Miao Baby Carrier with Butterfly Motif

A red embroidered yoke between two black sleeves, with a striped apron below.

This baby carrier with butterfly motif is Miao (Hmong), from Guizhou Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. It is applique cotton & silk. The butterfly is an image important to the Miao creation myth, in which a butterfly born from a maple tree laid twelve eggs that hatched the creatures of the world, including people. The upper panel holds bright red stitched knots on a darker ground, framed by vertical bands. A narrower lower piece carries horizontal red stripes. Plain black fabric forms the wide arms. It is 36.5 inches wide and 31 long.

Busy in the middle, calm at the edges.