Janes Patchwork and Sewing, Port Augusta, SA, Australia

Wow I have a few updates for you.  Back in June, my partner and I went on another road trip in South Australia.  This time visiting the Eyre Peninsula (http://www.southaustralia.com/regions/eyre-peninsula.aspx), a few pictures to come.  As I like to do when we do these road trips, I wanted to check out any quilt shops that we would pass while on the road.  As it was a holiday weekend here, I only managed to make it to one shop, Janes Patchwork & Sewing.  Unfortunately, they don't have a website so here are their contact details:

Lot 4, Eyre Highway
Port Augusta West SA 5700
08 8642 4723

A few things to note about the is shop.  Firstly, you'll find it this shop on the way out of Port Augusta on the way to Whyalla, SA.  Secondly, this a shop that is actually on site of the owner's home, so don't expect to find you're usual shop front.  And finally, what makes this shop a bit querky is that when you drive on to the property, the owner will pop out of their home and open the shop for you, if they're home.  Hence they're open seven days a week.

When we arrived however, rather than Jane popping out, her husband did instead opening the shop for me.  What made this even better for me is that my better half started chatting to the owner's husband about solar power and sustainability and left me to my self - Great!

This is a nice shop with a little bit of everything including novelties, a good range of blenders, and a nice selection of panels.  I enjoyed pottering around the shop pulling fabrics out here and there.  And yes I bought a few pieces to bring home.  I mentioned to my partner afterwards that I could see him behind the counter of a quilt shop serving the customers.

Now for some photos.  Thought you might like to see some photos of the area:



View from atop of Whyalla, SA

  

The equivalent of a fantastic quilt shop for an avid rock collector.



Another view from atop of Whyalla, SA

     

Jenny's Sewing Centre, Angaston, SA, Australia

Our next stop as we wandered around the Barossa was Jenny's Sewing Centre in Angaston itself.  Check out the shop's website for all contact and address information - http://www.jennyssewingcentre.websyte.com.au/ .

My visit to this store was very much about don't judge a book by its cover.  I say that because as I walked into the store I was initially struck about how cramp it was.  What I mean by that is, the store was small and had a lot of fabric crammed into that space.  On top of that I was disappointed to see it was primarily dress making fabric.  Now I could have left but if I'd done that I wouldn't have discovered quilter's paradise......

Fortunately, the owner of the store directed me downstairs to where the quilting fabric was.  So downstairs I went with my partner and girlfriend in tow and was I surprised.  It was like walking into a different world.  It must have hit my partner as well as he turned to me and said we'd walked into the "batting cave".  Not a bad quip from someone who isn't exactly into quilting.  All I can say is the selection of fabric was wonderful.  There was an excellent range of all fabric covering the gambit of traditionals through to novelties. 

What hit me was discovering yet again fabrics that I've had on my hard to find list starting with a couple of Alma Lynne prints - I love her pet pals range and so do my friends and family judging by the amount times I get asked to make something up with them.  If you're not sure what Alma Lynne's design have a look at my quilt on the front page of my blog at "The Dog Lady".  And the other fabric range that I found that blew me away was Benartex Victoria range.  This fabric range has been out of print (OOP) for ages and of course yours truly is great at buying fabric that is hard to find.

I wish I had had more time to look around as there was so much fabric to look through however with people in tow I had to finish up quickly.  So if you get a chance to visit Angaston in the Barossa make sure you allow a little bit of time to work through all the fabric.

Now one warning for those of you who may have some mobility issues.  The stairs down to the "batting cave"  are a bit steep and a little narrow and if you're very tall like me, watch your head.  However, don't let this stop you as I'm positive visiting this shop will ensure you leave with a few purchases and a smile on your face.

Barossa Quilt & Craft Cottage, Angaston, SA, Australia

Thanks to a friend visiting recently, I've finally managed to visit some new quilting stores, this time in the lovely Barossa Region.  For those of you not familiar with this region, the Barossa is one of Australia's top wine regions and lets not forget the food as well! For more information on this goregous area, please visit, http://www.barossa.com .  You won't have any problems finding great wine or great food to taste while wondering around the area. 

