Handcrafted Cushion Covers, Macrame & Tufted

Two covers, both ivory, both texture rather than pattern. Chandni is hand-knotted macrame, where the cotton cord is tied row by row so the surface has depth you can read across a room. Jaali is hand-tufted in a geometric grid, named for the carved lattice screens that filter light in Indian architecture. Neither uses colour, because a room usually has enough of it already.

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Texture is the quieter way to add interest to a sofa. A patterned cushion commits you to a scheme and dates with it. A textured one in a neutral works against almost anything you put behind it, and keeps working when you change the sofa. We set out how to layer them in how to style textured cushion covers.

Knotted and Tufted

The two are opposite methods reaching a similar result. Macrame uses no loom and no needle, just cord and hands tying a sequence of knots in order, where a single mistake means undoing back to it. Tufting is the reverse, punching loops of yarn through a backing cloth one at a time until a surface builds up, then shearing it level. One builds a surface by tying, the other by filling. Both are slow, and both leave a small irregularity across the face that a machine-made cover will not have.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size are the covers?

Standard 16x16 inches. Exact measurements for each are listed under Product Details.

Is the inner cushion included?

Check Product Details on the product page, since this varies. Most 16x16 inserts sold in India will fit.

Can I wash them?

Gently, and by hand. Hand-knotted and tufted cotton does not enjoy a machine cycle, which pulls at the knots and can drag the pile. Spot clean where you can, dry flat rather than hanging so the weight of the water does not stretch it, and keep them out of direct sun so the ivory does not yellow. There is more in our guide to caring for handcrafted home pieces.

Will the tufting shed?

A little at first, as loose fibre works its way out of a newly tufted surface. It settles within a few weeks. Do not pull a loose tuft, since it is a continuous length of yarn and pulling one takes several with it. Trim it level with the pile instead.

Do ivory neutrals work in an Indian home?

They work as the quiet ground that lets everything else be loud. Against a jewel-toned sofa or a cane frame, texture carries the interest without adding another colour to a room that probably has plenty.

Can I make cushion covers from old sarees instead?

You can, and it is one of the better second lives for a saree you will not wear again. We listed twelve of them in what to do with old sarees.

How many should I buy?

Two of one, or one of each. Cushions read better in odd or paired groupings than lined up in a row, and mixing the macrame against the tufted gives you two textures without two patterns.