DETAILS:

The Chiang Mai throw pillow features an exquisite hand stitched reverse applique made by Hmong women living in Thailand. It is framed with two kinds of ikat from Indonesia, one bold and the other delicate. This one-of-a-kind accent pillow is a stunning conversation starter and will grace any room in which it’s placed.

• 20” x 20”

• Front – cotton

• Back – linen, in beige

• Zipper closure

• Down duck feather pillow insert

• Fabric origins: Thailand and Indonesia

THE STORY:

The focal point in the Chiang Mai accent pillow is the incredible and intricate examples of reverse applique. The piece, resembling a geometric maze instead of the typical mirror image, is made in a non-traditional manner by folding the cloth into quadrants, cutting, and sewing the design onto the background using tiny invisible stitches. The design also creates an illusion of diamonds and zigzags.

On a trip to Thai Tribal Craft, another fair trade organization based in Chiang Mai, I had the opportunity to travel north and visit several ethnic Hmong communities. One community was working on reverse applique. It was a rare opportunity to watch these ladies as they made these beautiful reverse appliques which are often used to embellish clothing as well as wall décor, bags, hot pads, and other functional items to market at the handicraft bazaars. Chiang Mai has a fantastic night market which is a tourist destination.

The fabric on the top and a smaller piece on the right are is a beautiful example of the intricate patterns achieved by the traditional Indonesian ikat. One ikat is very bold while the other shows how intricate patterns can be made. Ikat is the exact art of wrapping warp threads to form a resist before submerging the warp into the dye bath. It requires the re-wrapping of threads if more than one color is used in the fabric. It is a very precise technique to ensure a consistent pattern. I purchased the Indonesian fabrics used in this pillow from Pekerti, a fair trade organization I have worked with for many years which is located on the island of Java. My first visit was in 1992 as a consultant of SERRV International and then years later, as a Buyer for SERRV. The first visit opened my eyes to the beautiful ikat weaving of Indonesia.