I kind of cringe when people tell me I’m creative, because deep down I don’t feel I am a truly creative person. Crafty, yes. But creative? I wish. To me, legit creativity is pretty rare, and most of us–me included–are just pretty good copycats. I have to really stretch my brain to come up with original design. There are those times when I do have a stroke of brilliance, but most of the time I am seeing and admiring, and then just recreating–with a few modifications. But when I discover a truly creative person, I sort of just slobber and drool, because there’s nothing so dazzling as raw talent.
So I openly admit to being (most of the time) nothing more than a copy-cat. I’m okay with that, because there’s still a lot of satisfaction in making something beautiful, whether it was your idea or Anthropologie’s. And on that note, I’m going to introduce a new series on mad mim called Knock it Off! I’ll be featuring projects that are my crafty-budget version of something commercial–because who doesn’t like a good knock-off?!
My first official Knock it off! project is, in a way, a knock-off of a knock-off. My sister Renie just made this pillow (which she knocked-off from Anthropologie), and once I saw it I couldn’t stop myself from immediately knocking it off myself. So I knocked it off Rene, who knocked it off Anthro–just so you understand clearly this vibrant pillow’s roots.
The Orimono Pillow from Anthropologie: price tag $88 smackaroos.
My knock off total price: $3.
$0 for the scrap fabric, $2 for 3 yards of heavy white linen, and $1 for a throw pillow, both thrifted (and I obviously didn’t use all 3 yards of the linen…)
I recreated it with lots of my scrap fabric and heatbond (double sided interfacing), which made it a relatively quick project (surprisingly!) It may remind you of my Christmas stocking, and that’s because my stocking is also an Anthropologie knock-off. What can I say? It’s just one of my favorite stores that I almost never buy things from!
Here’s how I did it: I chose which scraps I wanted to use, trying as best I could to choose patterns that were fairly solid in color, and also jewel-toned. I just used what I had, so as you can see there’s a lot that don’t fit those criterion. Second I cut them into uniform 4″X3″ rectangles, and then I ironed them side by side onto almost a yard of heatbond, creating a large sheet of my scrap blocks. I peeled off the heatbond paper backing of the entire sheet, and then cut the blocks out. At this point I began cutting out the little individual zinnia petals and arranging and ironing them on one-by-one onto my white linen square cut out the size I wanted my pillow to end up. This took me as long as it took to watch the movie Multiplicity, which I thought was pretty funny. “Tuck, tuck, fold. T-T-F. Tuck, tuck, fold, or two tucks and a fold; agh, I just always think of Elizabeth Taylor then I think, tuck here fold there. It’s simple.!”
Once it was all heat bonded on there, I zipped around each petal with a really small zig-zag stitch, and assembled the pillow normally from that point. All in all it was about a three hour project, I’d say, which considering Anthropologie’s hefty price tag, is not too shabby.
One more little fun note: when I finished the pillow and set it on our couch I was delighted to see that it matches perfectly an art print that my hubby got me for my birthday last year, that sits directly behind the couch. It’s as if the picture is jumping out at you now, which is cool in a kind of 3-D movie kind of way. My livingroom! (jazz hands) In 3-D!
*important knocking-off note: I want to make it clear that I don’t believe in selling other people’s ideas–especially handmade goods. If I ever recreate or knock something off, it will be for my home, family, or friends, and NOT for sale.
**additional IMPORTANT NOTE: Out of respect for the original designer, I ask that this tutorial ONLY BE USED FOR PERSONAL USE, and that it not be used to make items for commercial sales, even on a small scale. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email me at miriam@madmim.com. Thanks and good wishes!
See my other Anthropologie Knockoffs: the Hue Pyramid Earrings, the Vaqunnon Earrings
23 Comments
I love the original, but I think I love your knock off more! Great work.
WOWEE WOW WOW! Incredibly colorful, funky and unique pillow – nice job! And I really love how it goes with that beautiful art print on the wall, too.
That certainly knocks my socks off. Let me reinstate, knock offs aren’t for sale, only for your fam, and your sister’s happy housewarming gifties.
lol, just kiddin sis.
Ahh! I love it! I don’t even browse/online shop {almost ever} for the sake of budget and sanity, so I don’t even give myself much chance to be inspired and recreate. This is adorable and I want one but don’t know if I can muster up the patience:) good job!
How beautiful!!
Sooo amazing. As always. I’m so bummed my sewing machine is all packed! I wish this move was over so I could just sew my heart out. Also, LOVE the idea of this series. Can’t wait to see more!
I love the idea of this! Great job and how perfect the serendipity of the cushion and the picture.
LOVE IT!
sooo cute!
i want to make one!
Love, love, love this, just found your blog through pinterest. Loving your work lady!
This is amazing! I am definitely going to knock off the knock off of the knock off.
Can you tell me how many different fabrics you used? Or at least how many petals there are?
Thanks!
Melissa, I think I used 35 different fabrics, and I used each fabric twice, so I’m guessing there are around 70 petals give or take a few.
I just looked at your blog, and you’ve got some amazing meals cooking over there! I’ll have to mosy on over there while i’m menu planning this week!
Miriam,
Thanks for the info. I haven’t updated my blog in months, but I have oodles of pictures ready to go for when I get motivated again. Just FYI, your truly wonderful aunt Sylvia was the one that clued me in to your blog. I’m an avid fan and just starting to branch into the world of sewing (having a little girl to sew for makes it more fun). My sisters/mother-in-law are fans as well and have been making your t-shirts like crazy. This is saying something since my MIL is Nancy Halvorsen of Art to Heart fame–that will only mean something to quilty people.
Wow, that’s totally flattering!! Thanks for telling me, it makes my day!
That is SO adorable! I love it! I just had to make one! So I did and It looks a little different but thats alright! http://clothesncraftline.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html
You are so creative!! Thanks for the great idea!
Oh my – yours is so much better – not just because it was $85 less than the Anthropologie (sp?) one. I wish I had the patience to do something like this. Will be blogging about this on my Saturday Stumbles post on my blog. Everyone needs to see this (not that ‘everyone’ reads my blog of course!)
Great job! I for one have always been really confused on the mark up people put on prices for things like this. Seriously $3 bucks to $88? And your’s is even better looking. Much more vibrant and the colors are much softer.
Absolutely stunning! I would never have known that your pillow was not the original! Amazing… just amazing!
Like your version much better.
I don’t get how you cut the shapes or what you mean by t-t-f?
T-T-F was just from the quote I was quoting:)..totally unrelated to cutting. I cut the fabric into squares in order to make it easier to iron them side-by-side onto a large section of heat n bond. Once backed with the interfacing, you simply cut the petals out into a zinnia petal shape, arrange on your pillow and iron in place. Let me know if you have other questions, and good luck!
Thanks to your inspiration, I have just made my very own Orimono cushion cover! Thank you! See it here: http://unravelandmend.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/my-orimono.html
That is so awesome, it looks amazing! I love that pillow, I’m thinking about making another! And ps, my sister made one as well around the same time I did, and she used a hand embroidered blanket stitch, and I think that it held up better than mine, so you might be just fine!
I understand the whole whole thing that some else had this idea but I don’t see anything wrong in doing something like this with your own creation and selling it! I think there’s enough out their for everyone. That’s like telling someone, well don’t shoot that scenery Ansel Adam did, because he’s been selling it. As an artist and photographer, other artist inspire me to re-create an idea they had. I take that idea and turn it into my own creation. Not trying to be nasty about your post at all and I think yours look so much better than Anthropologie!…