Catching up

It was a lovely three week break and although no sewing was done, I didn't completely forget about quilting.

Just a twenty minute walk from my sister's house was Material Obsession. I have long been a follower of Kathy's blog and a huge admirer of the quilting style that seems to emanate from her shop so on Day Two off I went and it didn't disappoint.

The place is a riot of bright, quirky quilts and I loved it.

Kathy has her own line of fabric out (as well as another book 'Adding Layers').

And is not averse to having her photo taken.

The whole shop is brimming with creativity. I came away with the bits and bobs to make a felt cushion and have slowly been plugging away at it. I put a photo on Instagram (@littleislandquilting) if you want to see the progress I have made.

I also bought some of her first fabric line, including the large scale bird print above.

Kathy only has distribution for it in Oz at the moment but said she was speaking to a European distributor so hopefully it will become more widely available which would be great as I think the designs are a bit different to what is out there at the moment.

And if you do make it to the shop, just a five minute walk away is a Spotlight where I stocked up on some Juliana Horner fabrics.

And these, just because I liked the simplicity of them.

Oh and I may have squeezed in a trip to Ikea too which had the best restaurant views - of the planes landing and taking off at the airport.

And then in between this...

...this...

...this...

...this...

...and this...

...we came across a town called Berry and there was a quilt shop there too. Each to his own but for me it was chocked full to the gunnels with Moda pre-cuts and I think I'd been spoilt by the creativity at Material Obsession to really fall in love with it.

Things I loved about Oz:

• Tim Tams - all varieties
• Material Obsession
• Double 'de-merit' points on your driving licence over the Easter Period for traffic offences such as drink driving. What a brilliant idea
• Tim Tams
• Any shop that claimed to sell 'Australia's best pie, 'patisserie of the year' etc. We just had to call in and try
• Spotlight
• Tim Tams

Things I didn't like

• the price of fabric. I knew it was expensive in the UK but in some cases it was even more expensive and it really does make you think twice before buying. Does Tony Abbott know?
• just how far away it is...it took us four flights to get there and another four to get back
• the service in Spotlight. Unlike a quilt shop where (I think) the staff have a genuine passion for what they do, I think in Spotlight it's just a job. As much as I enjoyed listening to Julie telling her colleague she wanted to go home, it would have been nice if Julie had served me or indeed any one of the other cheesed off customers waiting in line before she decided to go home and leave the fabric cutting desk unmanned

And then when we got back home there was quite literally a mountain of quilt blocks awaiting. Since picking up packages from the post office today, I now have over 300 QAYG blocks ready and waiting. 

Another delivery of quilts went last week to the home in Mexico City so I need to get cracking on these.

Thanks for continuing to send them to me - it is much appreciated.

Give me a week and hopefully I'll have another Soy Amado quilt to show you :-)