The Verde lumbar pillow is richly patterned with intricate ikat from Indonesia, embroidery and applique from Pakistan and beautifully woven fabric from Guatemala.  The color palette is of avocado, russet, gold and brown has stitched flecks of red, yellow, orange and blue and is embellished with reflective mirror work.  The mix of textile techniques creates a décor pillow which will be a stunning addition to any room.

DETAILS:

• 25” x 15”

• Front - cotton

• Back – linen, in harvest gold

• Zipper closure

• Down duck feather pillow insert

• Fabric origins:  Indonesia, Pakistan, Guatemala

THE STORY:

This one-of-a-kind lumbar pillow is a real treasure celebrating the traditional Indonesian ikat, the incredible handiwork embroidery of women in Pakistan, and backstrap handwoven fabric from Guatemala.  The complexity of each textile technique used in this pillow make it truly a collectors must have.

I was first introduced to ikat on a trip to Indonesia in 1992. I continue to be amazed by beautiful contemporary and complex patterns the weavers can achieve with this technique of wrapping warp threads to create the pattern before the dyeing process. The ikat fabric on the left of this pillow was woven by a group in Jepara, Java, called Syakila Collection. They are a producer member of Pekerti, the first fair trade organization in Indonesia with whom I have worked with for a long time.  It is worth noting the complexity of this particular ikat.  Each color and pattern design require the re-wrapping and tying of threads to create a resist in order to form a new pattern and each color requires a new dye bath.   This is a beautiful example of traditional ikat.

The middle section of this pillow is made by Pakistani women embroiderers from the remote areas of the province of Sindh. Pieces of recycled fabric are embroidered, embellished, and hand stitched. Mirror work, or shisha, is added for that extra sparkle and held in place with crochet stitches. When not tending the fields or harvesting crops, the women embroider in a group, sitting together side-by-side on the floor. Embroidery is a mark of pride for the Sindhi culture. Whoever makes the better embroidery is respected for her craftsmanship.  A wedding is not considered complete without these embroideries given as a dowry to the bride. My friend, Fahad, sends me the embroidery. His organization, Dominion Traders, has been a long-time partner of Serrv International. Unfortunately, I had to cancel several work trips to Pakistan due to U.S. State Department travel advisories.  Someday I will meet these women and Fahad!

The fabric on the right was woven on a backstrap loom and is from the Western Highlands of Guatemala.  Trama Textiles, located in the city Quetzaltenango, works with over 400 weavers in the surrounding area.   Their mission is to create work for fair wages for the women of Guatemala, support our families and communities, and preserve and develop our cultural traditions by maintaining our textile arts and their histories.  The complexity of this weaving shows the amazing talent and ability of the women to create beautiful textiles.  The colors and pattern are very complimentary to the other textiles used in this pillow.