Ge Jia Cotton Baby Carrier

A red T-shaped cloth with large lacy medallions and a white cord edge.

This baby carrier is Ge Jia, from Guizhou Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. It is 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. Big interlocking floral shapes in orange, red and navy form a loose net across the surface. A twisted white edging outlines the shape, and faint blue triangles sit at the sides. It is 26.3 inches wide and 27.3 long.

Big medallions, bold colors and not a hint of shyness.