Designer's block

The fabric designing has still been alluding me but I will soldier on!! Meanwhile here is a little look at some other projects I have been completing this past week. I dug this unfinished quilt top out of the cupboard a few weeks ago and had it quilted by Jude from Cornerstone Creations. I think I made this well over 10 years ago using antique black fabrics (with a dash of red) - those were the days when I did a lot more piecing!! It is so good to have it finished......thanks Jude xx

I've also been collecting black prints for a special quilt and had to include some William Morris prints from Barbara Brackman's Morris Apprentice range. I think this might be a "modern quilt" - whatever that is?? It is just one giant log cabin block and I am thoroughly enjoying hand stitching the pearls on it - I should be doing those drawings ......but 'whatever' ............(and thanks again Jude for helping me finish another project!)

And this is the link and picture of the quilt that inspired me to do this one.....

click here:  All People Quilt

Larry has just a few more days work and he will try retirement once again! It is so special to spend this time of our lives together but we make weekends special too - one with a recent visit to the local farmer's market - Willunga Farmer's Market. It is only 10 minutes from home and the meat and veggies are so much fresher than the supermarkets can provide - and it all tastes so much better too!

 Loved the decoration hanging in the cafe (and great to catch up for a coffee at last Janie! xx)

 Our weather has been surprisingly mild for Summer but the heat is on its way once again. The roses have loved this recent spell as well....

and a little treat for me (thanks to In the Beginning fabrics - thanks Jason!)..........

The little man will be one year old in just 6 sleeps but we decided to give him an early birthday present yesterday. This will stay home here for when he visits us...it was a huge hit......

So life is good in the Hill household..hope it is good in your part of the world too
(and get well soon Jan XX)

May Morris tour update

From time to time I wonder why on earth I started blogging. Some years back a student suggested to me it would be an easier thing to do than my website and that it would also cost me nothing - just my time. So the blog was the answer. That was four and half years ago and here we still are and thanks to that student who prompted me! For me keeping a blog is a rather selfish thing - I can indulge in what I like as I journal my life - which I can also turn into a book from time to time. These become permanent records for the family, especially of our trips.

But the unexpected bonus is the emails and comments I receive from you the reader. Emails come from all over the world (even Russia!), thanking me for sharing in my journey - especially the recent William Morris tours. I am humbled by that and cannot thank you enough for your kind words and support. I don't always answer but please know how very grateful I am.

Writing books was not an easy process for me but if it had not been for doing them (or for having my blog), I would never have met Helen at Whitecroft Tours. Being a part of these tours has certainly been the highlight of my William Morris journey.

Which brings me to tell you that the May Morris tour is almost sold out for next year! Helen hasn't put it on her website yet and I haven't added a special page on the blog....it seems all you loyal followers have found it all here - so thanks again!

So life in the Hill household is much the same. Beau will be one year old in just over a week so that will be fun. My head has been down designing these past few weeks with what I hope will be a new range of fabrics. (Another added bonus in my journey!) And how did I manage to start designing fabrics??!! Well it was Tim from Lloyd Curzon who had faith in me and this will be a fourth collection - but only if Jason from In the Beginning Fabrics approves. My inspiration this time comes from the bed drapes on William Morris's bed at Kelmscott Manor and also the Trellis pattern designed by Morris......

The process can be incredibly time consuming and this past week I spent two days doing just one small design and in the end I threw it all away! This is a brief look at the process from a previous range. The original inspiration for this fabric came from a design  by Charles Voysey - another designer who I admire. You will see his image first and then my creation with a bit of Jason's magic........

The Internet has certainly changed our lives and the way we communicate even more so. I am not a great fan of facebook and only really signed up as an easy way to communicate with family while travelling. I find it very time consuming and do not post or comment very often. But recently I have enjoyed watching the incredible restoration being done at Red House. They do have a facebook page HERE and the photos are from that site. First of all the amazing snow they experienced recently....my photos are pre-snow from the trip last year.....

It will be so exciting to see the restoration when we return on the next William Morris tour later this year. So much has been revealed behind years of paint and also sections of the house restored......