Now on to the Barrosa Quilt & Craft Cottage.  For address and contact details check out the shop's online site at http://www.barossaquilt.com.au .This is the first time I've managed to visit the cottage however, I've seen the owner and her temporary shop at the Australasian Quilting Convention so I almost feel like I've visited before.  Location wise, the shop is on the road leading into Angaston and is pretty easy to see as you're driving through.  The store is housed in an old cottage, something a little different from the normal shop front.

The shop offers a reasonable variety of fabric for sale covering the gambit from novelty through to small a selection of japanese/asian prints.  I also saw a nice selection Australiana fabric - managed to find a couple of prints that I didn't have already which was nice.  In their training/lesson room, I noticed a rather large range of blenders and what seemed to be a large range of Jinny Beyer fabrics.  The lesson here is to make sure you look through the entire cottage as there was fabric tucked away in all the corners and under counter tops, etc.  In other words, wherever there was some space, you would find some fabric.

There was a small selection of patterns and books.  I also saw a good range of notions in case you want to top up and/or be ready to go with your purchases when you get home.  And on the off chance you want some wide backing, I noticed a small selection.

Overall, a pleasant visit while in the Barossa.  Stop in and visit on your trip through.  I'm sure you'll enjoy a nice chat with the owner and have a pleasant time wondering around the shop.

Successful Purchases - USA and yes there is more

Some more stores in the USA that I've purchased fabric from.  Remember to read my previous blogs that covers general information on postage in the USA (particularly relevant to those of you who live outside the USA like me) and of course my favourite band wagon topic sign up or those newsletters or blogs to hear about the latest sales first and of course even better getting those coupons to save you even more money that you can spend on buying more of your favourite fabric, tools or patterns.

Quilter's Compass LLC Retail Quilt Shop

Link:  http://www.quilterscompass.com/Store/pc/home.asp

Postage:  Varies depending upon amount/volume purchased.

Rating:  Thumbs Up

This was another shop I found when I was hunting for some out of print (OOP) fabric.  The shop had a nice variety of fabric up for purchase at pretty good prices.  Postage wise they use the flat rate postage envelopes but check with them to find out what the relevant price is for your country and/or internally within the US.  I found them very easy to communicate with via email and very fast respondents both in terms of responding to my questions and in dispatching my order.

The Quilting Garden

Link:  www.thequiltinggarden.com/

Postage:  $17.00 for up to $70 spent.  NOTE:  postage based on amount purchased NOT yardage purchase.

Rating: Thumbs Up

Like Quilter's Compass, I found the Quilting Garden chasing another OOP piece of fabric, the Bella Flora collection.  I fell in love with the poppy design after purchasing some squares off of eBay when I first started quilting.  Took me ages to find out who designed/manufactured the fabric and then a while longer to find a store that sold some of the fabric aka The Quilting Garden.  Checking the site out for the blog, I notice they have some of that fabric on sale....being tempted to fill up the stash some more!

Fabric Depot

Link:  http://fabricdepot.com/

Postage:  Fabric Depot uses flat rate priority envelopes but you will need to touch base with them to get a postage quote.

Rating:Thumbs Up

The Fabric Depot was one of the first online shopping visits I made.  They have a great range of not only quilting fabrics but also dress fabrics.  Their website is very easy to get around in however, I would warn you the check out cart doesn't hold selections for long as I discovered yesterday.  Although I haven't ordered any quilting notions from the site, they do have a good range to select from.  And they also sell Accuquilt Go die cuts if you're after any.  They have some great sales so its worth checking the site regularly.  The current sale at the time of writing this blog is 30% off Moda, Michael Miller and Kaufman fabrics, all great brands.

Successful Purchases - USA

Okay now on to the USA....land of quilting.  I'm repeating myself a little bit at the beginning but I don't want to assume you've read my previous blog on purchases in Australia and New Zealand.  For those of you have, then skip on down to the part of the blog which will interest you the most, SHOPPING!

