This is pair of “Kasut Manek”, the literal meaning being “beaded shoes”. The slipper face is covered with bead embroidery or threading. This is a technique where coloured seed beads are stitched onto a base fabric using needle and thread. More specifically, petit point beadwork is used here. The needle worker uses coloured beads to stitch out patterns drawn onto square paper. Such bead embroidery was usually done on velvet or plain weave cotton and required the use of a frame or ‘pidangan’. The seed beads used here could be “Rocaille beads” or beads made of coloured glass. These are usually spheroidal in shape (compressed at the sides). The decorative motifs on this piece include a pair of flowers, one in shades of blue and green, the other in shades of yellow, red and pink. There is also bright yellow bird with feathers of orange and blue plums perched on top of the flowers. The bright colours of these motifs contrast against the plain white background.
