Hanoi (VNA) - Hand embroidery is along-standing traditional craft in Vietnam and artisans use their needles toexplore a variety of themes to turn embroidered pieces into one-of-a-kindartistic products.

Located on Ton Duc Thang street in downtownHanoi, the Theu Viet (Viet Embroidery) collective has brought art enthusiasts,especially those who love traditional hand embroidery, to a unique space richin Vietnamese culture.

Nguyen ThiThanh has been working for the Theu Viet for seven years.

She said, “I have a great passion for making embroidered pictures. To producesuch beautiful embroidered pictures, craftsmen have to put their hearts andsoul into every step.”

Thanh said she wanted to do more to preserve andpromote the craft as it is gradually fading into oblivion.

Embroidery has long been considered an art equivocal to painting, requiring ahigh level of meticulousness, subtlety, and patience on the part of theartisans during the process of making a hand embroidery product. 

To create a complete hand embroidered product, perfect teamwork is needed.

Firstly, the painter will sketch out his ideas, then, after several steps including choosing materials and ways to embroider – such as a one-sided picture or a two-sided item – the sketch will be delivered to the artisans. 

The completion time of a product depends on itssize, quality, and design. Sometimes, it takes the artisans up to a few yearsto finish one embroidered piece.

Director of Theu Viet Company, Tran Gia Huy,said he hoped his company would bring Vietnam’s traditional hand embroidery artto more art lovers both at home and abroad.

“Hand embroidery holds the country’s spirit asit comes from the villages, it is very peaceful and profound,” he said.

No one know when embroidery art first came toVietnam, but tribute is often paid to Le Cong Hanh – who served as Vietnam’senvoy to China during the Ming dynasty – as the founding father of the art atthe beginning of the 17th century. Le Cong Hanh is believed to have combinedboth Chinese and Vietnamese embroidery artistry and created the uniquetechnique used in Vietnam today.

Traditional hand embroidered pictures have become a unique gift to many people. 

Ta Thi Men bought Theu Viet products as she appreciates them so much.  

“I choose Viet Embroidery as their products arebeautiful and rich in culture, with meticulous attention to detail and subtly.The picture makes my house look luxurious,” she said.

Hand embroidery forms part of Vietnam’s cultureand Theu Viet embroidered products are working to preserve and promote thevalues of the craft. -VNA