Moroccan Pillows and Cushions

The centuries-old Moroccan tribal tradition of weaving has produced carpets for warmth, sleeping, decoration and celebration, wraps and shawls as clothing, and kilims (known in Morocco as ‘hanbels’) for seating, floor coverings and blankets. This weaving tradition also extended to finely crafted tent pillows and cushions

Historically, the important materials for domestic decorative rural life in Morocco were wood, clay, plants - and sheep. Wool was one of the principal resources used to furnish and decorate homes. Pillows and cushions were created for sleeping and relaxing, as well as for adding more comfort for guests. Most Berber families would have sat and slept on the floor or folded carpets and would often be propped up by cushions. These very beautiful woven items were a vital part of home life

Because of a cushion’s small size, a weaver needed to be very skilled to create the best quality weaving. And since they were seen by guests, a weaver would most likely take a lot of time to create a cushion as a special work of craft that showcased her creativity and art. We also sometimes find what were ‘practice’ cushions – where a young weaver has tried out their skills (maybe even practicing for a large carpet) and has used the resulting textile to create a soft pillow. These are very charming and represent a special stage in Berber weaving culture that has now disappeared

Reflecting the design traditions and cultural understandings of different tribes, Moroccan pillows and cushions vary enormously in style and appearance. They may be fine and intricate geometric weavings using cotton and silk alongside wool, or soft pieces with a knotted pile deployed alongside a flatweave

Moroccan cushions were normally woven as one entire piece, even if the design varied from the front to the back. Halfway or so through the work, the weaver would change the pattern; and when the work was finished, would fold the weave in half and stitch it up on three sides, having created different designs for the front and back, with the plainest work reserved for the rear of the piece (although this is not always the case and we often see spectacularly fine work on the back of a cushion). One of the oldest features of these cushions is finely plaited strands of silk delicately sewn onto three edges. Interestingly, the role of producing and plaiting silk was traditionally a man’s one, and weavers would buy long plaits from the souk or local producers

Weavers would fill their cushions with a variety of materials – in the past, this would have been wool, hay, or plants. More recently, torn up clothing or scraps of household material were reused. They would be firmly stuffed and ready to decorate homes, providing snug and comfortable furniture for the whole family

On the whole, the very oldest pillows are long and narrow - perhaps for two or more people or to suit the tents or traditionally narrow Berber rooms of the past. Few original and very old tent pillows and cushions survive these days. Since they were well used in homes, mid-century pillows have seen more damage than a carpet – including drops of wax or cooking oil, henna, frayed corners, and household marks. However, those that do survive are irreplaceably lovely items, full of life, charm, and beauty, each telling its tale about its creator and its previous life