Free Hmong Story Cloth Style Coloring Book.
I have always wanted to make one of these: A Hmong Story Cloth. A real one; embroidered and everything. But I did not possess the necessary skills to accomplish such a task so that dream was put on the back burner. But I never forgot about that dream as it is a part of my people's history.
Hmong Story cloths are embroidered pieces of fabric that depicts the history of the Hmong; whether it be our journey from China into the mountainous areas of Vietnam and Laos, our exodus out of Laos into Thailand following the Vietnam War and the Secret War in Laos, or our stay in refugee camps and subsequent journey to America (and various resettlement countries).
Although Hmong Story Cloths have become an integral part of Hmong Pajntau, the art of story cloth embroidery were introduced to Hmong refugees in Thailand when missionaries at the refugee camps needed a way for Hmong women to generate income (KSHS). The Hmong had fled Laos with only what they can carry. Many of them only had the clothes on their backs.
My grandmother carried with her, her two handmade hemp skirts. She ended up giving one of the skirts to a relative when it became too heavy to carry. She made quite a bit of these story cloths during her stay in the Thailand refugee camps as well. For my family, these story cloths (and other needlework art) were often our only source of income.
Nowadays, Hmong story cloths are more of a novelty item. Multiple versions, styles, and patterns can be found online. They exist anywhere from home decor to cutlery. They are housed in museums, hung up in Hmong homes all around the world, and loved for their historical significance as well as their beauty.
Since I am unable to make my own Hmong story cloth because my embroidery skills are elementary at best, I decided to draw my own. There are five pages of the coloring book in total. Each with a different design, all inspired by the original designs found on Hmong story cloths.
The coloring pages are simple and ready for personalization. They are perfect for children as well as adults and great for anyone who, like me, do not possess the skills to embroider their own.
Click on the links below to download your PDF copy of the Hmong Story Cloth Style Coloring book.
Download this pdf if you want the title page.
Download this pdf if you do not want the title page.
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