Saint-Rémy Irises Punch Needle Pillow

This pillow draws inspiration from Vincent van Gogh’s painting Irises, capturing the vibrancy of the flowers in loops of tactile wool yarns. Beautiful blues that lean toward violet, accented with golden yellows, set against rusty oranges and a riot of glorious greens reflect Van Gogh’s palette.

Van Gogh painted this masterpiece in 1889 in the iris-filled spring garden of an asylum in Saint-Rémy, France, where he was institutionalized. In the pattern for this pillow, one white iris is included, echoing the original painting. Its presence prompts reflection on whether Van Gogh intended a deeper meaning: was he portraying feelings of otherness, symbolizing healing and renewal, or simply recording a white iris among the blues in the gardens that surrounded him?

The versatility of punch needle embroidery allows yarns to function like paints, with finished artworks easily incorporated into functional items. In this case, the little punched rug was transformed into a pillow, inviting viewers to experience the irises in a tactile way. The design was framed with wide wool fabric strips added before the punching began, making the final assembly of the pillow both quick and straightforward.

Materials

• The Oxford Company Violet Jane Fine Yarn (100% wool), 131 yd/4 oz (120 m/113 g):
• 1 skein each of:
• Variegated greens: Evergreen Dark, Evergreen Medium, Evergreen Light, and Evergreen Extra Light
• Solid greens: Lime Sorbet, Peas in a Pod, Limelight
• Variegated blues: Blackbird, So Blue, Blue My Mind, Lobelia, Atlantic Coast
• Variegated yellows and oranges: Deep Ochre, Golden Ticket, Embers, Sweet Potato
• Solid orange: Autumn Spice
• White: Bleached White
• The Oxford Company Monk’s Cloth, 13-ct (100% cotton): 1 piece precut 24"× 24" (61 × 61 cm)
• Wool flannel–weight fabric for pillow edges and back, dull orange to complement the background yarns: 1 piece about 16" × 16" (40.6 × 40.6 cm), and four strips 3" × 16" (7.6 ×
• 40.6 cm) each
• Pillow insert: 15" × 15" (38.1 × 38.1 cm)
• Punch needles: The Oxford Company #14 fine and #13 fine Oxford Punch Needles
• Frame: The Oxford Company Gripper Frame, 18" × 18" (45.7 × 45.7 cm)
• Black marker (such as a Sharpie)
• Pattern printed on paper, enlarged to about 11"× 11" (27.9 × 27.9 cm)

Design Size: 11" × 11" (27.9 × 27.9 cm)
Finished Size: 15" × 15" (38.1 × 38.1 cm)