Marrakesh.  New life from the past.

Hubbard Hall(HHP) is an 1878 Opera House in Cambridge, NY.  It was the home theatre for my professional Modern dance company, Margaret Wagner & Dancers, in the 1980's.

Beginning in 1975, HHP was being re-loved and re-visioned.  The theatre hall boasted exquisite architectural gems like etched brass door knobs, stenciled walls, ceiling and proscenium arch, a painted canvas front curtain that rolled up and down, and a raked, splintery wood stage complete with Magician's trap door.  The hall was envisioned to be the center of the Cambridge community, giving a place for the arts in Washington County to flourish.

I returned this summer(2014) to celebrate this beautiful old theatres' 35th anniversary as a community center and an arts presenting organization.  Much had been updated and re-furbished.  Yet pieces of the old, untouched, well-loved and damaged designs were still in evidence. I took lots of pictures of these touches of old world elegance that I love.

It is from just such a remaining old section of stencil work that I took the inspiration for the Marrakesh table runner design developed for Island Batik as a pattern designer.

The design had several titles before finding its name. While drawing and working with Will, my graphic designer at Mail N Copy in Greeley, it was simply called "tablerunner2015".  Very original, don't you think? Not! But practical. 

As I started viewing and dreaming while looking at the digital fabric swatches from Island Batik, Spring 2015 collection,  I kept being drawn to reds and gold.  The next idea was "Turkish Delight". A better title, but not quite right.  Finally I chose my fabrics.  I looked at Google images of interior design from Turkey and Morocco, and I was reminded of Morocco. Though I never lived there, my parents and older siblings lived in French Morocco.  I remember the red Fez they brought back that was in our costume drawer by time I came along. As I pondered the design and the colors I chose, I kept hearing the word Marrakesh in my head. I liked the sound of that.  And so, a new pattern is born.

Marrakesh is a 20" x 60" table runner that can be created by hand or machine reverse applique.  Follow along as the table runner comes alive in living color.