Miao Baby Carrier with Butterfly Motif

A glowing red cloth of tight curling embroidery above a long panel of dark stripes.

This baby carrier with butterfly motif is Miao (Hmong), from Guizhou Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. It is applique cotton & silk. Young Miao girls generally began learning embroidery around age eight or nine, and a baby carrier for a future child was among the first and most important items they made. The upper section is saturated red with winding stitched forms. Beneath it, a narrower section runs in horizontal red and black bands with small pale marks, and a hint of blue shows at the corners. It is 38 inches wide and 34.4 long.

Red on red, with great self-assurance.