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Today’s Solar Eclipse!

20th March 2015

We’ve been very excited this week for this mornings Solar Eclipse- we strolled down to the church in Pannal, Harrogate to see it! Here are a few of the photos we managed to capture:

 

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Throughout history, humans have had an fascination with the moon, the eclipses that happened were seen as omens of death, or the end of the world. It has been shown by surviving evidence that they have been predicted by as early as 2500 BC by the Babylonians and the ancient Chinese. The Babylonians feared the eclipse was a bad omen towards the King, and so they would bring in temporary ‘kings’ in hope they would receive the wrath of the gods, and not the actual King.

The Greeks feared that the eclipse signalled that death and destruction was coming to them as the gods were angry. The word ‘eclipse’ actually comes from the ancient Greek word ‘ekleipsis’ which means abandoned.

The fear is understandable- throughout history people lived by the sun and the moon- they went to bed when the sun set and rose when the sun rose, one day the two align and darkness falls, suddenly day turns into night. Having no explanation for this caused widespread fear, there were four main explanations in ancient times; a celestial being- a monster was attempting to destroy the sun, or the sun and the moon, as lovers were fighting. Or The sun grows angry or neglectful, or the sun and the moon make love and hide themselves away in darkness. It isn’t hard to see why they came up with these theories, with limited knowledge they could not know that these eclipses happen once every 18 years as the basis for the saros cycle.

William Morris himself was avidly fascinated with the middle ages, and the sun and moon- and as you know- we’re fascinated with William Morris!

Today, we know much more in terms of science of why the eclipse occurs, however a quick google search and you will find articles published this year with headlines stating that today will be the ‘end of the world.’ Lets hope this isn’t true- though we’ll be eating an extra slice of cake at lunch just incase…

 

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Team matching or team mix and match? 👻👇

Our napkins come in packs of 4, but if you’re a maximalist at heart, have a look at our sale section. We have packs of 1 and 2, so you can build your own beautifully mismatched set 🌸🎃

Shop via the link in bio.

#williammorris #maximalisthome #tablescape #halloweentable #laurasbeau
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All of our fabrics are licensed William Morris designs, digitally printed here in the UK. We offer two weights, so you can pick the right one for your project:

🌿 Cotton
Lighter, softer and easy to sew. It drapes beautifully and is perfect for:

- Dressmaking, like skirts, blouses and shirts
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- Pillowcases and bedding
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🌿 Heavyweight cotton
Thicker and sturdier, It holds its shape and stands up to light upholstery use, so it’s ideal for:

- Cushion covers
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- Light upholstery, like chair seats and headboards
- Tote bags and aprons
- Tablecloths and placemats

Not sure which you need? Send us a message and we’ll happily help 💛

Shop by the half metre via the link in bio.
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Our very own design, taken from our French archive of late 1800s to early 1900s prints. We fell in love with these delicate sprigs of tumbling roses and just had to bring them back to life 💕

You can buy her ready-made as a tablecloth and napkins, or by the half metre if you’d like to make something of your own 🧵

Pretty, romantic, and made for long lunches and special occasions 🥂 Link in bio to shop. #charlotterose #frenchvintage #floraltablecloth #tablescape #laurasbeau
Your Strawberry Thief, cut to order ✂️🍓

Every order is measured and cut to order. We sell it by the half metre, so it’s ideal for small projects or big makes. It’s a licensed William Morris design, digitally printed in the UK ✨

Order yours via the link in bio 💛

#strawberrythief #williammorris #fabricbythemetre #sewingfabric #laurasbeau
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This sweet anniversary bunny was made with little scraps of our William Morris fabric. It’s proof that even the smallest offcuts can become something really special 💛

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A handmade gift will always mean so much with the thought and time gone into it, but be sure to start well in advance so you’re not frantically sewing on Christmas Eve! ✨

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Ever wondered why our fabrics look so good up close? 🔍✨

Every one of our William Morris designs is digitally printed and manufactured right here in the UK, and here’s why we love it:

🎨 Incredible detail. Every tiny petal, berry and feather comes out crisp and true to the original design. The colours are consistent and gorgeous. 
🌈 Rich, accurate colours that stay just as vibrant as the artwork intended when Morris designed them
🌿 Kinder to the planet. Digital printing typically uses far less water than traditional methods, and we print in smaller batches, so there’s less waste.
🇬🇧 Supporting British makers. A shorter supply chain means we keep skills, jobs and quality close to home.

It’s a modern way to bring timeless designs into your home 💛

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He’s lounging on our Compton fabric, a licensed William Morris design printed in the UK. A pumpkin with good taste!

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What would you make with this fabric? 🧵

Our Golden Lily heavyweight fabric is a licensed William Morris print, printed in the UK, and it’s a dream to sew with. Cushion covers, roman blinds, tote bags, a reupholstered chair… tell me in the comments what you'd make👇

Available now, we sell it by the half metre for £13.25

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