Newsletters:

One thing I would highly recommend is whatever site you look at sign up for their newsletter and/or blog (can differ from site to site). This is the best way to keep up with specials, new fabrics, books, etc. the site may sell. The best deal I've got is 40% off all items on the website. This was a US shop and even with the postage, I still managed to buy the fabric at less than half for what I would have paid for it here. If you're not keen about having a lot mail coming to your personal email account, do I what I did open up an alternative online email account (e.g. Hotmail, gmail, yahoo, etc.) and have the newsletters, etc. sent there.

Postage:

I can't say this enough, always ask what the postage will be for the item. Even within Australia, this can vary. This becomes even more so when looking overseas. For example for those of you outside the USA, one US store I've bought from at least a couple of times has offered half price postage on the flat rate envelopes (what's that I hear you asking - more on that in a moment) vs another online store that charges a flat rate of $20 if you purchase US$150 up to US$300 then free shipping when its over that amount.  Also shipping can be based on either yardage or value of amount purchased - make sure you check that before getting too carried away.

For those of you living the US, a great many online stores will offer you heavily reduced postage or even free.  And those of you living in Canada, postage for you kinda of falls in between the two extremes.

Okay for those of you who live overseas, one of the cheapest ways to get your fabric or precuts to you is asking for the flat rate packets/envelope rate.  Depending upon what part of the States the shop is, the price can vary between US$15 and US$18 - NOTE:  The US post office just increased their rates quite a bit, on average the increase was US$3.  Then the next question is how much can they fit into the envelope.  This will vary from seller to seller but a rule of thumb is generally 2 jelly rolls or around 8 charm packs or between 6 and 8 yards of fabric.  ALWAYS ask as this can really vary from seller to seller.

Missouri Star Quilt Company

Link:  http://www.missouriquiltco.com

Postage:  Varies depending upon if your in the US or International.  Outside of USA postage is variable up to US$150 spent then $20 flat rate between $150 and US$300 and then free over $300.  Sorry Canadian readers, not too sure your postage rates.

Rating:  Thumbs Up

I'm not even sure where to begin with the Missouri Quilt Company!  There is so much to talk about.  So I'll stick to the topic which is buying online.  If you're a precut fan then this is the store for you.  MQC probably has one of the biggest ranges that I've seen online so far and they don't simply have the usual Moda line either.  They also offer precuts from Kaufman, Benartex, Windham Fabrics, etc.  Given their postage discounting, I've generally found it cheaper to buy jelly rolls from here than on eBay.  MQC have all the latest releases and generally a good selection of the coordinating fabric. 

And of course they have a large range of fabric from the main suppliers though with a heavy emphasis on Moda.  Generally the fabric is discounted as well.

This is also the store for you if you need your quilting supplies replaced or you're looking for the latest thing in quilting supplies MSQ is the place to shop.  On my next shopping round I've got my eye on some templates I want to have a try - scallop edges, wedges, etc. 

Then MQC have their daily deals.  At the time of writing this blog, the day's deal was free shipping in the USA.  Other deals are generally heavily discounted pre cuts.  One thing to note is the precut deals are generally only for a maximum of one pack.

And yes there is more.  MQC also offer "Quilter's Cash" (http://www.missouriquiltco.com/quitlers-cash/) which you can use on future purchase.  Click on the link and this will give you more information.

And last but not least what pointed me to MQC's shop in the first place are the tutorials that Jenny (the owner) offers.  I originally found Jenny and MQC on You Tube.  Watching Jenny and her family giving tutorials on quilting particularly around using precuts has moved me from not being a precut fan to having a bit of a run of buying precuts to try all the techniques that I've been learning.  I highly recommend watching the tutorials.  If you're anything like me they'll get you enthused to try them out.  I can' say enough about these tutorials........watch them and you'll be a convert like me.

Burkholders LLC

Link:  http://www.burkfabrics.com

Postage:  Varies depending upon amount purchased.

Rating:  Thumbs Up

I found this store when I was hunting for an elusive fabric range to finish off a quilt for my aunt.  I'm so good at buying fabric that is out of print (OOP) and then spend the next six to twelve months hunting down coordinating and/or additional fabric.  The range offered by the store is good.  They also offer a small range of precuts as well.  Burkholders doesn't have the biggest range of fabrics but there was certainly enough from me to search from.

