Merchantwise Licensing’s May Gibbs brand is now calling Spotlight home – making the fabrics, craft and homewares retailer Australia’s go-to destination for May Gibbs sew, furnishings, bedding and home décor.

May Gibb’s iconic Gumnuts and other Bush Babies have leapt from the pages of her books into a new range of designs celebrating Australia’s beloved author and illustrator’s art that provides the perfect inspiration for home decorating.

With the extensive fabric range featuring popular May Gibbs imagery designed by Nerida Hansen, stylish home décor including ready to hang blinds as well as cushions, the product offering also includes iconic kitchen napery.

For the very first time, May Gibbs bedding is not only available in single sizes, with double and queen sizing now available for nostalgic fans.  

Sewing and Furnishing Fabric

The classic May Gibbs sewing, and fabric range designed by Nerida Hansen and which celebrates Australian flora and fauna in the most adorable way features 9 different organic homespun 100% cotton quilters fabrics, a fat flat bundle which includes the 9 designs, four cotton spandex fabric options, three French terry fabric styles, eight fabrics for furnishings, eight iron-on transfers as well as six ribbons to coordinate with the fabrics. Make a feature of these May Gibbs designs in rooms by using them to upholster chairs and other seating such as ottomans, create curtains and drapes, and even transform tired lampshades into something fresh and new. 

Room Décor

The delightful May Gibbs room décor range featuring a vibrant selection of May Gibbs’ classic Gumnut characters and their Australian animal friends includes a ready to hang blind, cushion, seven different canvas wall prints, a kids fold-out sofa and two playmats.  With such limitless decorating potential, the May Gibbs design selection will not only bring a smile to a face, but it also respectfully honours the heritage of this very special Australian artist.  It comes Snugglepot and Cuddlepie approved! 

Bedding

Bursting with colour and adorable characters, the timeless May Gibbs bedding offering includes two quilt cover sets and two fitted sheet sets – available in single, double and queen.  The bedding range also includes two cot fitted sheet designs in a pack of two.  As the centrepiece of any bedroom, making over the bed with a May Gibbs bedspread and linen is the easiest way to miraculously evoke her legacy.

Kitchen Napery

May Gibbs’ beloved characters and their natural surroundings are a gorgeous tribute to nature and included in the stylish and on-trend kitchen napery range are two tea towels in a pack of two and two different apron styles.  Continue the themes of May Gibbs’ work across other furnishings, like side tables that resemble gumnuts, or accessorise with Australian native flowers in vases. 

“Spotlight is Australia’s go to for all things sew, furnishings, bedding and home décor so it is a completely natural fit for the May Gibbs brand.  The very nature of the brand’s beautiful iconic art has made it incredibly popular with sewers and crafters alike.  We are also pleased to be launching with Spotlight the brand’s first ever range of bedding in double and queen sizes which have never been released before – plus a selection of colourful and vibrant room décor and kitchen napery,” said May Gibbs Brand Manager, Rosalie May. 

Born in 1877 in Kent, United Kingdom, May Gibbs arrived in Australia at the age of four.  She drew and painted as a child and went on to study art in Western Australia and in the UK before settling in Sydney as a children’s books author and illustrator.

2016 marked 100 years of May Gibbs’ first children’s cook Gumnut Babies and 2018 celebrated the Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie centenary.

On her passing in 1969 she bequeathed 50% of the copyright of all her works to The Northcott Society and 50% to Cerebral Palsy Alliance.  Through her foresight and generosity, proceeds from the sale of May Gibbs products have supported thousands of Australian children with disability and their families.