This cushion was designed as a complementary piece to my Blackberry and Helenium wallpaper, drawing inspiration from the intricate oak carving above the fireplace in the drawing room at The Knoll in the Botanical Gardens in Oadby. My goal was to recreate the detailed craftsmanship of the Arts and Crafts period by giving the cushion a three-dimensional, textured appearance.
For the base, I used a textured cotton velvet and various linen fabrics, both of which were generously given to me by a design shop. These materials, otherwise destined for landfill, were repurposed to bring depth and richness to the piece. Drawing from my watercolor paintings of blackberries and heleniums, I create a blackberry motif in Adobe Illustrator, which was then transferred onto the fabric using a digital sewing machine.
Hand embroidery was employed to add thorns along the blackberry stems, enhancing the motif with fine details. I also created appliqué leaves and Suffolk puffs, further adding texture. For the blackberry flowers, I used sustainable sequins from the Sustainable Sequin Company. Using a heat gun, I gently melted the sequins over a cockle shell to form delicate petal shapes, which resembled the flowers petals natural form.
The blackberries themselves were created using wooden beads, wrapped in embroidery silk to create a smooth base. I then hand-stitched glass seed beads in shades of red, green and black onto the beads to create the appearance of plump, three-dimensional berries, similar to the techniques used in stumpwork.
I sourced vintage recycled glass buttons from eBay, which were incorporated to create a different type of blackberry flower. These buttons, along with the sequined petals and Suffolk puffs, were sewn onto the base, with additional beadwork used to decorate the flower centers and outer edges. Lastly, I attached a period-styled crystal fringe to the ends of the cushion, adding a final touch of elegance.
I am very pleased with the final outcome, as the cushion complements the original Blackberry and Helenium wallpaper designs. The combination of Arts and Crafts period details, three-dimensional elements and rich textures effectively captures the period aesthetic and detail I set out to achieve.
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