Exciting news!

I am so sorry to those of you who have subscribed and been waiting for a newsletter via my website - I just haven't had the time to do it properly so for now you will have to hear the news here. Some months ago I was approached by Tim Meyers of Lloyd Curzon's -
http://www.lcurzon.com.au/  here in Adelaide to see if I would be interested in being involved in a range of fabrics - I am still pinching myself and still feel in awe of the journey that quilting has taken me. It is such an honour to be asked to do these things – and having never gone looking for it still leaves me bewildered.

So it is with great delight that I can officially let the quilting world know that Jason Yenter and I will be releasing a new range of fabrics!! Jason is well known from “In the Beginning Fabrics”  http://www.inthebeginningfabrics.com/ in Seattle and it has been an honour and a privilege to work with him.

Jason tells me it will be premiering at the International Quilt Market in Minneapolis next month and the fabrics should be available in November/December later this year.

All I can tell you is it will be very William Morris like (of course!) – not reproductions though – all new designs. And how wonderful that it is to be called “The Adelaide Collection” ....our home!

Now we can't have a blog entry without some photos so here are some images of the wonderful participants at recent workshops at Berrima Patchwork - thanks girls and one special guy for making it all happen (Sorry that some of you are missing in the pics - we weren't fast enough!)

Wednesday/Thursday group

Saturday/Sunday group

Monday/Tuesday group

Gottcha Geoff!!

I love this image - I also learn from sharing students

The Wedding!

Sorry folks but you knew this was coming!!
First of all the photographer Glen Dealtry of Destill has done a little preview at this link; http://www.destillphotography.com.au/emilyandbrettpreview/
I can't wait to see all his photos - I just love his style.

The down side to being 'mother of the bride' is that I missed out on so many photo opportunities! But I did manage to take 125 pictures so here are just a few!! We were incredibly proud and it was a beautiful celebration despite the rain.........

Embroidery from the past and all mine!

On my recent visit to Berrima I had the privilege of being taken to the most amazing treasure house of antiques, Peppergreen - http://www.peppergreenantiques.com.au/

Their collection includes vintage textiles, embroidery threads and embroidered textiles. Two hours passed in a blink of an eye on my first visit and nearly two hours on my second. My heart was all a flutter when I came across some William Morris vintage textiles and even three sets of William Morris curtains.........BUT wait............it was these two tablecloths that entranced me and became my purchases over the Morris pieces!!

Click on the image above - I've kept it at a high resolution so you can share in the luxurious stitching

The embroidery intrigues me and is just what I have been searching for. I have tried crewel work classes in the past but do not have the patience for it. These cloths are embroidered in a very heavy thread called Cordonnet and I even managed to buy some vintage thread to give it a go. This style appeals to me as it will compliment my applique - not too intricate. So in true William Morris style I will examine it closely and give it a go - not sure I am ready to unpick the work like he would have though!

If any of you in blogland can enlighten me I would be most grateful as I cannot find any sources apart from these old books which I also purchased. I am trying to see if we can still get the thread as well - it is like a cord - not stranded at all and not like the ecru and cream cordonnet crochet threads that I've seen. Might be another reason to visit the V&A in August!

But how sad there are no labels like on our quilts. It would be so nice to know who embroidered these works of art - I will certainly treasure and enjoy them

Another male quilter and a winner!

  Kelmscott made by Neil Chisholm

I am finally catching up on emails and things at home - I've been away for 8 days teaching in New South Wales in Berrima at the local shop - Berrima Patchwork. We all had a great time and Tamsin kindly copied me photos but the CD tells me there is nothing on it! So photos of the workshops will have to wait for a later blog.

But for now this is the story of Neil from Ballarat. I met Neil last year and was so thrilled to see his amazing Kelmscott quilt all done in batiks! (I even came home and set to work to do a batik quilt myself which will be in the new book!) Anyway Neil kindly sent me this photo last week and permission to share it - he won a prize in the local quilt show. I am so thrilled for him but I am sorry the photo does not do the quilt justice. It is so exciting to have male quilters on board - I even had one in class in Berrima - you will hear more about 'him' (Geoff) later!!

Anyway CONGRATULATIONS Neil!

The Garden at Nangeela by Neil Chisholm

And this is an original design by Neil - isn't it just beautiful? I am sure we will see more of his designs soon.

And a little peek at the 'Bride to Be" at her hair trial!!

Viewer's Choice award

I received an email recently from a very excited quilter who has completed a couple of my Morris inspired designs. Jenny was thrilled to receive the 'Viewer's Choice Award for Wallhangings' at the Southern Highlands 2010 Quilt Show! She kindly gave permission for me to share her photos with you. This is the quilt that won the award:

Congratulations Jenny!

And I have put some photos on the Bedford Blog.......one amazing workshop with 59 quilters; http://mysteryquiltbedford.blogspot.com/

Your photos are a joy

It is such a thrill to receive photos from quilters all over the world, so I thought I would share a few (with permission from the makers)

This is from Barbara in the USA - just beautiful and what

luck having a Poppy Morris print for the sashings!

