Abstract

Patchworking is a kind of needlework technique in which two or more pieces of cloth are sewn together. It is commonly used for making female clothes in the countryside east of Suzhou, China. The practicalities of the patchwork are manifold: economy, easy replacement of the patches, which can be made so to hold small items and to strengthen the waist of the body. On the aesthetic side, the proportionality of the patches, the original patterns of blessing woven in is simply a delight to look at. Its history can be traced back to the traditional costumes developed throughout the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

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