Hungarian Beaders

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is highlighting Hungary this year. An interpreter explained the regional  differences between the women’s costumes: a blouse with smocking, an apron of bright ribbons, crisp pleated sleeves of giant proportions. Red is a common denominator, present in most of the fiber arts. We watched these ladies create beaded necklaces and brooches using a technique that many contemporary beaders employ. How different it looks, layered over an elaborately stitched blouse instead of worn with a simple dress. Nothing is really new. Motifs and techniques are always being reworked. There are paisleys printed on the beaders' head scarves, on the yokes of their skirts, in the red and white embroidery behind them. I have the urge to make something, anything, so long as it is red and includes paisleys.