And I'll keep saying this over and over, sign up for their newsletter as this will ensure you hear about their sales which can be enough to pay for the postage for those of you who live over seas.

Stay tuned for more on shopping in USA quilting stores.

Successful Purchases - Australia & New Zealand

Can't believe I've been a tad slow in coming back to you all.  I blame work...something has to feed my quilting habit I'm afraid.  Okay, here is the first part of my series on purchasing online.  I thought I'd start locally and then I'll head on to other online purchases.

Newsletters:

One thing I would highly recommend is whatever site you look at sign up for their newsletter and/or blog (can differ from site to site).  This is the best way to keep up with specials, new fabrics, books, etc. the site may sell.  The best deal I've got is 40% off all items on the website.  This was a US shop and even with the postage, I still managed to buy the fabric at less than half for what I would have paid for it here.  If you're not keen about having a lot mail coming to your personal email account, do I what I did open up an alternative online email account (e.g. Hotmail, gmail, yahoo, etc.) and have the newsletters, etc. sent there. 

Postage:

I can't say this enough, always ask what the postage will be for the item.  Even within Australia, this can vary.  This becomes even more so when looking overseas.  For example, one Kiwi online store I go to offers a flat rate of $10 up to NZ$150 while a US online store I go to has a flat rate of US$20 if you spend US$150 and free if over US$300.  Most sites will have shipping rates but if you can't find them easily, check out either "customer services" or FAQs.  If all else fails, email and request the postage rate for what you are after.

Australia

Craft Depot:

Link - http://www.craftdepot.com.au/
Postage - Standard Australia Post rates

Rating - Thumbs Up

The Craft Depot was my first online purchase from an Australian company.  I found them to be very quick and effecient with my order and everything arrived in a timely manner.  Have a look at the website which is well set up.  They have a nice range of fabrics.  I suspect they don't have everything online they do in their store but certainly a big enough selection to find something you're after.  The Craft Depot charge standard Australia Post rates.  However, recently they had a special offer of no postage charge within Australia for a couple of weeks.  You can see why I suggest you sign up for the online shop's newsletters.

Sewing Box

Link - http://www.sewingbox.com.au/
Postage - A little complicated in that rates are charged more along US lines.  However, they do reimburse the difference between what the checkout charges and Australian rates.

Rating - Thumbs Up

The Sewing Box is one of my more recent finds.  If you love precuts then this online store will appeal to you.  On top of that this site has had some of the best prices for pre cuts I've seen in Australia.  And yes there is more, probably one of the best sales of charm squares, jelly rolls and layer cakes I've seen to date even with postage, just about beat the price I would pay for the same items if purchased direct from the US.  Yes again, found this out through their newsletter.  Delivery was quick and via Australia Post.  My only criticism is the postage calculation is catered towards overseas sales.  As you'll see on the website, what happens is you pay the postage and the owner will reimburse the difference to you directly within the parcel you are sent.  I can confirm that this is the case.

New Zealand

KiwiQuilts

Link - http://www.kiwiquilts.co.nz/
Postage - $10 up to NZ$150 and $20 NZ$151+

Rating - Thumbs Up

One of my favourite online stores is KiwiQuilts.  It course has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a Kiwi....will maybe a little.  Truthfully though I enjoy Mary's blog (sign up by clicking on the link above) and probably one of the few I make a point of reading regularly. Mary designs a lot of Kiwiana style quilts which I'm totally envious of.  For me, I buy a lot of my Kiwiana fabric from Mary's store and I can't say enough on how great the service is.  Everything has always arrived well packaged and quickly.  Now I just need to bring some of my ideas to life...stay tuned as I've a number of Christmas presents to make this year with what I've bought so far.  Mary also has some great sales so keep an eye out for what will come up next!

Hopefully, I've wetted your appetite.  More to come!

New Feature - Buying Online

I know this blog is about the various Quilting shops I visit in my travels and this includes those that I visit online.   If you're like me you're always looking for that elusive piece of fabric or the latest book on quilting or the newest quilting tool however, you can't always find these items in your favourite quilt shop, maybe not even in Australia.  So where do you begin to look?  In my case, and I suspect many others, you look online.  However, you may not be too sure how to go about searching and buying the quilting products you're after?  Or you're concerned about how safe buying on line is?

