Return of the Blues

It isn't without reason that blue is so frequently people's favourite colour, and it is wonderful to work with when creating a textile piece.

The second of my recent cushions is made with a vintage cotton velvet, and some of my favourite quilting cottons - suggestive of sea, sky, cloud and raindrops. I was lucky enough to own a small amount of vintage Dupion silk, which I have used to effect with the velvet. Very much the "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" - (still have the Royal Wedding on the brain...) - I "borrowed" the lace trim from a collar used for a costume.

The blue velvet was discovered by a friend buried at the back of a barn housing antique furniture - two yards of it, cut but unused, and in a very neglected state. I love to restore things to their prime, and set about giving the velvet some TLC, treated it and handwashed it three times very carefully, then dried with even more care. It was a joy seeing it come back to life, the wonderful blue "sang" again and it is a pleasure to handle.

This cushion has very pretty machine embroidery on the crazy patchwork and round the edge of the silk, which gives a slightly jewel-like quality.

I hope you like it.

http://www.zibbet.com/darmsallema