Behind the seams

I'm happy with how the front of my boro cushion cover has turned out. As well as the indigo dyed silks and linens I've added some pieces of net and silk scrim to tone down areas that were too overpowering. The additions also help achieve the heavily textured feel I'm after. Perhaps perversely however, it is the back of my patchwork that I prefer. When I look at it, I'm reminded of an occasion when I was lucky enough to take a peak backstage at a rather grand theatre and wander by all the backdrops, ropes, pulleys, trapdoors and trickery that conspire to convince an audience that what they are seeing is real. To me, the behind the scenes view has always seemed far more intriguing than the polished face that is often presented to the world.

It's not the first time I've fallen in love with the back of something I've made. Not so long ago, I made a needle case from scraps of Japanese woven cloth, and nearly chose to assemble it so the seams were on the outside, and the neat finishing, hidden from view. Convention got the better of me, or perhaps, I just didn't want anyone who spied my needle case thinking I'd sewn it together incorrectly.

But this fondness for exposed seams, raw edges and knots is definitely telling me something, and I suspect they will feature heavily if future projects. First I need to finish the back of the cushion, and by back, I mean the reverse, not the inside where all those lovely seams and raw edges are hidden.

Elizabeth,
x.