Ready to do new things

It has been a very hot day here today with strong dusty winds as well....and friends in the UK are currently feeling the chill and the floods. Last night on our ABC news we were informed of the dire state of our planet in relation to the arctic ice melting. This always results in differing views and I am following the debate HERE. I do know we seem to be having a lot of major climate events and that our seasons have definitely changed.

But today was a good day (for catching up with friends),  but also for my purchases - some delicious wool felt pieces from Hettie's Patch which I have now felted. (I gave away all my felted wool in a workshop last year because I didn't think I would use it again!!)
I am always concerned about using wool felt which is very different from felted wool. The wool felt tends to stretch and I would also be concerned about washing it once it is in a quilt....so today it was washed and dried in a matter of minutes! I just love the texture and colour of these pieces........and the thick texture after felting.....

I first bought a bundle of felted wool about 5 years ago just because the colours were very 'William Morris' - then I used them in this quilt 3 years ago and just loved it......no fraying and so easy to work with....

Well I have moved on from machine appliquéing the pieces to applying by hand as we did with the New Jersey girls recently.....

So where to from here and why these new pieces I have prepared? I have resurrected two Folk Style quilts that I designed in the 1990's. I have reduced the block size to about 10inches and I just think these will be perfect in this felted wool!. These are the original quilts (scanned photos only as I have given both quilts away and never took good pictures of them)....

 (Below is where this second quilt now resides- a holiday house belonging to my hairdresser!!)

I also purchased some beautiful linen today that I think will be perfect for the background.....

And even more linen with the embroidery threads all waiting in preparation for the all important May Morris embroidery trial!!

While I was retrieving my threads I came across my 'antique purchase' at the quilt show in Houston - I couldn't afford an antique quilt so instead I had a little fossick amongst some antique doilies and I came across this little table-runner - I love the simple but effective embroidery........

So I have plenty to keep me out of mischief for a while. I hope you do too X

The black hole

Just touching base to say my computer is back but my email system and all its data could not be saved.......sigh! So this means I have to start from scratch once again. I do know of at least two people who have let me know that they had sent me an email and that it has obviously got 'lost in space'...or in the "black hole" as JulieAnn shared with me today!! So please, please let me know if I haven't answered you! For now the little man makes us smile......

....and go Sophie for the weekend! Good luck Adelaide Dance Movement in the World Supremacy Battlegrounds 2012 on this weekend in Sydney! Good Luck XX

Radio Show

Well the interview should be airing today with the delightful Pat Sloan. After the nerves Pat and her "equally as delightful"  husband put me right at ease. And of course having Larry grinning at me through it all made it even easier!!

Thank-you for having me Pat and enjoy the show folks! It is live to air 5.30pm Eastern time (New York) and I think that is about 9am Sydney time but please don't quote me on that - it is confusing first thing in the morning! There is always an archive to catch it later!

Try clicking HERE and I hope it takes you where you need to be!

William Morris at home

I think you will be able to listen to Pat Sloan's radio show later......I am so confused with eastern time, central time...whatever!...... I will let you know tomorrow.

So for now I would like to show you Mr William Morris in my own home town! This is especially for all our friends who came on the UK tours this year.....they heard it more than once...."You know at home we have one of the biggest collections of William Morris furnishings in the world"!! So here is the proof!

I often get emails from people coming to Adelaide and it is always my pleasure to show interstate and international visitors not only our city, but also all things William Morris.....so once again I got to do this yesterday....lovely to meet you Jayne and hope you enjoyed the day!

We start at Carrick Hill....no photos allowed inside but we must have spent at least 30 minutes in front of the best embroidered screens ever! All three were designed by one of Morris's partners John Henry Dearle. The outside is just as beautiful...well not quite as good as the Morris embroideries!

On the way to the Art Gallery we stopped to see some William Morris stained glass windows.......just before a wedding so there was no time to photograph. And then on to our very own Art Gallery of South Australia........

The entire Morris room is covered in Willow wallpaper...and I heard that the Gallery shop is about to get a Christmas make-over and is to be wallpapered in Brer Rabbit wallpaper.....I will make sure I get a photo for you!

This is the very special silk cloth designed by May Morris especially for Joanna Barr Smith as a thank you and May named it 'Australia'.......

We also have two large Tiffany windows in the Morris room............

A Charles Voysey textile.........

 And some William De Morgan tiles...........

Charles Ashby from Chipping Campden......and we went there on the UK WM tour!!

 Alfred Gilbert was way ahead of his time - he made this necklace in a hurry for his niece who was about to go to a ball (just the ribbon missing)...........

 I also love Christopher Dresser designs and it is very appropriate to be in the Morris room with the other Arts and Crafts designers...........

Several original Morris curtain drops.............

 Edward Burne Jones.............

This sideboard cabinet was made especially for the Barr Smith's to house their precious glass and De Morgan ware collections.............

Arts and Crafts piano.........

And finally some close-ups of another incredible embroidery designed by May Morris..............

I hope you enjoyed a small part of our collection. It is 10 years since it was all out on display at once so here's hoping we don't have to wait too long for that to happen again.

Meanwhile I have an IMPORTANT MESSAGE.......I must tell you that the dates for the second 2013  UK William Morris Tour have changed to September 29th - October 9th.  This will be the last chance to join me on this William Morris tour because Helen is organising other exciting adventures for 2014 and beyond. So if you have been thinking about it, I suggest you click on the link and contact Helen to put your name down  - the tours sell out fast and this is your last chance!