In Good Company Series - Archive

Dream Jester revolves around a rare tsutsugaki image of a baku, the Japanese supernatural being said to devour nightmares. It’s the kind of fabric that immediately holds your attention.

Tiger Flame turns on a rare repeating tiger pattern in antique Japanese katazome and safflower-dyed cotton. That side has a lot of energy to it. On the reverse, I used an indigo fragment with Asian characters, and added patches along with sashiko-style embellishment of my own.

Night Watch centers on an antique Japanese indigo-dyed tsutsugaki image of a baku, the supernatural being said to devour nightmares. It’s a rare depiction, and that’s what gives this piece its character right away.

Skybound has a nice sense of movement to it. I made it from antique Japanese katazome fabric with a repeating crane and dot pattern on one side, and a contrasting lotus flower patch on the other.

Between Clouds is made from antique Japanese katazome indigo-dyed cotton dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s. On both sides, I paired repeating cranes and clouds with sumi ink-dyed fabric, and added sashiko-style embellishment of my own.

Upstream centers on antique Japanese katazome fabric with carp on both sides, a motif often associated with good fortune. For this pillow, I wanted to keep that imagery front and center.

Renewal centers on a stately phoenix in antique Japanese indigo tsutsugaki-dyed cotton. On the reverse, I used striped indigo cotton with a plaid zanshi patch, which gives the piece a different rhythm.

Daydream came together in my Brooklyn studio from antique Japanese katazome indigo-dyed cotton fabric dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s.

At Ease has a long, easy shape that suits the chrysanthemum pattern beautifully. I made it from beautifully faded antique Japanese indigo katazome fabric, and on one side I added a hand-sewn plaid zanshi patch made from cloth woven from leftover threads.

Seasoned leans into the chrysanthemum pattern in a way I really like. It’s made from beautifully faded antique Japanese indigo katazome fabric, and I patched it with another chrysanthemum pattern that sits naturally with the original cloth.

Full Bloom holds one of my favorite chrysanthemum patterns. I’ve always loved the way it fills the surface, and chrysanthemums have long been associated with longevity and rejuvenation in Japanese culture.

Boom Again is a pillow I made from antique Japanese katazome fabric with an indigo-dyed phoenix and peonies pattern in orange and grey. I wanted to let that pattern carry the piece.

Ember Bloom is one of the smaller pillows, but it has a lot of presence. I made it from perfectly faded antique Japanese katazome fabric with an orange floral pattern against indigo.

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Twilight moves between two sides that feel distinct but still belong to the same conversation. On one side, there’s a grey and white floral pattern against an indigo-dyed ground. On the other, I used a large hand-sewn patch of that same floral fabric against cloth dyed with sumi ink. In the upper left corner, there’s also a small area of embroidered script that gives the piece an unexpected detail.

Checkered Patch is built around one of my favorite Japanese textiles I’ve collected over the years. The fabric is an antique indigo katazome with a very rare checkered pattern, and I’m still in awe of the precision it would have taken to apply paste to every one of those white checks.

Block Party has a very distinctive graphic appeal. I made it from antique Japanese katazome fabric with an indigo-dyed cube pattern that holds its own immediately.

Check the Script uses one of my favorite Japanese textiles I’ve collected over the years. It’s an antique indigo katazome with a very rare checkered pattern, and I still think about the precision it would have taken to apply paste to every one of those white checks.

Undertone is made from antique Japanese indigo cotton furoshiki fabric. What makes it especially interesting to me is the original same-color sashiko stitching, with a fan on one side and geometric diamond shapes on the other. I added patches and a couple of small areas of sashiko stitching of my own.

Checked is made from antique Japanese katazome cotton naturally dyed with indigo and carrying a very rare checkered pattern. I’ve always found that pattern especially striking.

Chrysanthemum uses antique Japanese katazome cotton naturally dyed with indigo and patterned with chrysanthemums. That motif is what first drew me to the fabric.