Cats & Quilts - a match made in heaven... (except maybe those stubborn little clouds of fur that latch on to the fabric!)

Kitty Quote of the Day

I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul. - Jean Cocteau

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Shopping in Ballarat


Happy New Year to everyone! It's quite nice to have all that over with but boy is my two weeks off for Christmas holidays flying by. I am trying to get prepared so when big days at work start I can keep up with my sewing, not miss heaps of blog posts & post regularly myself.
 
Here it is a month later & I still haven't got to show you what I brought while in Ballarat. Now a lot of it I can put down to the influence of good friends Melody & Shez but I have to take responsibility for a few buys on my own and the overall damage done with the credit card. I was on holiday! There are lots of pics but I have resized them to teeny tiny so hopefully it all opens quick.
 
So lets start with my premier purchase - the one I should have said no to but just had to have. On the Monday Shez & I went to Daylesford. I can't tell you how much I loved that little town & it wasn't the visit to the chocolate shop that has affected my brain & gives me happy endorphins when I think of this place either. It's so New Zealandish - green, hilly, old style of buildings, flowers and I loved how busy it was.
 
We went to Wombat Gifts in Daylesford as Shez & I both have a love of the French Provincial country style and white or cream wood or iron. It was love at first sight & the only one in the shop (though we searched for one for Shez too - hope you find one next visit!) For $15 I was smitten & sure it would fit in my suitcase. Well it didn't - my case was small, my birdies about 58 cms high & the top stuck out so I had a nice big shopping bag as the third item of my hand luggage (with a white Christmas tree in the bag too! - see further down). It was worth it though...
 
 
 
We visited Threadneedle Craft in Daylesford too. I had wanted these Ric Rac patterns of kitties Jude & Eloise & The Rag Rug before I went away so was hoping I would pick them up around Ballarat seeing Jodie lives locally.  On my second visit to Ballarat Patchwork (yes 2 visits!) Jodie came into the shop too.
 
 
Now Tuesday was the quiltshopathon day so here's the yumminess that found it's way into my suitcase on the day of Mel, Shez & Tracee's 'Big Day Out!'
 
First from our meeting point - Spotlight Ballarat. This shop was so tidy in the fabrics & quilting department compared to my local shop & with adequate staffing too. Two fat quarters & half metre of the floral.


We then went to visit Gail at Gails Patchwork Emporium. That lady is a lot of fun. She was still working from the shed but showed us through the newly rebuilt shop - love to see it all set up & operating now.
 
These hand painted strand of Christmas bells are from New Zealand. There are 9 bells on a string & I couldn't resist them & neither could that epitome of good taste Melody.


The braids with a French General look are divine


These fabrics look & feel like linen & are from Cosmo Textiles Vintage Collection


After all that hard work, girls have to eat to keep up the strength.


After a delicious lunch at Such & Such it was off to Ballarat Patchwork - fabrics & cats - I seriously think Emma needs to adopt me! I had been away from the furboys 4 days by then & that is about my usual weepy-want my furrys day so when Emma went & brought out both of her cats for me to pat & talk too, it was a furry fix that helped a lot. She could obviously sense a furry owner in need....
 
What a beautiful shop, so bright, happy & very busy. We were there when there was a 20% off everything sale too. This ric-rac was half price! My excuse is that is hard to find up my end of Perth especially in the mini size.



I had to have a pattern or two. I thought the fabrics from Gails would look great in this tub design bag of Jodie's from Ric Rac too. It's not often I buy a pattern with the idea of leaving the stitchery off - my stitchery queen crown was drooping that day! The felt Christmas decorations pattern by May Blossum was one of those ones I just had to have. Ballarat Patchwork had a gorgeous display with a white Christmas tree, yo-yo strands, the felt ornaments & Rosie Quinlins angels on it.


Oh, there was a small amount of fabric too...


There is a gorgeous homewares store right next door to Ballarat Patchwork that is worth a visit too. Here's is part of the garden display that Melody just had to have a pic of...


