28th April 2016
When we had the photo shoots for our design Charlotte Rose, we thought a spot of Afternoon Tea would look pretty in pictures. It also meant we got to eat the props afterwards…
Afternoon tea was actually stared by a close friend of Queen Victoria, Anna, The 7th Duchess of Bedford. She would often complain, late in the afternoon of ‘having that sinking feeling’ due to those in high society having their dinner late in the evening and usually people only had two meals a day. To satisfy this hunger, afternoon tea became a concept- not too large of a meal, just to see her through until dinner time- originally, it wasn’t the affair it is today, instead a pot of tea and a light snack. Tea consumption during this time had increased dramatically, though still expensive it was drank by the elite.
After a time, during summer, she began to invite her friends to these afternoon teas at Woburn Abbey, which she enjoyed so much she carried it on when she returned to London, sending a note to friends requesting they join her for “tea and a walk in the fields.” Since she was a prominent figure in London society, and so other social hostesses quickly copied Anna and soon the tea was respectful enough it was moved into the drawing room- before long, all of fashionable society were drinking tea and eating sandwiches in the afternoon!
Today, afternoon tea is a meal composed of delicately cut sandwiches, cakes and pastries, and a scone with jam and clotted cream. it wasn’t actually until the 20th century however, that scones were introduced into the tradition of afternoon tea.
Charlotte Rose is one of our favourite designs, we purchased a late 1800-early 1900 French archive, and faithfully restored this design to its former glory, and decided to produce a range in it! We have tablecloths in various sizes- 58″ round, 52 x 70 and 52 x 90, as well as placemats, napkins, and fabric and bias by the metre– phew, what a mouthful!
One of our favourite things is that if you buy our PVC fabric, due to it not fraying, you can buy it to the nearest half metre, and have a ready made tablecloth!
Posted in News by Laura
Is it just us or does anyone else come across an old photo and get upset that the cake is now gone? 🍰
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #strawberrythief #fabrics #teatowel #preraphaelite #emmabridgewater
Lay the table with us for Easter dinner 🐰 These rabbit napkin folds are so simple yet effective, will you give them a go this weekend? 🐣
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #florals #floraltable #napkinfold #napkinfolding #napkinfoldingideas #brotherrabbit #easternapkin
Us 🤝 simple napkin folding 🎀
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #fabrics #williammorrisfabricdesign #design #afternoontea #daisy #preraphaelite
A really simple napkin fold for your Easter table! 🐣 We used a napkin ring but you could use ribbon or twine, whatever you’ve got! 🐰
Just fold the napkin into a triangle and roll up from the point until you can fold it in half to make the ears 🐇 You could put a little creme egg in there as an extra treat 🤎
•
•
•
#napkinart #napkinfolding #napkinfolding #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #eastertable #eastertablescape #fabrics #easter2025🐰🐥☀️🍹
Hopping into Easter week with a fab 10% off our website, just use code: EASTER on our website 🐣
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisprint #morris #willowbough #floraldesign #florals #easternapkin #eastertable #eastertablescape
Have you seen our new remnants and bundle section on our website? 🪡 Perfect for quilting, sewing and crafting, they’re all in varying sizes and we’ll keep it constantly updated 🧵
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #crafting #fabriccrafts #quilter #quiltersgonnaquilt #quiltlife #sewsewsew #sewersgonnasew #fabricremnants
Layering florals on florals this Spring 🪻🌷
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #morris #fabric #fabricaddict #pimpernel #floraldesigns #spring #springtable
The start of the Easter tablescapes this weekend 🐣 We cant resist a little rabbit napkin, so easy and so effective we can post a reel on how to do the napkin fold! 🐰 This is our pvc fabric in William Morris Brother Rabbit red which is perfect for on the table as it simply wipes clean so isn’t an issue for any spills 🧼
We know that seasonal tablescapes whilst looking amazing can often seem really expensive on Instagram so we wanted to prove that with a simple napkin fold and a few little inexpensive decor bits it can be wonderfully seasonal yet affordable and used every year - the carrots are from @poundland and the cute little sheep are from @sainsburys 🐑
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #florals #floraldesign #pvcfabric #pvctablecloth #eastertable #eastertablescape #eastertablesetting #easter2015
A gorgeous spring day today spent in the garden, anyone else unable to spend a day without a pot of mini eggs nearby? 🐣 Our pvc fabric is perfect for garden tables, a simple wipe clean and it’s ready for outdoor meals - just make sure to not leave it outside in the rain! ☔️☀️ On the table today is our William Morris Compton pvc, a year- round fave of ours 🤎
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #compton #springgarden #springgardening #springtime #springsunshine☀️ #labrador #englishlab #lablife #magnolia #magnoliatree #magnoliatreesinbloom🌸🌸🌸
