The Seats Went Fast
If you tried to sign up for Sunday's paj ntaub workshop at the Ramsey County Library in Maplewood and found registration already closed, you weren't alone. The September 13 session of "Introduction to Hmong Needlework" filled to capacity and is now waitlist-only — a small but telling sign of how much hunger there is right now for spaces that hold this art form and pass it forward.
The workshop was led by Mandora Young, a Hmong artist and educator who has become one of the most consistent voices for keeping paj ntaub alive in the Twin Cities. For two hours on a Sunday afternoon, participants sat down with patterns and thread and started making something with their own hands.
Who Is Mandora Young
Young was born in 1972 in Vientiane, Laos, and learned paj ntaub from her grandmother as a child. Her family came to the United States in 1979 after the Laotian Civil War, and she carried that knowledge with her — quietly, for a long time. When she came back to it as an adult, she noticed something that troubled her: classes were scarce, and interest within the community had thinned. In 2018, she decided to do something about it and started teaching.
Since then she's brought paj ntaub workshops to libraries and schools across the metro, welcoming Hmong and non-Hmong participants alike. She's been featured on PBS's Craft in America alongside master paj ntaub maker Suzanne Thao and Chef Yia Vang. The work is about more than stitching — it's about making sure the knowledge doesn't stay locked in one generation.
What Participants Actually Do
In Sunday's session, participants learned the history behind paj ntaub patterns, then selected a design and began creating their own piece. All materials were provided. No prior experience required. That accessibility is the whole point — the barrier to entry is a seat at the table and nothing else.
Young's approach has always been hands-on and unhurried. She teaches the technique alongside its significance, so people leave understanding not just how to stitch but what they're stitching and why it has held meaning across generations of Hmong life.
Why a Packed Waitlist Is Worth Noting
A library workshop selling out doesn't make headlines on its own. But this one is worth paying attention to because of the moment it sits inside. After years of upheaval — deportation fears, community stress, the constant noise of national politics aimed squarely at Hmong families — people are showing up in numbers to reconnect with something that belongs to us, that no policy can take away.
Paj ntaub has always been a form of record-keeping. Story cloths documented the Secret War and the crossing and the camps. The patterns carried meaning that could not be spoken out loud. That the next sessions — September 20 and 21 — are also on the calendar means there are more chances to get in. If you missed Sunday, register now before those fill up too.
How to Get to the Next Sessions
The Hmong Museum is continuing its partnership with Ramsey County Library in Maplewood for additional workshop dates on September 20 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and September 21 (1–4 p.m.). Workshops are free, space is limited, and registration is required. To sign up or join the waitlist for any session, visit the Ramsey County Library events calendar at rclreads.bibliocommons.com or email the Hmong Museum directly at info@hmongmuseumMN.org.
If you're in greater Minnesota and can't make it to Maplewood, the Hmong Museum has said they're open to traveling virtually or in person to collect stories and share programming. Reach out and ask.
