Thanks to our odd friend Jessica who made a documentary about people who sleep on cattail pillows, Anna and I decided to make a cattail pillow for ourselves. We finally got around to finishing it today. We made a joint decision and I will sleep on it first tonight. But from all indications on our test runs, it looks like it’s going to be a solid pillow. It does weigh about 25 pounds though. Here are some pictures.
Excerpted from Jessica’s cattail website:
Native American tribes used cattail down to line moccasins and papoose boards. An Indian name for cattail meant, “fruit for papoose’s bed”. They also harvested cattails for hemp. They also wove cattail leaves into waterproof mats for the sides of their lodges, and sleeping mats on their travels. Some Indians made jelly from the rootstocks and they can be used for marmalade. The pollen, which is very abundant and rich in vitamins and minerals, was harvested and used in bread by American Indians. Pioneers employed the down when stuffing quilts and dolls, dressing wounds, and providing tinder for fires sparked by flint and steel.
For more check out the Facts page on the website.
9 Comments:
Dude, way to go. My pillow is made of something creepy and unpronouncable. Yours is made of subverted suburbia. Nice.
now that’s a heavy pillow. how did you sleep?
pretty good. but i use 2 pillows when i sleep. i make an upside down L. so i used it as my base pillow and then used my other pillow to make the long part of the L. it was nice. better knowing that i made it.
does it smell?
what kind of question is that? what would it smell like? kitty liter?
i actually do think they kind of smell, they smell like cattails, DUH! i am so proud of you guys! is it ok if i post these pictures on the cattail blog?
well i haven’t smelled anything yet. and feel free to use them.
Great post! I made a meditation mat out of cattails. It’s wonderful. Have you tried washing your cattail pillow or do you know anyone who has. I’d really like to participate more fully in this cattail revolution, but I’m a little spooked by the allegations of allergic reactions I’ve read about..
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