Our friend Amy Azzarito is a matchmaker–of design eras. “After I got my masters in the history of arts and design at Parsons, I wanted to share what I had learned with a larger audience,” she says. That’s what inspired her to write Past & Present, a DIY guide translating the triumphs of the past into present-day projects.
One of the projects she devised is this “statement” blanket by Randi Brookman Harris. “It’s the 17th century version of the ‘It Bag,'” Amy says. “In the 17th century, the statement piece was the bed. Like the luxury handbag, the state bed was about drama, not practicality. In fact, these beds were rarely used for sleeping. They were upholstered and then decorated with tassels and trim.”
Would you like to live like a 17th century aristocrat? Or is there another historical period that captures your essence? Let us know in the comments section below to win a this embellished blanket. The giveaway closes Sunday, June 30, at 8pm EST. One winner will be picked at random; stay tuned; we’ll announce the winner on Monday, July 1.
Update: Congratulations to Randi Millman-Brown, the winner!
Above: To create her fanciful blanket, Harris sewed strips of tassel trim onto a 2-yard swath of woven wool herringbone fabric.
Above: The finished product.
Above: In Past & Present, Harris outlines her process step-by-step.
Above: Past & Present: 24 Favorite Moments in Decorative Arts History and 24 Modern DIY Projects Inspired by Them is $19.30 at Amazon.
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