May 24, 2011

Marimekko!

Or A Quick History of Marimekko and a Quick Crafty Tutorial

By Andrea

Marimekko is a Finnish textile company founded in 1951 – they produce everything from housewares to clothing to dinnerware to toys to (my favourite) fabric yardage. Markimekko was made famous in the United States in the 1960s by Jaqueline Kennedy who bought eight Marimekko dresses which she wore throughout JFK’s presidential campaign.

Marimekko is renowned for it’s original prints and colours, many of them with a very mod feel, and can be a great way to add a mod touch to your home. Marimekko.com has a huge selection of the currently in print Marimekko prints. However, if you’re looking for a particular print, or a vintage Marimekko print, eBay may be the place to check out – I’ve purchased Marimekko prints off of there several times, and found there to be a good selection of sellers with reasonable prices. If there’s a articular print you’re after, take note of it’s name – it will make your search online a lot easier.

The Unikko Poppy is one of the better known Marimekko prints

Now that you’ve got some lovely Marimekko fabric, what to do with it? Many of the prints are very large scale, and make an excellent wall hanging when mounted on a frame. You can buy pre-made frames, or you can make your own out of 2 x 2 lumber – which may be a good route to go if you need a certain size. This is a wall-hanging that I made from the "Samovaari" print, I have this hanging in my kitchen.

Since most of the Marimekko prints are printed on a mid-weight or decorator weight cotton, they can be suitable for light upholstery jobs as well. This is one of my kitchen chairs, which I recently recovered in the "Poukama" print. I used the same upholstery technique for both of these projects as shown in my highchair upholstery tutorial, except without the foam padding.

Has anyone out there worked with Marimekko fabric before? And if so, what have you made? I’d love to hear about it!

P.S. Check out Andrea’s awesome fabric site, Sew What Fabrics?