Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair

I went to the Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair last Thursday. I didn't have particularly high expectations. In recent years the fair has become much less about the quilts and more about a range of crafts that are not really 'me'.

Lots of shops with an overwhelming impression of 'brown'. I don't mind a bit of brown but I do need a LOT more color in my crafting world!!

Also, the quilt show has had a tendency to show many of the same quilts over and over again which is frustrating.

This year was actually a very pleasant surprise. Still plenty of 'brown' shops but a great variety of fun and funky retailers including some gorgeous friends I enjoyed catching up with:

Jodie is always fun and so very sweet!!

This is a tiny corner of her award winning booth. She's on the Google you know!

Emma is also incredibly friendly and her new fabrics and quilt patterns are making a huge splash around the globe.
You should totally check them out!!

The lovely Melly was there as well selling her fabulous fabrics and softie patterns.

And so was her gorgeous sister Rosalie who has pretty new fabrics and patterns to share also.

I got to meet Morgan of the Crafty Squirrel and couldn't resist buying some of her vintage sheet goodness.

Emma was there from Treehouse Textiles showing off the gorgeous new BOM that she and Cathy have co-designed.

I also got to meet Leslie who is the very clever designer behind Maze & Vale. Such beautiful fabrics!!

And then there was Robyn and Buffy over at The Strawberry Thief selling the most divine selection of Liberty fabrics.

The quilt show had some lovely new (or perhaps new-to-me) entries.

I must apologise that I neglected to take down the names of the above quilters. :(

But I do know that this incredible quilt was made by the very clever Karen of Quilts on Bastings.

No surprises that she won awards for her machine quilting:

I had a play with a long-arm quilting machine (with my name written on the sign above ... meant to be ;-)  )

I'm no competition for Karen but I was pleased with my brief freehand efforts.

I also loved the wall of crafty poppies meant to commemorate the soldiers who have served our country:

Other than all of the lovely people I already mentioned, I got to spend the day hanging out with Judy, Melissa, Louise, Nadia, Marie and Helen. 

Great company! Much shopping! Much fun!

Andi xx