After chatting to the Contractor who delivers our parcels, he told me that his mother-in-law hadn't had a very good experience buying online.  In fact, she found the credit card details she had provided a US quilting shop were stolen and used by the thief.  Not a great experience for her.  Hearing this made me realise that I've been very lucky and overall have had a positive experience, so why not share my experiences I thought?

Let's begin at the beginning...the first step is decide how you want to pay for the items you've purchased.  The reason I say this is that you want to protect yourself as much as you can when buying on line.  There are a lot of choices ranging from opening up a separate transaction account with your bank and apply for a Visa or Mastercard debit card that you can use for online purchase that is linked to this account - You can only spend as much as you have in the account. Another alternative is to apply for an additional credit card with a low limit and use this for your online purchase. 

I'd also recommend opening up a Paypal account [ www.paypal.com ] which you can use for your online purchase.  Paypal gives you the option of using either a transaction account and or a credit card to pay for your purchases.  Visit the site and you can get more information on Paypal so you can make your mind up.

Personally, I have a combination of all three: a transaction account with the Visa Debit card + credit card (though I limit the use of it online unless I'm very sure the site is secured) + Paypal account (this is the one use whenever I can given the protection they afford to their users).

Okay so you have some ideas of how to fund your online purchases.  Where to next?  My next blog will start you on your online shopping journey so check in again.

Threadbare, Castlemaine, VIC, Australia

The only other shop I managed to find open when I was travelling for work was Threadbare which is located in Castelmaine, Victoria, about a 30 min drive from Daylesford.  There contact and location details including opening hours can be found at their website, www.threadbear.com.au.

I know no other way to describe this shop as a traditional quilter's shop.  What I mean by that is the fabric that is sold at Threadbare covers the range of Aunt Grace, Civil Ware, etc. type fabric.  You won't see a bright or novelty print at this shop - believe me I looked.  If you're a Moda fabric fan then you'll probably love this shop as they have a lot of the more traditional prints from that range.  However, one of the rare times I didn't see any Moda precuts in site.  Saying that, it looks like the owner has put together her own precut range for your purchase.

The shop itself is small but the owner has used all the space cleverly to get her fabric range stocked.  So if you do visit make sure you look below the counters as youl'l find more fabric.  Overall, I would recommend visiting this shop even if the fabric range isn't your cup of tea for two reasons.

Firstly, the quilts on display. All I can say is WOW!  What is great about this is you not only see the owners work but also that of some of her customers.  Whether they are your cup of tea or not, you can't help but be impressed by the quality of the work completed. 

Secondly, the owner herself is a friendly and knowledgeable person.  I've been humming and haaing about getting a rotating mat for cutting of small squares, etc.  The shop had one that was a lot cheaper than the Olaf brand one I've seen at Spotlight.  The owner didn't hesitate taking it out of the package so we could see how it worked - have to say it flumoxed us both.  Unfortunately, because of the issue with getting it to work easily, I didn't end up buying it.  The owner was great about it and said she was pleased she had finally had a play.  Suspect she won't by buying any more.

Threadneedle Craft, Daylesford, VIC, Australia

I've recently come back from a work trip.  While on the road, I managed to stop in at a couple of quilting shops.  The first was in the lovely town of Daylesford (a must see if you're visiting Melbourne).  You can find their contact details and opening hours at their website, www.threadneedle.com.au .  Note, this shop is down a little side street near the supermarket.  Threadneedle Craft is a small shop with a little bit of everything - quilt fabric, cross stitch, beeding, etc.  Great if you need to pick up something for your crafting needs while on holiday.

From a quilting purist point of view, the range of stock is very limited.  There were a few interesting patterns and I noticed a few bolts of some interesting Australiana fabric - more in the flower design.  Price wise, the few bolts I looked at were around the $24 pm.  To be honest, I wouldn't go out of my way to travel to Daylesford to visit this shop as there simply isn't enough selection for me but if you're visiting the area do stop in.

