Black & White Beetle cushion

Product:  A unique collage of 8 appliqué beetles in black and white, on a graphic hand loomed cotton cushion. 

A Storie product made in collaboration with artisans  South Africa. 

Craft: 

Embroidery, Heartworks was founded in Cape Town in 2005 as a springboard for a group of marginalised women (many of whom have HIV).  The organisation help train the women in fine embroidery. United by their talent, these women, from South Africa, Congo and Zambia, are artists. Each of their works is a unique collection worthy piece, and the women proudly refer to their work as  "haute couture" creations. The group now involves more than 30 women, enabling them to generate a decent income and acquire the confidence to move forward in their lives. 

Handwoven cotton from the Philippines, "Binakul" is the name given to one of the most recognisable patterns of traditional Philippine handloom, consisting of uniform and interwoven geometric designs. The weaving is very complicated, setting up a loom takes about two weeks, and it takes roughly a day to weave 2 metres of fabric.

It is an illustration of daily life in abstraction, the various motifs represent stories of life in the north of the country.  In the different designs you can see representations of the waves of the sea, whirlwinds, fans, cat’s pawprints, and the traditional capiz windows found on houses in the Ilocos region. It is an incredibly complex weaving pattern, and some special pieces are almost psychedelic;  circles woven within squares, which move as one looks upon the cloth.

The indigenous people of the Cordilleras region believed this binakol cloth could ward off malevolent spirits, by making the evil spirits dizzy. Today only a small group  of women in the Ilocos region of the Philippines are still practicing the craft. For Storie, the importance of the Binakul lies in the artistry and complexity of the way it is woven but also the value of the craft heritage, a story that needs to be told in order to keep this precious tradition alive. 

In detail: 

30 x 50 cm Hand woven cotton and hand embroidered cotton appliqué. One of a kind. 

Sold with a feather & mouse inner.

Gentle hand wash.