QUILTS & FABRIC: PAST & PRESENT


Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Morris Workshop Designers

8143- Peony- Kate Faulkner-1877

The Morris Workshop reproduction collection for Moda reproduces prints designed by three artists who worked in the Morris workshops in 19th-century London. The major designer was William Morris, the leader of the Arts and Crafts movement. One print is from the hand of Kate Faulkner who began designing for the firm in its first incarnation as Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Company. The Faulkner in the title was her brother Charles, the bookkeeper.

Two were by Morris's major design partner John Henry Dearle (1860-1932), who began as an assistant when he was a boy and took over the firm's art direction after Morris's death in 1896. I had originally intended for the designer's name, the design name and date to be printed on the selvage of each piece but we ran out of room. Here are photos of the two in the collection that Dearle designed.


8146 Iris –John Henry Dearle - 1887

8148 Cherwell – John Henry Dearle – 1887

Dearle did many tapestries and carpets. To see one of his collaborations with Morris in the Victoria and Albert Museum click here:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1312_artsandcrafts/explore/object_search/object.php?objectid=1
Below is a design for the pattern that Moda University is selling for The Morris Workshop. Ask your shopowner for the project sheet. Moda artist Susan Stiff designed this variation on an offset Log Cabin design with the blue colorway of Dearle's Cherwell for the border.
The border inspired me to do a little digital cutting and pasting and I came up with a minimalist quilt using lots of Cherwell in a square-in-a-square block. I may get around to making it. It wouldn't take long.


3 comments:

  1. Love the minimalist idea but would have to use the fabric with the graceful tulips! Totally my favorite over all others.

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  2. I love the Morris fabrics. There's a few I really wish someone would reproduce. I have quite a few of the Rose and Hubble versions which came out years ago.

    Rookwood would be a great source of inspiration for works which have their roots in the arts and craft's movement here. There were some textiles created there I think, and certainly I have a few pieces which were stenciled during this movement. Do you have any more thoughts on any made in the US along the same lines as the Morris workshop?

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  3. If you ever get over to England check out the Cheltenham Museum's Arts and Crafts collection and Broadway Tower's William Morris room. Both really interesting. While living in the cotswolds I grew to love arts and crafts!

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