Stitches is a leather vase that explores how cultural background shapes the way nature is perceived and idealised. 

The final piece reflects a shift from responding to external impressions toward a more grounded engagement with my own cultural context, particularly my Bavarian background. Research into Bavarian romanticism revealed that the landscapes I associate with “natural beauty” are often highly curated and shaped by agriculture, rather than being untouched. This understanding reframed my view of control over nature as something gradual and normalised rather than overt.

The object is a leather vase. Leather was chosen for its ability to change over time: it reacts to moisture, pressure, and handling, recording use rather than resisting it. A single ring imprint references an urban detail originally found in Helsinki, now recontextualized as a symbol of idealized, controlled nature within a Bavarian cultural framework. 

The combination of digital tools and handcraft reflects the layered influences shaping the project, including rural traditions, urban living, and contemporary design practice.

The vegetable-tanned leather was wet molded onto a 3D print. 

I worked with 3 pieces of leather. After drying in a vacuum and releasing it, the pieces were pierced and saddle stitched together with a waxed yarn. In the end, the vase was treated with beeswax, reheated, and polished.