New fabrics from St Jude's

What a lovely thing to pop into my inbox... St Jude's, a good, solid British fabric company based in Norfolk, just emailed me about a new design to add to its artist-designed fabrics. 

The pattern above, available in three colourways, is by Slade/Central schools of art graduate, Jonathan Gibbs. It's called "Herring Moon" and the design is firmly rooted to the east coast of England (just like St Jude's).

Says Gibbs: "Phases of the moon with six swimming fishes illustrate tidal shifts and I have explored the history of herring fishing down the east coast.With these elements I have pictured waves, ships on the sea, the church and lighthouse, all set as if within a postcard.This multiple image connects and repeats across the length, its shapes and symbols illuminating man's place against nature."

Herring Moon is £38 per metre, or from £32 for a ready-made cushion cover.

If you're looking for something a bit different for a blind, or some new cushion covers, or just (if your sewing is as rubbish as mine) a simple bed runner – St Jude's unusual fabrics are worth a browse. Here are some more of their lovely offerings...

Fabrics of life: (clockwise from top left) Mark Hearld's Bird Garden; my personal favourite, Emily Sutton's Curiosity Shop (the sort of fabric that a child would remember forever as you could just stare at its quirky bits and bobs for hours); Jonny Hannah's The Captain's Pattern (with super sweet illustrations of sailors, boats in bottles and lighthouses); another Mark Hearld design, Doveflight. All £44 per sqm, apart from Hannah's, which is £38.