Oh Suzani!
Here at Sage Garden Style, products and ways to use them always have to do with ways to bring nature inside and ways to take it outside so that the home and garden are always connected . Plantings from the garden are a constant source of inspiration for design work on soft furnishings and furniture which is all about flowers, vines, and other things found in the garden.
So it is not surprising that Suzani textiles are a great subject to explore when looking for a quick way to add punch to a neutral décor. There are many things to love about Suzani fabrics but first a little bit about what they are and their rich history.
Photo Source: Guide To Suzani by Barry O’Connell
The definition of Suzani is embroidery on cloth. These artisan pieces usually have a cotton fabric base but can also be done on silk. The thread is also cotton or silk. Motifs of flowers and foliage are the basis of the designs, sometimes mixed with other elements of nature such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. In practice the variations are endless and each piece represents a unique representation of time honored designs as the embroiderer will move off path and create slight variations to her liking. The design is stitched using chain stitch, satin stitch, and buttonhole stitches. The frequent use of couching, a method of layering decorative thread designs stitched in place as a raised design, gives them surface dimension that is unique. There are many Suzani prints on cotton that mimic designs of the handwork and even a number of fabric designs that seem to produce Suzani like patterns that are woven and are somewhere in between true Suzani’s and prints.
A great analogy might be to that of the oriental rugs. There are machine made rugs that are reproductions of hand knotted Persian rugs. While they are getting better and better, they still do not have the dimension found in a true hand-knotted rug. The process is different and there is something magical about any art piece wrought by the hand of an artist. I own both machine made and hand knotted rugs in my own home and think they each play an important role in the story of the décor of the room but it is important to know the difference.
Printed Suzani’s are fun and can work great in your modern, transitional, or traditional décor. Embroidered Suzani’s are statement pieces that are great if you love a rich Tribal or Moroccan eclectic décor. Woven Suzani type designs are even available in Sunbrella Fabrics for use in your outdoor décor through such well-respected manufacturers as Duralee and many others . The colors are vibrant.No matter what your decorating preferences are, there is a Suzani for you!