etc. All are hand-sewn, bringing a unique breath to each product.

According to her, quilting - the art of quilting fabrics - has existed for a long time and is widely applied in many countries around the world .

“Quilting is a way of sewing small pieces of fabric together to create large items such as blankets, pillows, rugs, bags, etc. There are many techniques, but I especially like hexagons because of the flexibility and emotion in color combinations. Each product is unique, an improvisation of the color and mood of the maker,” Lan Anh explained.

When she posted pictures of her products on social media, she did not expect to receive so much positive feedback. Some posts on TikTok even went “viral” with hundreds of thousands of views and shares.

“Some people say the image of the blanket reminds them of their childhood, of their mother sewing under the oil lamp. Some people ask me to make products based on their own preferences and memories. I feel connected to many kindred spirits through this handmade sewing art,” Lan Anh shared.

Spreading the spiritual value of handmade products

From her personal passion, Ms. Lan Anh gradually gained more customers everywhere, but she did not consider this a profession to make a living. She said: “Hand sewing is a very slow journey. Customers have to be very patient. Some people order and forget because it has been too long, and when I deliver, they are really surprised. Luckily, everyone who orders understands the effort behind it, so they are willing to wait.”

Currently, a set of materials to sew a blanket costs several million VND; the finished product costs 5-7 million VND, depending on the size and complexity of the pattern. The completion time also takes several months, so Ms. Lan Anh only accepts about 3-4 blanket sewing orders each year.

She believes: “Making a hand-sewn blanket is a journey of gathering small pieces of time, emotions and memories to weave something truly unique and complete. Without passion, no one has the perseverance to go all the way. In addition, the price is not cheap. Therefore, whoever owns the blanket must be someone who understands and loves the beauty of the art of quilting.”

A lovely little wallet made of fabric and hand-sewn - a simple yet sophisticated handmade item. Photo: Minh Chau

Many of Lan Anh’s handmade products carry their own stories. Some people send their children’s old clothes for her to cut and sew into a souvenir blanket. Some people order flower blankets to preserve memories of their loved ones… “Each stitch is a story. Each piece of fabric is a piece of memory. The blanket is not only for warmth, but also for love,” Lan Anh concludes.

For Ms. Lan Anh, sewing is not only a hobby but also a “healing” therapy. She confided: “I find peace when I sit down to sew. Especially when I mix colors to create colorful bags and blankets - like a game with colors, very relaxing for the mind. If the product satisfies the customer, I am very happy. Sewing by hand brings many indescribable emotions, making me more excited and loving life more.”

Sewing is not only a hobby but also helps Ms. Lan Anh find peaceful moments. Photo: Minh Chau

As a lover of hand-sewn products and also a loyal customer of Ms. Lan Anh, Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Phuong ( Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “Anyone who sees hand-sewn carpets or blankets must be amazed. They are not just everyday items, but truly works of art, created with meticulousness, ingenuity and very delicate color combinations.”

The community of quilting enthusiasts in the mountainous town of Pleiku is currently quite large, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. Ms. Lan Anh is always willing to support members with techniques and experience so that everyone can complete the product to their satisfaction. In return, she also learns more about color coordination and pattern making to create more diverse and beautiful quilting products.

In today’s fast-paced world, where everything is readily available, not many people have the patience to sit for hours meticulously sewing and piecing together small pieces of fabric. That’s why hand-sewn products like quilting have their own value.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/song-lai-ky-uc-cung-san-pham-ghep-vai-khau-tay-post329933.html