Spring has truly sprung this week and we’re looking forward to Easter 🐣 Our William Morris Daisy was looking gorgeous on the table with a little Easter treat 🐰
•
•
•
#napkinart #easteregg #easterdecor #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #floralfabric #printedintheuk #preraphaelite #artandcraftsmovement
One of the crafters among us couldn’t help but steal some of our new designs from work to create a gorgeous quilted bag from all our original designs to take to Chicago with them on holiday 🤍 For all of us back home in Yorkshire we’re a little jealous seeing all the holiday snaps of the bag round the city! ✨ All these designs are now available on our website 🥰
•
•
•
#quilted #quiltedbag #quiltedbags #quiltersgonnaquilt #quiltlife #sewersofinstagram #sewallthethings #whatimade #whatimadetoday #chicago #blossomtree #smallbusiness #ukbusiness #patchwork #patchworkbag
It’s back in stock!! 🍓 Our cotton Strawberry Thief blue licensed William Morris design is now back in stock - and digitally printed 🌿 We hope you can tell how crisp the design is from this video, the details within the design are so clear in the digital print which is fabulous becuase there’s so many beautiful details within all Morris designs 🎨
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #florals #floraldesign #fabrics #strawberythief #quiltingfabric #quiltingdesigns #backinstock
The colours of Compton 😍 did you know some of our designs are now digitally printed? 🤎 digital print gives top quality printing design with a really crisp finish that brings to life the whole design and its details, of course, we’re still printing in the UK 🇬🇧
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #smallbusiness #floralfabric #quiltingfabric #florals #curtainfabric #upholsteryfabric #ukcrafters
Pack an order with us of our new quilting fabrics 🌿 These are all our exclusive designs that are now available on our website, and each beautiful design has been faithfully resorted from our French archive, we wonder what they’ll be made into 🤍
•
•
•
#quilting #quiltingfabric #fatquarterbundle #fatquarters #sewistofinstagram #sewingmakesmehappy #patchwork #patchworkquilt #smallbusiness #packanorderwithme #packanorderwithme
A tea towel hanging in the kitchen, bringing floral magic easily into the home 🌿 Can you believe William Morris designed Willow Bough in 1887? It’s such a timeless design we love imagining how many people throughout the years have chosen to have it decorating their homes 🤍
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #morrisdesignsuk #timelessdesign #fabric #fabricstash #teatowel #teatoweldesign
Use code: birthday for 20% off our entire website 🌿 Includes our fabulous fabric by the half metre, tablewear & kitchenware 🤍
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisstrawberrythief #morrisfabric #smallbusiness #quiltingfabric #sewingfabric #curtainfabric #fabric #fabricstash #fabriclove #floralfabric
We’re excited to announce our new range of fabrics, perfect for quilting 🪡 they are all from our exclusive French archive which dates from the late 1800s-early 1900s ⚜️ With a new range we were chatting about what to name each design, so as a female founded and run business, we decided to name them after some important women in our lives 🤍 We’re digitally printing this fabric so it’s amazing quality, but there’s limited stock of each design so let us know which designs you love ☺️
-
-
-
#smallbusiness #digitalprint #smallbizowner #quiltingfabric #quilting #frenchfloralfabric #quiltingfabrics #femalebusiness #sewersgonnasew #sewingaddict #sewingfabric #ukquiltersunited
Waiting patiently for peony season… 🫶🏻
On the table; our William Morris Willow Bough 🌿
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #willowbough #fabric #tablescape #burleighpottery #britishmade #peonyseason
Why wouldn’t we celebrate William Morris’ birthday with one of our biggest sales of the year! Hurry, it’s tonight and tomorrow only, take 20% off everything on our website with code; BIRTHDAY 🌿
Born on this day in 1834, William Morris was an incredible talent. His designs are as timeless and popular today as ever, so long after they were designed 🎨 He also was a poet, writer and socialist activist who was involved in the arts and crafts movement and worked hard to keep traditional British textiles, he opened his own mill, Merton Abbey Mills 🌿 there’s so many interesting aspects of his life that he seemed to live many lives at once, when you’re that talented it must be hard to pick just one passion! 🌿 Happy Birthday William, thank you for all the stunning designs we print here in the UK just as he was passionate about all those years ago! 🇬🇧
•
•
•
#onthis #onthisday #williammorris #morris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #artsandcraftsmovement #preraphaelites #fatquarters
Happy first day of Spring 🌷what’s your favourite thing about spring? 🌱 Ours is of course all the stunning flowers blooming all around us 🪴 To get 15% off our website to bring some florals indoors, use code; SPRING at checkout on our website 🤍
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #morrisdesign #williammorriscollection #spring #springflorals #springflowers #flowerarrangement #flowerarranging