Barbara has used blocks from the Kelmscott and Friends quilt

Penny from Canada did her Morris blocks in candlewicking -

just divine and what patience! And a close-up......

Thankyou so much girls for sending photos and

for allowing me to share your beautiful work.

(More quilt photos soon)

I have also just received some photos tonight of my daughter Emily at the hairdresser having a hair trial for the wedding which is in 3 weeks. I am dying to share them but that will have to wait won't it?

Desperate Romantics at last!

John Millais (Samuel Barnett), Fred Walters (Sam Crane) Dante Gabriel Rossetti (Aidan Turner) and William Holman Hunt (Rafe Spall) are Desperate Romantics

AT LAST!!! The BBC production of Desperate Romantics starts here on Sunday night on ABC1 at 8.30pm and then for the next two Sundays. I don't think Morris appears until midway and towards the end.........but you know what I will be doing for the next three Sundays! There are a few trailers here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnNFTtrr0HA
 

Give-away update

Thankyou for all your messages -  I have four patterns still left and I still need addresses from Susi (Germany), Barb (Oahu), Marge (Massachusetts), Margaret (NY), Brandie (Ca, USA) and erquilting. So the first four who email me will get my last four envelopes.

These are the wonderful bloggers who I have already sent to from all around the world!.....
Hannele (Finland), Linda (Waterloo, USA), Sharon (Vancouver, Canada), Dianne (Victoria, Aust), Sandra (Michigan, USA), Miriam (Victoria, Aust), Mary (Oakland, Canada), Vicki (Victoria, Aust), Edith (Tasmania, Aust), Mary-Anne (Victoria, Aust), Susanne (Alaska, USA), Denise (South Australia), Michelle (Dunedin, New Zealand), Lizzie (Victoria, Aust), Mary Jo (Michigan, USA), Belinda (New South Wales, Aust)

I will leave you with an image of one of my other obsessions;  The Lady & The Unicorn tapestries

This one is 'A Mon Seul Desir' - "to my only desire"

The other five tapestries which were made from silk and wool (15th century), are based on the senses: taste, hearing, sight, smell and touch. This one is the sixth and possibly represents love and understanding. It is my favourite of them all and this is my interpretation......

Four more quilters!

Well thankyou, thankyou, thankyou to those of you who have left messages - it is a joy to visit your blogs too and see where you live! I was so thrilled that I have decided you ARE ALL WINNERS!! Today I printed off 20 photos of the quilt so 24 more hours and then I will close it to the first 20 of you who requested the pattern. It is only a few pages which I can squeeze into a normal envelope - so please send me your name and postal address via my website (Which you can get to by clicking on my book to the left of your screen)

I will leave you with a picture of one of my very favourite Morris & Co tapestries - Pomona. The nearsest I have to it is a cushion (Yes another cushion!!) This info and photo are from the V&A collection. http://www.vam.ac.uk/index.html

'Pomona' Tapestry
Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) and John Henry Dearle (1860-1932)
Made by Morris & Co. England about 1900. Tapestry-woven wool and silk on a cotton warp. Museum no. T.33-1981
In Roman mythology, Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees and orchards. Her name comes from the Latin word pomum, meaning fruit. Her story was told by the Latin poet Ovid in the Metamorphoses, in which she was pursued by the god Vertumnus, and the two lovers were popular subjects in painting and the decorative arts, including tapestry, in the 16th century and later.
William Morris considered tapestry 'the noblest of the weaving arts', and his firm of Morris & Co produced exceptional examples, with scenes of Arthurian legend, medieval romance, and mythology, like this piece. The account book of the artist Edward Burne-Jones shows that he was paid £25 by Morris & Co in 1882 for the figure of Pomona, his first design specifically for tapestry. The design was woven in several versions, with alternative backgrounds to the figure, and to different scale. In this version the flowers and fruit, including the branch of apples Pomona is holding, were designed by John Henry Dearle.

Give away time

I was clearing out my pattern box and came across this pattern which I find is dated 2002! I think I designed it for the Loxton quilters as they had requested a 'Christmas' theme for an applique class. I'ts a sort of 'Folk Style' come 'Partridge in a Xmas tree' wall quilt and measures 40 1/2" x 48 1/2" (103cm x 124cm) and is very simple. I happen to have three spare copies of the class notes and pattern, so if you happen to be dropping by let me know if you would like a copy. I will put all the names in the hat and draw out three - good luck!

And my next four William Morris cushion covers arrived today....they even smell divine! So officially - between the miners couch and this couch there is no more room for any more Morris cushions!! Thanks Marie; http://www.williammorriscushioncovers.com/

........well maybe the beds will be next.........

