Traditional Hand Embroidery by Lakpahana

It was in the early 1960’s that Mrs. Siva Obeyesekere, who was passionate about all things handmade, started 15 sewing centers in the Attanagalle and Maligawa electorate. About 500 women attended the sewing centers.

Her husband Senator James Peter Obeyesekere was the Member of Parliament for Attanagalle at the time. The women could help improve their family income by using their leisure time in sewing at home. This became a popular cottage industry.

At the sewing centers, she and her friend, Mrs. Lorna Manukulasuriya, trained women to make the most exquisite hand embroidered handkerchieves, pillow cases and baby shirts. Made from French lawn, these beautifully embroidered items often embellished with handmade lace eschewed sentimentality, nostalgia and beauty. The designs were of a Victorian era. These beautiful items were very popular and found a ready market overseas.

Lakpahana now showcases the beautiful hand embroidered items. Handmade does not mean cheap, it means beautiful and well made. Carefully hand embroidered hankies make ideal mementos or gifts from a bygone age. The stitching is so well done that both sides are just as good.

A cotton hanky is ideal to use on hot humid days. There are gents’ hankies, childrens’ embroidered hankies and ladies’ hankies. They are deal to keep in the handbag and far classier than common tissue. It is a gift of love.

Kandyan embroidery fascinated Mrs. Obeyesekere. A great granddaughter of Iddamalgoda Kumarihamy, who was considered a princess in her time, Sabaragamuwa designs and embroidery occupied a special place in Siva’s heart. She drew all these vivid recollections to create a tapestry of colour.

Kandyan style embroidery using specific designs, colours and materials have been used to turn out beautiful cushion covers, table mats, flags and bags. The embroidered betel bags consists generally of a centre design, floral or otherwise framed by three or more borders parallel to the edge of the item of the borders.

The inner most is always “Pala peti”, the “Liya wela”, “Hawadiya” or “Gal bindu” patterns. Most of the Kandyan embroidery uses chain stitch, centipede stitch, buttonhole stitch, feather stitch and simple cross stitch.

Obeyesekere worked tirelessly to revive traditional handicrafts. Her efforts led her to start a small shop in front of the Horagolla Samadhi. This shop was the precursor to Laksala and finally Lakpahana. All the painstaking efforts of one woman who wanted to create a Sri Lankan identity. She spent endless hours with craftspeople and immersed herself in the country’s craft. Her work is a tribute to our country.

Lakpahana showcases all these embroidery and patchwork items together with a fantastic collection of all that is handmade. The past makes a beautiful present. Lakpahana has been at the forefront of doing things the traditional way.