This embroidered, pieced and embellished textile from the Hmong people of Southeast Asia is an especially finely worked and detailed example of a baby carrier panel (the straps that hold the carrier on the parent’s back were removed at some point in its history). 

The embroidered butterfly near the top is a frequent symbol in Hmong folk art. Other areas of embroidery depict a range of flowers, including a large lotus blossom, which is a symbol of purity in Buddhism, one of the dominant religions in Southeast Asia. At the center is the Chinese “shou” symbol, which represents longevity. Perhaps surprising to quiltmakers from Western countries, the bottom portion of the carrier is created in a double coin motif, or what in the West would be called Cathedral Windows. Silver beads are attached where each circle meets another.