French Brocante Pillow

On a previous trip to France I had the opportunity to go to a real French brocante.  I saw the signs posted on a few telephone poles, and even though I wasn't exactly sure if I was translating properly, I knew I wanted to go. One grey and rainy day my FIL drove me out to the country and we found it, and it was exactly what I was hoping for!  A French flea market in one of those villages seemingly in the middle of nowhere, with the brocante conveniently located at the foot of a ruined castle.

Despite the rain, most vendors still had their antique and vintage wares outside.  I guess if your merchandise has survived for over a hundred years in various greniers and moldy chateaux, it won't be ruined by a bit of rain!
Of course I was seriously limited in my ability to buy anything, being that: a) everything was very old and very expensive; and b) I didn't have a lot of room left in my suitcase.  At a textile stall I found a piece of needlepoint: it was an unusual shade of green and finished into a circle shape.  I don't know if it was always intended to be that shape or if the stitcher just got bored and left it as is.  Once I figured out the pricing (after many 'je ne comprend pas' on my part and much eye-rolling on the vendor's part)  I was in possession of my own bit of French brocante.

It took five years for me to get that tapestry out of my own sous-sol, but this weekend I finally finished it off into a pillow for my bedroom.  Voila!

What had hindered me for the longest time was finding a fabric to use around the sides.  By some sort of fluke I had a strip of green fabric I had bought as a sample for potential drapes that went perfectly with the green background in the needlepoint.  I backed the cushion with a piece of dark green velveteen that previously had a life as a bedroom curtain!  Now when I see it I am reminded of the Rauzan Brocante everyday :)