Last year at the tsechu (festival) in Bhutan, I noticed several women wearing kiras reminiscent of Tibetan Hothra. Continue reading
Category Archives: Other Bhutanese Textiles
New Thrima Exhibition at RTA in Thimphu, Bhutan
What a wonderful time to be visiting Bhutan! I love the thrima technique and will be there in December to see this new exhibition. Continue reading
Textiles imitating textiles: Bhutanese embroidery
Recently I wrote about the imitation of shibori in embroideries on display in the exhibition China: Through the Lens of John Thomson at the National Textile Museum in Washington, DC (Textiles Imitating Textiles).
A few days ago, I was privileged to view the beautiful textiles submitted for Bhutan’s national textile competition and enjoyed another embroidery that beautifully portrayed textiles.
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Bhutan: Royal Textile Academy Fashion Show
Recently I enjoyed browsing through the sumptuous kushutara brocades paraded down the catwalk at the Window to Woven Dreams fashion show held at the opening of the new Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan. Continue reading
Nettle Weaving
I had the opportunity to accompany Active Travel’s Textile Tour group for a few days. South of Trongsa, we visited the Tarayana Foundation’s unique project that has revived the art of weaving cloth from the bark of stinging nettles. Continue reading
Yathra for Winter
As I travelled to Phobjika in November, the cold weather was prompting the wearing of Yathra garments. Continue reading
Royal Wedding Outfits
Recently the King of Bhutan married his bride, Jetsun Pema. Watching the ceremony taking place in Punakha, I heard Bhutanese wondering why the King was wearing floral brocade rather than one of his many handsome aikapur ghos, which they considered more typically Bhutanese. Continue reading
Bumthang: Sethra
Along with mathra, Sethra is a very popular plaid associated with Central Bhutan. Continue reading
Mathra Pesar & Sethra Pesar
The addition of sapma motifs to sethra or mathra woven for a woman’s kira is a more recent innovation and designated “pesar” or “new design.” Continue reading