Shwe Sin Hey Theingi, You are looking beautiful. You're preparing for shooting, aren't you?
Theingi Don't flatter me that much. I'm preparing to go for Stand Reporting.
Shwe Sin I really mean it. Your dress is very pretty. The pattern on your dress is unique. I have never seen a dress like yours before. Which country is it from?
Theingi It is not from abroad, Shwe Sin! It is a local-made silk cloth.
Shwe Sin The floral designs on the cloth has been made by machines and they look pretty and neat.
Theingi They were not made by machines. They are hand-made Myanmar handicrafts. The designs and patterns are painted on just like paintings. It is real hand-made Myanmar silk ware.
Shwe Sin Oh! It's very interesting Theingi! Can you tell me how the designers create and draw their patterns and designs on the silk clothes and send them to the market as ready-made wear?
Theingi Of course, Shwe Sin! I'll tell you all about it!

Colourful designs can be painted not only on modern silk and cotton wares but also on traditional silk and cotton wares. First, a draft design is drawn on the cloth. It is drawn by a white chalk to see clearly when it is coated with paint. Praise is in store for the designer. I'm amazed that he can create artistic ideas that are all different and not repeating the designs he create earlier and its no easy feat to be able to artistically and patiently draw modern designs on a 4-yards cloth which includes 2-yards for a longyi and 2-yards for a blouse, which is what a Myanmar lady uses for her dress.
After drawing a draft design, then it is ready to be painted on and this is the most important step in the process. Paints don't come ready-mixed. Various colours of paints are put in separate containers. When the painter paints the draft design, she mixed the colours she wants with her brush and paint on to the draft design.

It's very artistic! The designer must have a good concept of the colours extensively, and must have basis knowledge of the Art of Painting. In coating with paints silk wares are different from cotton wares. As silk is smooth, brushwork is also smooth. Cotton absorbs more paint. So, more brushwork and paint are used for cotton-wares then for the silk wares.
Its also stunning to watch the designer create his own designs while the painter choose the various colours with which to paint on the designs so that it is compatible with the background. After the painting process, the cloth has to be dried for two days to bring it to a proper consistency. After two days, to cheek whether the paint is firm it must be washed. When it is washed, you can find out the paint is firm. You can see that the workmanship is very neat and tidy.
I When the washing and drying process is finished, the products are now ready to be distributed on the market. I have to tell you, that we can be wash and iron the painted silk and cotton wares to our heart's content.

Some cloths with painting designs cannot be ironed on the painted sides directly, but can be ironed on the opposite side. But the painting designs on silk and cotton wares can be ironed on directly. Don't you think it is great that Myanmar Handiwork with designs painted on local made garments with our own ideas and designs on silk and cotton wares are very suitable for our Myanmar women, and very elegant to wear as our national dress.
Shwe Sin After you explained to me about locally produced silk-wares. I'm now proud of our Myanmar hand-made silk-wares. Our local products are not only good to look at, but with new designs and colours coming out, we find them convenient to wear, and I won't hesitate to buy and wear them, Theingi!
Theingi That's good Shwe Sin! So we should tell other people about these wonderful hand-made Myanmar silk-wares. Oh! Time to go for my stand reporting assignment, Shwe Sin. See you later.
Shwe Sin Ok, Thank you very much for explaining to me about Myanmar silk-wares. I'll share my experience with others. Bye Bye. Theingi.
Theingi Bye Bye. Shwe Sin.