Pendet Dancer

I have finally finished my pendet dancer cross stitch. It was quite a challenge using metallic thread. I thought I was experienced because I did the metallic stitches on Lesley Teare's oriental Peacock and Peonies. But still, I went through a tangled and knotted yarn. But I enjoyed every stitch and observed the shape of the dancer appeared on my Aida.



Then, I will need a suitable frame for this, with a traditional touch perhaps ;)

Now, I'm getting back to my postponed tablecloth... :)

Aug 3, 2010
I was just googling around and I found out that the original designer of the pendet dancer pattern is Mrs. Aryati from Crossstitch Point, Jakarta. Well, it's too bad that the Hobby Craft shop doesn't mention it in the kit :(
And here's the preview of the complete set from Buletin Bisnis Website about Crossstitch Point.

Traditional Pattern

I always feel envious to see traditional cross stitch patterns published in the magazines or sold in the craft shops. There are lots of geisha, washi doll, matryoshka doll, hungarian motifs, dutch windmill, african dancer, you name it. I had never seen a cross stitch motif or theme of Indonesia. That is why I fell in love with this Balinese Pendet Dancer cross stitch kit since I first saw it.

Pendet is a traditional dance from Bali, Indonesia, in which offerings are made to purify the temple or theater as a prelude to ceremonies or other dances. Pendet is typically performed by young girls, carrying bowls of flower petals, handfuls of which are cast into the air at various times in the dance. Pendet can be thought of as a dance of greeting, to welcome the audience and invite spirits to enjoy a performance.

Here's the result so far. Two things left : gold stitches and backstitches.


Actually, there are 6 patterns available. But, I need to save some money first to buy the other 5.

(Pendet dancers photo from Wikipedia, courtesy of Christopher Michel, San Francisco, USA)

Mayday...mayday... Running out of floss...

I'm nearly halfway finishing the tablecloth, but I'm running out of floss #938..!! Ouch.. I'll have to do some shopping tomorrow...


In the meantime, maybe I'll stitch the Pendet Dance of Bali which I already have in my stash.