A Wonderful Day with Old & New Friends

I had the best day yesterday!  We left home at 6am and headed down the Hume Highway for a day in Melbourne at the Quilt Show.  We visited the quilt exhibition first and there were many wonderful quilts made by some very talented ladies.  This is a snapshot of a small portion of my favourites.

This was AMAZING!  The display was called "Art U Wear Challenge" and the theme was Alice in Wonderland.  Please click on the photo to enlarge it so you can see the amazing costumes.

Once we finished looking at the quilts, it was time for shopping.  My favourtie stall was Threadbear and who did I see behind the counter helping Corliss - Di Ford of Phebe and Sarah Morrell fame.  Di's new work in progress was on display and it is amazing.  I recommend you all to go visit secretsewingsisterhood and be inspired by the work that Di and her friends do.

Me, Jan & Jean

While we were swooning over everything at Threadbear, Jan spotted Jean from Linen & Raspberry!  We were so excited!!!!  I love all Jean's work and we have gotten to know each other through blogging but to actually meet face to face was so good.  We were like a group of schoolgirls laughing and getting photos taken and totally amazed that we ran into each other. 

Jean, Jan and I bought Corliss's new pattern, The English Basket Quilt.  It is absolutely stunning and I need another major project like a hole in the head but just couldn't walk past this one.  In fact, I want to make every quilt that Threadbear had on display!

After all the excitement of meeting Jean & Di, it was time for some serious shopping and here are a few of my purchases.  I was so very very bad.

This isn't a very good photo but I just had to show you this linen I found.  It is gorgeous and the only problem was that I could only get a 30cm piece.

Michelle and I also got to meet Lynette Anderson!  She was demonstrating Punch Needle and we bailed her up with lots of questions about the thread she was using.  The brand is Cosmo and it comes wound in two threads on the spool - no more separating DMC threads.  It's fantastic and Lynette was lovely to chat to and very generous with her tips and advice.  I purchased a few threads and of course I couldn't leave without a pattern featuring her beautiful dog, Hugo.  Michelle confessed to us on the way home a secret she had been keeping all afternoon, she signed up for Lynette's new Christmas BOM.  Michelle is fast becoming the BOM Queen!

Elyte, Linda & me

Before we knew it, it was time for afternoon tea and we organised to meet Linda Collins from Quilts in the Barn fame.  And who should we run into, but Elyte from Tea, Fabric & Other Things!  Linda holds a quilt exhibition in her barn each year to raise money for Breast Cancer and this year, Di Ford and the Secret Sewing Sisterhood are the guest exhibitors.  I am really looking forward to travelling down in October to attend.  I have, as with Jean, developed a friendship with these two lovely girls and it was great to finally meet each other.

Before we knew it, the day was over and it was time to head back up the highway.  We stopped for dinner at our new favourite Chinese restaurant and apart from a detour through Nagambie due to a double truck accident (we were nearly to Shepparton Linda!), we had a nice uneventful safe trip and arrived home at 10.30pm with thanks to Helen for doing all the driving.   A very long day but well worth it to spend the day with my beloved Friday Girls and meet all my wonderful new friends.

Sue-Anne xxx