Finally I want to leave you with some amazing 'show and tell'. Judith is the President of the Australian Rugmaker's Guild and some time ago she asked my permission to use my Morris patterns to make a rug. Below is my 'Morris Magic' quilt and below that her incredible rug that she drew inspiration from. If I had more time I think I would like to make one for myself! Might have to give Larry a diversion from his tapestries!

Thanks so much Judith for allowing me to share your photo.....so inspiring and I think Mr Morris would be pleased with your skill!
So to all you readers...thanks once again for visiting and take care where ever you are xx

Exciting new Morris Tour!

Well here it is - Helen of Whitecroft Tours has done it again! An exciting new tour for August 2014:

"Decorative Needlework with May Morris" 

This tour it is not completely William Morris but more on discovering more about his 'just as talented' daughter May.

Some of you already know I am quite besotted with May's work as well, and currently I am also enjoying reading the biography (which is several volumes), that she wrote about her father (in my spare time!). May was responsible for a lot of the designs that came out of the Morris and Co. workshop and we have several unique designs of hers in the textile collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia. May was an extremely skilled embroiderer and eventually became an advisor to the Royal School of Needlework. Her father also appointed her as head of the embroidery department when she was only 23. I just love her free form stitches where she really 'paints' the design in simple silk stitches of chain stitch and darning stitch....something even I could do - I think!

That is enough of my ranting....what is the tour about? 

It is not on Helen's website just yet - she is leaving it open to followers of my blog first.....how special is that - but you only have a week before it goes to the website.

Here is just a little snippet.......I do know we will be staying here for 12 days.....

We will be attending a Workshop at the Royal School of Needlework - WOW and a tutor who specialises in all things May (and William ) Morris.........sigh......

Visiting Windsor and Sudeley Castles to view textile treasures....

Champagne at Buckingham Palace.......

Highclere Castle (or you might know it as Downton Abbey!!)......

One night we are having dinner in this very room (but I am not telling where!)....

A private viewing of May's drawings at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.......

And if that isn't enough....we are spending a day in Birmingham at the Festival of Quilts....

Of course we visit Kelmscott Manor where May lived for many years after her father died......

We have a day on our own at the newly refurbished William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow.....

And I will finally get to see this......

here at Standen.....

But there is so much more I could share - I think this is about two thirds of the tour ......for now all I can say is put your name down fast! You can contact Helen at the Whitecroft Tours website where she can send you a very detailed itinerary. If you have been on either of the 2012 William Morris tours you will notice a slight price rise but when you see the schedule you will see why.....it is a little longer to fit it all in...and everything is also included - all workshops, entry fees, meals - even with wine! And always extra little treasures from Helen who is the biggest treasure of all!

And don't forget we are putting on a second William Morris tour in September/October this year. This will be the last chance for an "All William Morris" tour.

Proud to be an Australian

Today is our 'National Day' so it is time to reflect and remember how lucky we are in this great country of ours. Now this little clip is not our National Anthem but I wish it was! It was written by the late and very talented Peter Allen.......

If only Peter could know how much we all love his lyrics despite the fact that it was used by Qantas for a commercial - Peter Allen deserves all the kudos.

We are indeed a great country.......(photos from Wikipedia)

 The Sturt Desert Pea is our Sate emblem......

 The Pavlova dessert is very typically Australian and it will be consumed in large quantities today! It was reputed to have been made when the Russian dancer Anna Pavlova toured Australia and New Zealand in the 1920's ........but Australia likes to claim its' discovery for herself!!

 And this week we are celebrating the incredible Tour Down Under and I am so proud it is in our home town and is the best run bike tour in the world...of course!! But the riders say that - not just me J

Happy Australia Day to all my fellow aussies ........  and tonight I will be revealing an incredible new tour planned for next year - it is simply amazing!! Stay tuned

More Morris to swoon over!

I know I should be working at this very moment.......I am in the middle of drawing and painting (hopefully a new range of fabrics if Jason Yenter approves!!).........but one does have to take a break every now and then.......