This year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival offered a stunning spectrum of colorful crafts. The festivities focused on three particular regions: the Mekong River of Southeast Asia, Northern Ireland, and Colonial Virginia. All of the regions had large displays with performance art, visual art, cooking and food demonstrations, history and archaeology, and large craft displays.
1. Resist Dyed Fabrics, 2. Embroidered Child’s Dress, 3. Embroidery Yarn, 4. Making pom poms, 5. Dye Tent and Me, 6. Embroidered Shoes, 7. Bec and Embroidery, 8. Woven silk textiles, 9. Silk Weaving Demo, 10. Silk Yarn on a Swift, 11. Silk woven textiles, 12. New Year’s Procession, 13. Northern Irish Wools for Carpets, 14. Northern Irish Cross-Stitch, 15. Detail of Thai Murals, 16. Vietnamese Basket Weaving
I particularly admired the Mekong River countries’ textile and needlework traditions. The use of color was truly inspiring! Once again… I am seriously considering this weaving thing…
It was a beautiful day to spend with my dear friend, Becca. We have been friends since college, studying abroad together seven years ago (almost to the day!) She is returning to Israel for a 2-month course, and this is the last time I will see her before she goes. It was a lovely way to spend the day together…
My mom was telling me all about the festival tonight; it was great to be looking at your pictures while she talked, so i could envision it! I remember many trips to the Folk Life Festival as a kid–now we can appreciate it!
Looks like a wonderful way to spend the day! Definitely a lot of inspiration! I have 2 Hmong quilted squares that are framed & included in my art wall in the living room – such beautiful work!
Oooooh, beautiful pictures!
I know what I’m doing during lunch on Thursday and Friday! I saw the tents going up and I kept telling myself to look up the festival and check on the dates… and I kept forgetting too! Hopefully the weather will cooperate with my plans. I can’t do the heat too much, but I work just a few blocks down the street!
I was there on Thursday during lunch, but it was SO hot, I could barely breath. I thought of you when I saw the weaving ladies. Spectacular!
It looks like there were more interesting things going on during the weekend, but it was great, nonetheless. I was very excited to stop by the Colonial Virginia area, because it is directly related to my summer class, which surprisingly, I am loving.
Glad you had a chance to meet with your friend and enjoy the festival!
Great pictures! The Southeast Asian colors make me homesick for my old job working in a Hmong neighborhood in Wisconsin. I should post pictures of some of their embroidery sometime–beautiful stuff.
I’ve been to Laos, and was absolutely enthralled by the embroidery! Women were embroidering all the time, everywhere. Even if they had a spare minute, sitting by the side of the road. Ooh, I wish I could see this exhibit!
Sounds like a really neat festival. I love all the colors in your photos!
Hi Lolly! I’ve seen people talk about you in blogland, but I never realized we were MD neighbors. Thanks for the comment – see you in Ravelry-land!
what a great way to spend a day with a beloved friend. i will keep her in my thoughts and wish for her to have safe travels and remain safe upon arriving in israel. i love love love the resist dyed fabrics! so pretty!
Oh, what beautiful, colorful pictures, such inspiration! What a great way to spend the day with a good friend. Like someone else has already mentioned, the Southeast Asian colors make me homesick for my town in MN where we had a very large Hmong population…their traditional embroidery just takes my breath away.
I was at the festival on Sunday. We had a wonderful time. I have to say that the Mekong River presentations really wowed me. There was such a varied and rich representation of the culture. It was really inspiring.
I am so jealous! it looks fantastic. we are lucky to live in a country that has representations from all over!
the richness of the colors is very cheerful.
What a fabulous group of photos–so colorful and lively! I wish I could have seen the festival, it looks outstanding.
Thanks for the preview ~ we’ll be up that way this weekend for a regionsl adoption-agency reunion and I hope to fit that it, although the girls may vote for the zoo!
I am so jealous of that amazing festival. We do not have things like that here in Michigan. We do have lots of craft shows though so that is nice.
I loved that festival when I lived in DC. Such a colorful expression of life I think.
Beautiful photos! : ) Have a Happy 4th!
Love the photos. I was fortunate to attend the festival and the Mekong section was my favorite part. Your photos really captured the vibrant colors and beauty of the needlecrafts.
All that colour, all those textures and the flowing creativity! I would have come home laden down with so much pretty stuff I had no idea what to do with, simply to feel like a part of the artistry.
Stunning photos…I would have loved to have been there.
we tried to go but ran out of time! looked great.
Your pictures from the festival are great! Thank you for the vicarious peek!
wish i could be there, the festival look very interesting. I live so near to those country but never been there, maybe one day i should.