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I’m Catherine (Sheehan) Johnson, and I started designing “weird” pillows several
years ago, when I bought a
vintage 50’s red velvet couch and couldn’t find suitable accessories for it. I was
surprised to discover that there
were few pillows available that weren’t square. There was a paltry selection of
rectangular and round pillows,
and with diligent searching I found a couple of triangles (ooh – how strange!). And
of course, I found a few
expensive novelty pillows in readily identifiable shapes (stars, fish, Disney
characters; yawn). But much to my
frustration, I couldn’t find any pillows that were just interesting shapes or forms for
their own sake. This struck
me as odd. Squares are a minority shape in the natural world, yet they dominate
human design. I decided I
should do what I could, however small, to correct this imbalance. So, I taught
myself how to sew and make
patterns, learned about fabrics, and figured out how to stuff odd shapes. And here I
am.
Fabrics
I’ve always been a thrift store packrat, so I started out buying secondhand and
vintage fabrics because they
were inexpensive and available. I’ve always liked the idea of rescuing someone
else’s castoffs and making them
into something usable and beautiful. What started out as thrift quickly turned into a
passion for collecting, and
although I still search for bargains, I’ll also pay top dollar for choice pieces,
particularly if they fill a niche in my
inventory. Great shapes are not enough; good fabrics with vintage character are
what bring the shapes to
life.
Patterns
My original set of patterns evolved from sketches and drawings I had saved, and I
continue to make more as
they occur to me. Sometimes a design on a piece of fabric suggests a shape to
me, and I’ll custom cut a
pattern. On rare occasions I’ll even cut a pillow freeform without a pattern, for an
exceptionally one-of-a-kind
piece. I currently have 50+ patterns I work from, but there are certainly plenty more
where those came
from.
Serial Numbers
Due to, well, let’s call them personality quirks, I’ve kept photos and detailed records
of every pillow I’ve made
from the very beginning, and since I was already keeping records anyway, it
seemed natural to incorporate that
into my offerings. My hope is that buyers will consider serial numbered
authentication an added value in terms
of collectibility. But future value aside, serial numbers offer assurance that each
Kiddy Cats Eye creation is one-
of-a-kind.
Credits & Acknowledgments
Web Design and hosting: Kevin Bice, FMPWEB/Foster
Enterprises
Logo Design & Color Scheme: Red
Deluxe
Raw Photography: Dave Calhoun, Dero Sanders
Support & Inspiration: Krel Philssen
Steady Income & Christmas Bonuses: Soundscapes, Inc.
Traveling Companions & Musical Accompaniment: Trash Fish Entertainment
For a comprehensive list of fabulous mid-century and modern resources, be sure to visit MC&M, midcenturyandmodern.com.
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