As I’ve been designing my own projects and building other repeat projects a few things have developed.  Some have been intentional, some just sort of happened on their own.

I’m drawn to the Japanese style and have made a concerted effort to design projects that have a Japanese aesthetic.  As evidenced in the Hillbilly Tansu series.  These were never meant to be reproduction type pieces.  They are my interpretation of the style of furniture, with my own construction and design process.

Another intentional aspect of my work is the inclusion of knot and rope work.  I have been interested in knot tying, both practical and decorative, for many years.  It’s part of who I am.  Since I view the things that I create to be extensions of myself, it is only fitting that knots and cordage are incorporated.

Like with the Japanese style, I’m drawn to folk craft and art.  There is something basic and true about it.  Common, untrained, folk making and decorating practical and beautiful things for their everyday lives.  Since I’m most decidedly common and untrained, folk craft and art is right up my alley.  This is what led me to kolrosing, which I affectionately refer to as Hillbilly Inlay.  What started out as an experiment has inadvertently become a signature element for me.  Since most of the kolrosing patterns are in the Scandinavian style, I decided that I needed to develop some patterns of my own that incorporate the look and feel of the Japanese style.

Practically every culture that has or does exist has made decorative use of repeating geometric patterns.  What pattern and how they are arranged can define the look of a culture.  After some research, I found that the best way sources for geometric patterns in the Japanese style would be textiles and the kumiko patterns found in shoji sliding screens.  Once I was started, I was actually able to develop several patterns that I will be able to incorporate into future projects.

This first pattern sheet is my interpretation of the asanoha (hemp leaf) pattern that is widely used by the Japanese.  This pattern is very versatile and can be used to create additional patterns within itself.

PDF download:

Hillbilly Inlay Pattern Sheet No1

Greg Merritt