Janwardar

The fabric

Janwardar is the newest addition to Welland & Wye’s collection. For our first collaboration we have worked with the Royal School of Needlework Archive to produce a design that has been inspired by a document from their collection, held at Hampton Court Palace.

Janwardar (pronounced JAN-war-Daar) means Bird Design in Kashmiri, and this pattern uses a repeat of a naïve folk-inspired bird with brightly coloured plumage and a series of knots for the tail markings. The bird is flying through twisting vines, delicate flowers and traditional floral motifs found in Jacobean crewelwork.

The palette is a collection of rich pinks, blues and greens, all embroidered onto a cotton backcloth, gently coloured to a light tea-stain finish.

Our collaborative partner, The Royal School of Needlework, was founded in 1872 and has always had a connection with design with a mix of inhouse and guest designers.

The present-day design room was previously known as the Paint Room and existed until the early 1990s. It became responsible for design and draftmanship for the RSN. In the RSN Archive there is a vast array of designs and variants, some of which have been collected into ‘portfolios’ with just the surname of the designer attributed to them.

‘Janwardar’ was inspired by a curtain or screen design originally produced by the RSN Paint Room and discovered in one of these ‘portfolios’. It is attributed to a designer known as ‘Schneider’ and dates from around the 1930s. This collection of designs were all of a similar contemporary approach to very traditional Jacobean style motifs, thus creating a fresh look to a traditional theme. During the 1930s there was a huge resurgence of interest in Jacobean Crewelwork and there were many magazine and transfers produced for the public to purchase and work in their own homes. This document was most likely created by the designer Schneider to cater to that demand in the market.

Janwardar is a cheerful, colourful fabric with the muted tones that work so well in period properties and the English countryside. It is a versatile design and would be equally comfortable in a sitting room, bedroom, hall or nursery. A joyful way to bring summer flowers into your home year round without garish or bright colours.

Suitability
Made from natural fibres, Janwardar will work with the changes in both temperature and moisture levels in modern and period properties. Janwardar is suitable for upholstery of occasional and statement chairs, ottomans, footstools, daybeds and chaises. For soft furnishings, Janwardar makes luxurious cushions and bedspreads. As a window dressing, Janwardar can be used for curtains, pelmets and blinds.

Janwardar
Embroidered by hand with natural variations, please contact us for exact measurements and a stock cutting.