The so-called counted-stitch embroidery, which means arranging stitches parallel to the weft or warp threads based on the holes created by the weft crossing warp grains, is a unique ethnic handicraft. With its attribute of leading to neat forms with evenly-allocated stitches, it is often used to make geometric patterns or Chinese characters with auspicious meanings, usually ending up with highly-decorative visual effect.
It is this technique that was used for the patterns of clouds, cranes and bats on the white gauze cuffs. With evenly- and densely-arranging stitches, these motifs are in very neat and simple forms. As for the patterns of butterflies around flowers on the foundation of white sesame gauze on positions of collar, diagonal placket, middle sleeves and sides of the garment, straight stitches, layered stiches and flat stitches, long and short stitches ones were used for the motifs of butterflies and flowers, while seed stitches were applied for the stamen of plum blossoms, giving them a real-life look.
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