HAND DYED VELVET CUSHION COVERS IN LAST LIGHT

A cool and pale dusty pink colour that glows with silver undertones. Ethereal and delicate, this solid pink colour with blue and purple notes is at once soft and strong.

Our velvet cushion covers are unlike any other we have come across. The hand-dying process each piece of velvet goes through results in a depth of colour that is impossible to replicate in factory mass production. Offered in an array of jewel-coloured tones, each cushion works beautifully with every other colour we offer and can be used in multiple combinations to create very different moods and colour pallets. All our Velvet Cushion Covers are backed with natural linen and fasten with a hidden zip closure.

With a background in costume design that has shaped her distinctive aesthetic, Kirsten Hecktermann is the designer and maker behind these luxurious velvet cushion covers.  Tucked away, off the beaten track in her small workshop in Suffolk, she creates all her pieces by hand endowing each item with her unmistakable, aesthetic sensibility.  

There is a beautiful, slow process behind the making of every single piece of velvet. Kirsten dyes all her velvet fabric in small batches of only up to 3.5 meters at a time. Her process is entirely reliant on the weather as each piece of fabric is dyed outside, on dry, preferably overcast days which are most favourable for seeing the colour accurately. The fabric is subsequently strung up to dry in her lush, tree-filled garden before it is sewn into individual jewel-coloured cushion covers.

Each piece of velvet is unique but layers of similar colours run through one dye batch to give the same overall hue. In the process of dying each length of fabric goes through up to 10 baths of different colours which result in subtle variations and unrivalled depth of colour. The outcome has a very different look to machine dyed fabric off the factory roll. Depending on what the fabric is placed next to, different tones can be drawn out in her unique, ever-changing colours.

To reduce waste, as much of the dye is used up as possible in the making process so that at times, the dye water is almost clear at the end of dying. The water used in the dying process is collected and sent to a sewage works to ensure no hazardous pollutants are released back into the water courses.

Last Light comes in a choice of three sizes:

55cm x 55cm

30cm x 60cm

45cm x 45cm

Please note that our cushion covers are sold as only the covers and that inserts are not included in order to allow you to select your own filling.

Material: Hand-dyed cotton velvet and natural linen

Handmade in Suffolk, England

Care: The colour of these cushion covers will naturally fade with time giving them a beautiful aged look. This process will happen a lot faster if the velvet cushion covers are placed in direct sunlight. Dry clean only to preserve the beauty and colour of the velvet. Washing is not advisable as the colour will be released and the linen backing will shrink slightly. Stains and spillages should be wiped immediately and gently with a damp clean cloth. Once dried the velvet pile will go back to its smooth surface.

We have tried to capture the colours as accurately as possible and to show them in lighter and darker lighting conditions. However, due to the wonderful depth of colour, it is impossible to capture the colour completely accurately and to demonstrate all variations under different lighting conditions. If you are unsure about the extraordinary colours of our hand-dyed velvet, please get in touch and we will be more than happy to advise you.

Some ‘imperfections’ are part of the unique hand making process. Expect each cushion cover to be a little different: variations in colour, small marks on the velvet and small specks of colour are all part of the charm of this unique dying process. We encourage you to embrace these as part of the charm of the unique artisanal process and to not look upon them as flaws. These small ‘imperfections’ are part of the process that makes the depth of colour unrivalled by anything found in factory production.