Strawberry Thief Jacquard Velvet Cushion - Berry

This is the Strawberry Thief cushion, one of William Morris's best-known patterns embroidered onto a matt velvet face. The front carries the design in full: pairs of birds among strawberries, flowers and trailing foliage, worked in soft golds, corals, greys and creams that sit against a deep berry-red ground. It measures 50 x 50cm, the standard square that most cushion pads are made to fit, so replacement inners are easy to source. The face is velvet and the reverse is a plain velvet in the same berry tone, edged all the way round with a matching fringed trim.

A square this size is the workhorse of a sofa or a bed, big enough to sit against and read but not so large it swallows a chair. The pattern is busy and warm, so it earns its place as the front cushion in a stack rather than a filler at the back. It suits a room that already leans towards warm reds, rusts and pinks, and the muted embroidery colours give you plenty to pick up in a throw or a lampshade. On a plain sofa it does the decorative work on its own; against patterned upholstery, turn to the plain velvet reverse for a quieter option.

The design is embroidered rather than printed, which is what gives the birds and flowers their raised, worked texture up close. Velvet has a pile, so the colour shifts a little as the light and your hand move across it, and the fringed trim frames the whole panel. There is a zip along one edge, so the cover comes off for cleaning and the pad slides out easily. Made from polyester throughout, it is a hard-wearing fibre that holds colour well and resists everyday knocks. Follow the care label for cleaning this cover.

What size cushion pad does this cover take?

The cover measures 50 x 50cm, a standard square size, so a 50cm pad fits it well. For a fuller look you can size the pad up slightly.

Is the pattern printed or embroidered?

The Strawberry Thief design is embroidered onto the velvet, which gives the birds and flowers a raised, worked texture you can feel as well as see.

Does the cover come off?

Yes, there is a zip along one edge, so the cover slides off the pad for cleaning and goes back on easily afterwards.

What does the back look like?

The reverse is a plain berry velvet in the same tone as the front, so you can turn it over for a quieter, unpatterned face.

What is the fringed edge made of?

The cushion is edged all the way round with a matching fringed trim in the same berry colour, framing the embroidered panel on the front.