Intricate beauty: Besides taking orders for Nyonya embroidery, Khairiyah also sells her own kebaya designs in addition to coming up with souvenirs and flowery doll dresses.
PETALING JAYA: A 45-year-old Malay seamstress fell so deeply in love with Nyonya embroidery that she quit her factory job to set up her own home business to pursue her passion.
Khairiyah Ghazali, from Permatang Janggus, Penaga in Penang, first became enthralled with the art after following a class held by Nyonya embroidery expert Lim Swee Khim in 2007.
“She was considered a master. Although I have expertise in sewing and had worked for 10 years in a sewing factory, I quit my job to follow my interest.
“I love to look at Nyonya embroidery with its various motifs and patterns,” she said in an interview with Utusan Malaysia.
After learning the skill from the late Lim, known affectionately as Auntie Lim, Khairiyah continued to work from home, sewing kebaya with motifs of Nyonya embroidery.
“Many of the motifs are inspired by flora and fauna.
“Among the most popular motifs are peony and chrysanthemum flowers, peacocks and dragons,” she said.
According to Khairiyah, besides interest in the art, a basic understanding in sewing and drawing are key to mastering the embroidery techniques.
Khairiyah said when she first started learning Nyonya embroidery, Lim would hire her to sew.
“That was how I began learning the various techniques and motifs more seriously,” she said.
Khairiyah added that she is lucky to have full support from her husband Rosli Hassan, 55.
Besides taking orders for Nyonya embroidery, Khairiyah also sells her own kebaya designs in addition to coming up with souvenirs, mini kebaya and flowery doll dresses.
“When I first started taking orders, it could cost between RM20 and up to thousands of ringgit based on the motifs and size of the embroidery,” she added.
After two years of mastering the embroidery art, Khairiyah came across an advertisement on the Northern Corridor Economic Region offering a course that helped her to expand her business.
It was after she joined the course that Khairiyah decided to market her own products and expand her reach through social media.
