My BIG day out...

I arrived by train to Southern Cross station - a city train station at the top of the CBD of Melbourne...

...and crossed the river...

...taking the scenery as I walked...

... this view down the Yarra always sends shivers down my spine...

arriving at my 'heaven for a day'...

Yesterday I went to the Craft Fair here in Melbourne - it is the first time I have been to this particular event in a couple of years. I arrived an hour after it opened at 9am and I was still there at 7.30pm - half an hour before it closed. I had a wonderful day looking, admiring, learning and meeting up with old friends with a couple of coffee hot chocolate stops in between...

Usually I am quite restrained money wise - yesterday I was like a mad woman - and I must admit I spent more than I anticipated - and that was being fairly restrained. I did two workshops and sat in on a couple of freebies - one was a woman who does scrumbling or free form knitting as it is better known - she opened up a new horizon for me!!!!! Her jackets just took my breath away and sent my imagination racing - but luckily by then I had run out of money to do anything about it!!!!!!

Here was my day in pictures...

These two photos are of the workshops I did...

Wilma is a crazy patchwork chook - it was a different method of applying crazy patchwork and one that I might have a go at when next doing a block it seemed an easier way although its application takes a little longer...

This workshop was how to apply a soft paint wash to a design and then embroidering and embellishing over the wash.. I could see this could really be part of my repertoire.. I have done fabric painting before but never using it as a wash... This class I did last thing in the evening so there was a certain amount of pressure to at least get the painting done.

This little girl I fell in love with although there is a method in my madness - E has created a character that she would like to see developed as a softie or doll. This little doll design from Melly and me will help understand doll design and give me a practical place in which to start... Once upon a time I would have just passed her by - but she really caught my eye. I chose the fabric while I was there as I was determined that I would come home with the whole lot ready to start - someday!!!

This fabric was an impulse stash buy. The little clasps,beads, do-da's were from a beading stand - I thought they would be perfect 'crazy' embellishments...

This cross stitch pattern and indeed the next were... well, they simply were!!!! These are listed on my 'to do' for my next life...

...and this one - well I have always loved this image - the look of the baby and it gazes at its mother. I have always loved Mermaids as does my eldest daughter M - so imagine my surprise and delight when I saw it as a cross stitch pattern - a must have!!!! You wouldn't think to look at it that it has 39 colours all subtle blends - very subtle... The woman who sold it to me wished me luck with this one - I could understand what she meant when I opened the chart... It is the stuff that cross stitching nightmares are made of!!!!!!!! Nearly each square a different colour!!!!!

I just love this - I think something to do with my garden theme that I seem to be enveloped in lately...

... my excuse for this one is that I have been eyeing this kit off for about a year in the Fox Collection catalogue I receive every few months

So there ends my day of stash building - a good effort if I do say so....

The following photos are of a very, very small selection of wonderful quilts - some photos are a little dodgey so to see some better ones try Patra's Place blog...

Here is G - Patra's Place - at the chook crazy patchwork workshop - a study of concentration... Now where does that patch go?????

Three modern quilts...

...this twee one was beautifully stitched - patience beyond the call ...

...and one that has stood the test and rigors of time...

...unlike me who is shattered today after my big day out.