Cushions

Cushions are a faceted style in which each bead is cut into a soft, pillow-like silhouette: four gently rounded planes meet toward the ends like a tiny cushion. Carvers favour this cut because it offers two characters at once — the flats catch and return light in even highlights, while the rounded edges stay smooth in the fingers and never bite the skin during a long roll. They are worked at a measured pace: cushions don't tumble freely like round beads but settle face to face, so the cord moves in a crisp, disciplined step. The sound when they pour is collected and low, with a pleasant woody or bone-like click rather than the ring of round grains. The model's signature is that it reads as handwork — facets are invisible on a round bead, but a cushion instantly shows the maker's hand. Over time the edges ease slightly and the planes take on a deep, finger-loved sheen. The form is best revealed on dense, uniform materials with real texture — stabilised mammoth ivory, ebony, dark horn and tight stone fruit pits — where each facet holds a clean line and polishes a beautiful patina.