About the Piece:
This colourful top is constructed of multiple squares of printed cotton fabrics, and is lined with white cotton. All the squares form a colourful and unique pattern. This top has a slightly rounded neckline, and has two small slits at the bottom of the top.
Chinese patchwork: The Hundred-Families robe, 百家衣 baijiayi.
Just like traditional Chinese patchwork, the patchwork I created was made from sewing scraps of fabric together to form a design. This technique is commonly seen in Chinese quilting, and is said to have the purpose of telling a story of Chinese folklore.
UnlikeForwardCopyReportMy patchwork told the story of my memories. My grandmother would tell me stories about herself as a teenager and the vibrant styled clothing she would make, by stitching spare fabric together to create a top out of recycled materials. I developed my own patchwork style to call back to that memory, and made a patchwork material shirt of my own design. When I showed my grandmother my version of her patchwork garment, it made her smile as she reminisced back to those fond memories.
In the patchwork panels, you will notice all the different fabrics which I used to make the pattern. One fabric you might notice is a traditional Chinese pattern, most commonly seen on Cheongsam dresses also known as the qipao, or Chinese traditional clothing. This distinctive gown was popular during the 1920s and 1930s, and in my home, Hong Kong, you can find a handful of tailors who still use the traditional Cheongsam techniques to create beautiful dresses.
About the Artist:
Alysha Lai
Hey! I’m Alysha Lai a High school student from Hong Kong. I enjoy all aspects of art, including, theater, visual arts, ceramics, singing, fashion design, and more. I made the patchwork top in 2018, from scarp pieces of fabric from my previous sewing projects. Because the current state of the world, and especially the environmental impacts of the fashion industry, sustainability is an important factor in my designs. By making the patchwork top, I manage to eliminate my fabric waste. I hope you enjoy my sewing creation! You can contact me via my Instagram account, @art.alysha.
The Big Duck 