Posts from the ‘Pillow’ Category
Here are some things that I am working on this week: fantastic chain stitch Hmong embroidery– silk on cotton–combined with a hand loomed hemp. They will be part of our Kaili Pillow Collection at Pontius SHOP –Our Kaili Collection is named after Kaili City, China– the capitol of the Miao people and other ethnic minorities who are known for their exquisite well crafted embroidered textiles.
I do all sorts of custom work. Most of it is not photographed. This pillow is for a client who had this needlepoint stashed away in a closet for several years. She had seen some of my other work and gave me a call. I had free reign to do whatever I wanted. I had thought, fleas. French knots. Another swarm. I like swarms. See here and here.
I do custom pillows and some other more unsual jobs. Recently completed jobs are 8 pairs of white linen curtains appliqued with 200 black bird silhouettes . Another was a 9′ tall sheer linen tent with appliqued flowers and scallop details. 
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Something new to show. My line of pillows at Pat McGann Gallery. These are made from some of the textiles that I sourced on a trip to Beijing this past December– now at Pat McGann Gallery. Silk Miao textiles along with embroidered carrier pillows. Hmong marriage quilts and hand loomed jacquard pillows. Come visit the shop to see more.
The blue and white striped pillow is one that I pieced together out of an indigo African textile and some home spun Laotian fabric. It’s on page 96 of the Dec-Jan 2012 issue of House Beautiful. The interior is by Commune purchased from Pat McGann Gallery.
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| The Pig Gives up the Cow. |
The happy animal barn yard theme was created by some romantic who spent little time on an actual farm. And it wasn’t me. I found several little needlepoints thrifting in Spokane. I made this pillow while Barbara was out working in the greenhouses and since her humor is like mine, it was a hit. The hearts were part of the original. I added the chicken and fish and steak!
Yes, it’s true. A pair of custom euro shams a custom order for Pat McGann Gallery. Indian hand loomed tussar silk and cotton fabric. Invisible zippers. 26″ x 26.”
This is a custom pillow that I just completed. It was a hand knit wool sweater that Chrissy’s great grandmother, Nana Joseph, made for her mother when her mother was 19. I love this sort of pillow– and homage to a loved one out of an article of clothing that could no longer be worn. One side of the pillow is what was the front of the sweater; the other side is piece worked. Pink suede loop and an invisible zipper 12″ x 15″.
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| Click it to make it bigger; it’s fantastic. |
This pillow is 23.5″ x 16.5″ and I am crazy over it. I can’t even say why except for the many steps that took place to make it. If you want to make your own, here’s what to do:
1. Find avocado green crewelwork of sprays of flowers c 1974. at Revival in Los Angeles.
2. Think it’s the ugliest thing you have ever seen, and be unsure as to why you are buying it.
3. Leave it sitting around your apartment in pile of textiles for several weeks, look at it occasionally and think, That thing is ugly.
4. Decide one day to bleach it and see what happens.
5. See that after about 6 hours it has turned a bright orange color. Because you forgot about it, notice that it did not bleach evenly and do not worry about splotches. It’s like resist dying.
6. Put it back in pile of textiles for several months and think you have made it uglier.
7. One morning decide to do something with it, stare at it a awhile, hoping it will speak to you and turn it on the reverse side and cut away all the yarn knots and clip away long stitches — this takes about an hour — until it starts to “feel right.”
8. Applique scrap fabric in circle like shapes on the back side (which used to be the front side) and cut away what is underneath.
9. Back the fabric so the yarn won’t pull out further, since you have cut away all the support knots.
10.Pick coordinating back fabric of a light lavender and gray silk lining to cover the backing material, add a vintage turquoise zipper.
11. Cut and sew together.
12. Add pillow insert- zip shut.
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| Torn strips and braided together |
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| Made for my friend Tala’s Birthday. |
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| Purple Donghia fabric |
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| Memo sample surged edge |
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| Gold & silver shangtung silk. |
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| A loop |
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| Carry it |
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| Hang it |