We had a stop at Lincraft where the small white Christmas Tree for $4.99 became my next purchase - again too big for the suitcase but what if I couldn't find one in Perth??? It was worth it, below is my little white tree in all its glory.



A great day out with two lovely friends & one I would love to repeat on a regular basis with maybe a little less of a workout on the creditcard!

That night I kept pondering the yo-yo strands I had seen in Ballarat Patchwork on their Christmas tree. I had brought some stitchery with me but it wasn't inspiring me & the lighting was not the best in the apartment even after I moved the lamps around. Next day when I just happened to find myself back near Spotlight, I went in & brought a small yo-yo maker & some fabric that would include the colours I wanted in such little circles of loveliness.
 
Here's the next night's effort. A much happier Quiltkitty. The background fabric came home with me too - Christmas conversational fabric in silver grey & white with a linen like texture. It looks great with the Robin Redbreast fabric from Ballarat Patchwork & I envisage some red pieced stars in a table runner too.


On a trip to Buninyong about 10 kilometres South of Ballarat I stopped in at Sew Special / Button Heaven in the main street. Buttons, braids & other pretties everywhere. What a gorgeous little shop in a gorgeous little town, definately my kind of place. I brought a few buttons, some for knitting, some for sewing & stitchery and the big silver one for on a bag....
 
 
I also brought my new handbag. It got its first outing today & I got told three time 'love your handbag - especially the flowers on it'. So I talked up Buninyong!
 
 
Now, so back to the admitted second visit to Ballarat Patchwork the day before I flew home. The Christmas discount was up to 25% by then so what could I do??? Two more fabrics (only 30cms) for future yo-yo strands... I do love a good green & you can't go past spots!
 
 
This fun fabric just stole my heart & I am hoping I will be brave enough to make it into a messenger type bag that will hold my epad, headphones etc. Both are from the Havana range by Monaluna.
 
 
I have heard & read so many happy tales about bloggers meets at Millrose Quilting in Ballan (lots of places beginning with B - what is with that Victoria?) so I stopped off there on my way back to Melbourne airport. Another great quiltshop & there was a group of happy quilters all setup at the tables so I got to see what it would be like to be able to sew there too. Bags were all tightly packed so I just brought one little fat quarter to remember them by & it tones in with my messenger bag fabric above.
 
 
So that's my mega shopping from Ballarat & surrounds. What a wonderful place for a quilter to live! So many beautiful shops within an easy driving distance & lots of great places to eat on those days out too. The company of course made it memorable....
 
Happy shopping!
Tracee xx

 

12 comments:

  1. Tracee , we are two little night owls tonight. I loved my day with you and Shez. Oh I do wish you would move here to Victoria. Ballarat is only an hour or so from Melbourne so I could see you all the time. I had the best time with both of you. Big hugs

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  2. Gorgeous purchases Tracee. I hope you didn't get hit for excess baggage! LOL!

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  3. Wow! Tracee, you certainly packed a lot in - lots of lovely shopping and fun with friends. So glad that country Victoria treated you well.

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  4. So many great buys. Looks like Ballarat is the place to go. You've inspired me. I'm heading to Melbourne tomorrow. I wonder if I can convince hubby that we should spend a day in Ballarat.

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  5. What a great post and shopping. I love Victoria and it also has some lovely girls who live there. Sounds like you had a ball.
    Hugs Michelle x

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  6. Where there's a will there's a way! And both large items were only light. Air planes are powerful... fingers crossed... lol :)

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  7. thankyou my dear friend ,i have just relived that wonderful day,what fun we had,and i love all your buys,cant wait till next time.xx

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  8. What a wonderful day and so many gorgeous purchases! I think I love all of them and I look forward to seeing the things you make.

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  9. Wow, so many beautiful things Tracee, I love the French General braid.

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  10. Great Purchases and you showed amazing self restraint considering the beautiful shops you visited :o) hugs from Bendigo!!! :o)

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  11. What gorgeous purchases! And all the B's in Vic, well cos it is the place to b of course :)

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Thank you friends for leaving a comment on my post - love to get them! Tracee xx