Melbourne {life on the fringe}

Thought I'd do a quick update from Melbourne today. On previous visits Mr D & I  have stayed right in the city centre. Lots of wandering around all those wonderful bohemian type alleyways, cafes everywhere, the theatre, strolling along Yarra River & Southbank walkway, and all the shopping at David Jones, Myers, Burke St crescent etc.
But this time around, we are staying a little bit more out of town... with my son & DIL living on the city-meets-suburbia fringe! They seem very settled here, in an apartment with superb roof top views, not quite 'city life' but close enough to everything they need. Using the tram makes it all so easy, we had a lot of fun at midnight after a meal out with their friends in Smith Street, and no parking hassles! And it was lovely to see where they did their groceries, the dentist they use, which cafe is their favourite  - hey, aren't these all things a mum really does need to know about!

But I guess you really want to know about the patchwork, yes? 

Earlier this week I met up with Meredithe from 'pomegranate and chintz'. We had chatted via email & organised to have a coffee together and, of course, a bit of stash enhancement at 'sewn and quilted'. The shop was located at the back of a big family home, very colourful with lots of different fabrics to select from. A class was on at the same time, a real cosy hive of activity!

{pics taken with permission}

- latest range of Tula Pink I think

-and a little bit of some very pretty Tilda fabrics

We chatted about all things 'quilty' 

and then went for coffees & got to know each other a bit more, a very special time! 

Meredithe & Glenda- the quilting ladies! 

and Char my DIL 

As well as teaching, Meredithe designs templates {check them all out here} and I was tempted enough to give these templates a go, Hexagon party.
I see Megan has also been tempted with the lure of hexis & that slow sewing experience too 
Oh, and  I also got a couple more plaids, my weakness at present!

I did purchase a scrappy selection of repro fabrics, not my usual, 

but am so looking forward to cutting into these when I get back home.

Our next stop with Meredithe was at Somerset Patchwork. They specialise in vintage & reproduction fabrics mainly, but I did spot a little bit of Victoria Findlay Wolfe fabric leaning up against one of the shelves! As I was seriously running out of this gorgeous orange floral, I bought another 1/2 metre... for, you know, 'justincase.'

Linking up with Sunday Stash over here this week

And then as if we hadn't had enough, Char & I decided we really should pop into gjs for a look around, and it was actually on our way home. They mainly have dance & glitter fabrics, and also one wall full of a large section of patchwork fabrics, seem similar to our Spotlight in NZ. I picked up this pattern there by Trish Harper, very scrappy & colourful!

So there you go! Am sure my latest purchases will add variety to my present scrappy stash
- linking up to 'oh scrap' over here 

a bit more # 44

Just need to convert Char over to patchwork now, 

but am thinking her 'too cool to care' high end street apparel sewing is her real passion!  

Understandable, but thanx for joining me Char!