Embroidered dress made with white handwoven fabric. Long sleeves, V-neck. Multicolored hand embroidery, mostly chain stitch chevrons, interlaced wavy lines, crosses, etc., down the neck, down the center front, and around the sleeve cuffs. The white fabric is made from single-ply handspun cotton, handwoven in plain weave. Machine stitched. Donor says this was made at a women's work-project at Mekele, Tigray, known as “the cotton factory” dedicated to helping women (and a few men) become economically secure. The project was operated by the Malloy family from Minnesota; the project was sponsored by the governor of Tigray, Leul Ras Mengesha. Commission by the donor, Marilyn Heldman in 1973 or 1974. At her request, the dress is more slender than the usual dress of this type.
