Monday, 17 May 2010

A Quilter and William Morris in Iceland


I have received a wonderful email from Arndis in Iceland who has completed a beautiful version of my Renaissance quilt pattern. She has kindly given me permission to share some images with you. I think her work is just exquisite and her attention to the applique is just perfect - and all done by hand! (Apart from the quilting) I told her she needed to enter it into a competition but it appears there are none to speak of in Iceland.

Iceland was a special place for William Morris giving him a chance to escape from the strains of marriage with his wife Jane's affair with Rossetti. So it is such a thrill to be able to meet a quilter in Iceland - I might have to put a visit on my wish list!

William Morris - self portrait

Fiona MacCarthy, a historian specialising in arts, crafts and design has written an article in The Guardian (UK), in March this year about Morris in Iceland (and also about composer Ian McQueen's new work for chorus and orchestra - Earthly Paradise, a four-part sequence based on the sayings, songs and poems of William Morris). I first came across Fiona some years ago when I purchased her 1994 biography of Morris.You can read her article in full here;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/mar/27/william-morris-iceland-ian-mcqueen

           
I have come across some royalty free images of Iceland as I go on with my story.............

Morris fell in love with the people of Iceland and with the help of Icelandic scholar Eiríkr Magnússon translated some of the Iceland classics. The most well know being the four volume epic Sigurd the Volsung (1876). One of Morris' poems on Iceland can be read here;

My final bit of news...........Jason Yenter tells me the new fabrics will be advertised at International Spring Quilt Market (Minneapolis) this week. So I have asked him if I can please share some images with all of you........so stay tuned - this weekend I will reveal a little!!
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4 comments:

  1. blackbird17 May 2010 at 22:37

    What a beauty! I love the way that the sooty grey background sets off the other beautiful colors.

    Iceland seems like such a magical country.

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  2. Linda17 May 2010 at 22:57

    Michele, That quilt is exquisite! Kudos to Arndis for her wonderful workmanship. Did Arndis say how long she worked on this quilt?
    Linda

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  3. Brandie18 May 2010 at 00:58

    Gorgeous quilt! she should be proud.
    Looking forward to the fabrics.

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  4. Unknown25 May 2010 at 22:20

    Thank you,and it is strange,off all the photos that you can find, taken in Iceland,the one in the middle is my hometown,Stykkisholmur is the name of the town,it took me 90 days to make that quilt and I am going to make more,Micheles quilt are just vonderfull and I can not vait to start anotherone,greetings frome Iceland,Arndís.

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Thankyou for dropping by and sharing in my journey. And thanks especially for your lovely comments….I may not always respond (especially if there is no email address) but please know you are appreciated x

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