New look website

Thankyou to each and everyone of you that visit my blog - I am humbled by your attention! If you haven't already seen it I have a new look website; http://www.michelehill.com.au/

My publisher Country Bumpkin have been so supportive of my quilting endeavours and Lynton the graphic designer has designed this logo as my 'badge'. You will also see this on patterns in the future - thankyou to the team at CB especially Anna, Lauren, Helen and Lynton.
My thanks also to Christine; http://www.geckogully.com/websites/ who has helped me set up just what I wanted. Her patience and help were wonderful and the best bit is that she is a quilter - not sure if she gets much time to do that though! I will be able to manage the website myself which is a huge bonus. I am on a steep learning curve and so some of the pages will need 'tweeking' over the months - especially the photos in the gallery page - room for improvement there! So if you are looking to upgrade or get a new website I encourage you to contact Christine via the link above.
Do visit me at the website from time to time - I enjoy tracking where visitors come from and today I even had visitors from Belgium and Alaska!!

And I will leave you with a sneak peek at one of the projects in my new book (due for release later in the year). This is an appliqued tablecloth completed by a dear friend who is fighting the 'Big C" with chemo and radiotherapy - one gutsy lady! (Luv ya JG!)

Charles Voysey and Morris

Australian Finch Charles Voysey (1857-1941)

I came across this interesting image at the Royal Institute of British Architects; http://www.designconnection.demon.co.uk/New_Folder/aboutRIBA.htm

I wonder what led him to an Australian finch? I might have to do some more research on that one! I have been inspired by Voysey for several blocks in my William Morris & Friends quilt having first admired him through some of the Liberty fabrics I collected many years ago. Voysey was an English architect but perhaps in my world better known for his wallpaper and textile designs. He was definitely influenced by Morris as you can see here;

                               

There is some similarity to Morris' Trellis wallpaper pattern

Festival of Quilts, Birmingham 2010

http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/viewExhibition.aspx?id=25

The class list for Quilt Academy has just been posted for the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. What a great thrill that I am teaching there this year! I still can't believe it and it is all thanks to our wonderful Gloria Loughman who suggested it to me!!

Thanks Gloria XX
http://www.glorialoughman.com/




And I have put some wonderful photos on the Bedford Mystery Quilt blog....all is explained there;   http://mysteryquiltbedford.blogspot.com/

Strange but true (and my cushions arrived)

Last post I told you I would share a story that is strange but true! In August of 2000 my father was in a hospice in the final stages of terminal cancer. I was working full-time in quality management at that time, so along with losing Dad I was a little stressed! During my lunch break I decided to go for a walk. It was a cool Winter's day but the sun was shining and I had an urge to sit on a seat in a park (it was actually near the Adelaide University footbridge for those of you who know where I mean and I had walked from the office in Melbourne St). As I sat in deep contemplation I had thoughts of where I would rather be. Three years earlier we had gone to visit the UK (first time for me), where we discovered what is now one of our favourite places - the beautiful Lakes District. There is a small shop there called Reekies;

 which is in the beautiful village of Grasmere. http://www.reekiesgrasmere.co.uk/

So there I was sitting with my eyes closed and the sun on my back having deep thoughts of this wonderful place . Time ticked by and I thought I had better head back to work. As I stood up something caught my eye...........lying on the ground was a brand new packet from Reekies of this Lakes District embroidered emblem!!! I immediately went into shock looking around me thinking where the heck did this come from!! Then I started trying to rationalise it.........Maybe a University student dropped it having just come back from overseas.....or a backpacker???? To this day I have no idea where it came from but I have to tell you that is a stange but very true occurence in my life. The packet has now persished as I carry it with me all the time. But you can still see part of the packaging!! Amazing hey??!!

And my beautiful William Morris cushion covers arrived yesterday from Marie in the UK; http://www.williammorriscushioncovers.com/

They are just perfect on the Miner's Couch - thanks Marie!

Life's strange coincidences

Life can be full of mystery and strange coincidences. I even wonder about 'past lives' and why we have such a strong connection to particular subjects. Some years back I was pondering what my husband could get me to celebrate my 50th birthday. I decided I would like a framed print (X-Lotto hasn't permitted me to purchase originals yet!!). Anyway I came across this wonderful print and I knew straight away this was it............

It is titled "Corner of the Villa" and was painted in 1890 by Sir Edward Poynter.

Picture courtesy of this site; http://www.art.com/

Sir Edward Poynter (1836-1919)

My art ignorance led me to finding out more about this artist and here is one of life's coincidences ...........this talented painter married an Agnes MacDonald who turns out to be the sister of Georgiana who married Edward Burne-Jones - William Morris's lifelong friend and business partner!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Burne-Jones

On the left is Edward Burne-Jones & the right William Morris

And one of the MacDonald sisters, Alice fathered Rudyard Kipling; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudyard_Kipling

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/second-hand-books/267870

Next blog I have an even more bizarre coincidence

that you will not believe is true - stay tuned!