Design of the Month at 20% off Retail
FEBRUARY 2014
Pattern: BASILICA

The beauty of our Basilica pattern is that it blends so well with a large number of other patterns in the cross-point™ collection. Please visit the cross-point™ website to see examples on the pattern page. In the photo above, Small Basilica 03 is shown with color related Balouch 04 custom upholstery on the ottoman, Berber Stripe 04 and Game Board 03.

Basilica in all three pillow sizes is available in nine color choices, from pastels to primary. The chart pages include a separate “stitching aid” page of the outline only. Once the easy to count outline is stitched, the remaining colors are quickly and easily filled in. The small size of 11″x11″ can be stitched in one weekend – I’ve done it, so I know. One snowy weekend I needed a wedding present and unable to get out to a store, my Small Basilica pattern turned out to be the perfect solution.

Inspiration for Basilica came from Venetian mosaic floor tiles, an Etruscan rug fragment, a Celtic manuscript, and a sled seat cover from Sweden. As appears to be true for so many architectural design motifs, stitchers and weavers, among other trades, copied mosaic tile patterns and adapted them to their own techniques.  Venetian mosaics from the 11th Century in the San Marco Basilica are intricately patterned, using the most minute size marble and stone pieces. It’s amazing that after all these years the colors are still so vibrant. If you are curious to find out more about mosaics, you can read about their early history in a variety of cultures here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosaic . Here are just two examples: