Apropos of Nothing

The Pickle Sisters.

Looks we have sweet and sour on the same plate. 

Hmm...perhaps not an adolescent girl's idea of a good time?

And with this amazing photo a new NDL blog post label is born.

Thoroughly Modern Morris

Speaking of beautiful and useful....

 From Moda, Morris Modernized by Barbara Brackman based on the designs of C.F.A. Voysey.

C.F.A. Voysey (1857-1941) was an "informal successor to William Morris, a next generation designer who took Morris tradition well into the twentieth century,"  Morris' design influence shows up in Voysey's textiles and wallpaper patterns and his use of plants and birds as themes. 

-  from Material Culture, the blog of quilt historian Barbara Brackman.

 

At Quilter's Fancy and other online, and bricks and mortar fabric purveyors, we can find Morris Modernized as well as other fabric design lines based on the work of William Morris. These include: 

Dear William, by Michele Hill for In the Beginning,

The Morris Apprentice, by Barbara Brackman for Moda,

Morris Meadows, by Michele Hill,

and Morris and Company, by Barbara Brackman for Moda.

Birds and flowers. A few of our very favorite things.

William Would Approve

Do not have anything in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. 

- William Morris

This precious little biscornu pincushion is both useful and beautiful.

As is the person who lovingly stitched it, and generously gave it, to a very lucky and grateful recipient.

For the Birds

Sewists and mid-century design fans too. Charley Harper designs in organic cotton, knits, flannel, and canvas from Birch Fabrics.

Available from your local quilt shop or at Fabricworm and other online vendors.

Keeping Up Appearances - Fabric for a Fraying Lifestyle

The upper crust (or is that crusty) soap opera craze continues and makes its mannerly way into the sewing room.

 From Andover Fabrics the Downton Abbey Collection.

Free patterns are provided for quilts to snuggle under while watching or dreaming of the grand, 

if more than a little bit snarky, life on the opulent (for now) Downton estate.

Lady Violet's staid, with a bit of sass palette.

Sweet Sybil's lively range.

Lady Mary's cool colors.

A lovely, auburn-tinted mood board for Lady Edith that includes both pearls, 

and a detail inappropriately beneath her station (or rather her caboose), 

common, bone underwear buttons.

Apparently we are left to find the below-stairs fashion fabrics on our own. 

Well, okay, it shouldn't be that hard to find black and white solids.

Look for these fine fabrics at your local shop or view them online at  Hawthorne Threads.

The Meaning of Life

We can live with it.

Recite this.

Don't Tell the Kids

How do we know? 

Nevermind.

This is all we have to say about that.

Recite this.

Take Note

 recitethis.