In terms of Daylesford itself, visit www.visitdaylesford.com.au which will give you a great over view of the area.  From my perspective, there are some interesting shops to visit in the town itself and of course let's not forget the cafes.  I had one of the best bits of carrot cake I've had in ages at one of the cafes there.  If you enjoy a good glass of wine then of course, you will have no trouble finding a variety of vineyards to visit to try out some of the region's excellent wine.  This is bed and breakfast country, so I'd suggest going up for a weekend.  And for the quilting enthusiast, there are a number of quilting shops in the region for you to visit and suprisingly a number of them are open on a sunday so you don't have to visit them all on Saturday.

Sew Eezy Curtains, Fabrics & Blinds, Kadina, SA, Australia

On our second day on the Yorke Peninsula we decided to head North, stopping first at Port Victoria. 

Beach at Port Victoria

As you can see, the pelicans were certainly enjoying themselves.

 We liked the area so much, have ear marked it for a future camping trip










From there we travelled on to Moonta and then on to Kadina, where the only other shop selling quilting fabric on the Yorke Peninsula was in Kadina (this was the furthest North we made it on our holiday), Sew Eezy Curtains, Fabrics & Blinds.  No website but address and contact details are:

8 Digby Street
Kadina SA 5554

Ph:  08 8821 1101

Really liked the quilting range they had and in fact managed to find yet again some OOP fabric - Clothworks, Garden Shop - which was great.  And yes, I managed to find another roll of Kiwi fabric.  Amazing where these bolts end up.  Great selection of fabrics that will appeal to the traditional and modern quilter, including a nice range of fabrics for the children.  The lady who served me was delightful and very friendly.  Overall, well worth a visit if you are ever in Kadina.

And while in the Yorke Peninsula, make sure you visit Innes National Park.  Here are some photos to tempt you.

Emus we saw as driving on Innes National Park Road

Coastline at Innes National Park

Panoramic view of coastline

Yes, you can swim from this beach though suspect surfing may be the game!

Wurrtoo Quilts, Minlaton, SA, Australia

Happy New Year everyone.  Can't believe another year has slipped away and we're now into 2012.  So to begin the New Year in the right way, some more updates on quilting shops I've visited.

My partner and I like to camp but with our busy schedules we seem to have less and less time to do so.  Consequently, we decided to make the effort and head off for a few days to the Yorke Peninsula.  And where is the Yorke Pensinsula for those of you not from Adelaide or South Australia?  If you've not visited or even heard of this area, I strongly recommend you make time to visit if you're in Adelaide, its only a two to three hour drive depending upon where you live and if you're visiting Adelaide in the near future, it is well worth the visit.  For more information, please check out http://www.southaustralia.com/regions/yorke-peninsula.aspx .  This is a great website which can help you plan your visit to the area.

We ended up camping in the Port Rickaby Caravan Park - www.portrickaby.com .  The owners were very welcoming and even though we were a pretty late booking we ended up with a pretty good site

The ocean is barely a three minute walk from our campsite.

Okay now the first quilting store I visited while we were away was Wurrtoo Quilts in Minlaton.  This wasn't a big store by any means but had all the basics you would need for quilting.  The fabric selection was fairly average except for two exceptions.  The first was they had a very large range of batiks.  I'm not big on batiks myself but suspect if you were, you'd find a good range here.  Secondly, I found a lonesome piece of New Zealand fabric, Ponga Koru:

Ponga Koru distributed by Nutex

It's become a bit of a game for me to see what Kiwi fabric I can find in these shops.  It's surprising how much I have found in the last year. Even with the small selection of fabric, I still managed to walk out the door with a few meters of fabric.

More to come!

The Wool Company, Taihape, New Zealand

Okay I know this isn't a quilting/patchwork shop but I also knit and The Wool Company has been one of my favourite wool shops for years [ www.thewoolcompany.co.nz  ].  What makes this wool shop interesting and I believe unique is its selling the wool they've created themselves.  All the knitting wool is NZ wool.  However, one thing I should say to you is if you're a knitter who likes wool crepe this won't be the wool for you.  This is what I'd call more worsted wool.

I'm a knitter who doesn't use anything below an 8 ply but I've bought 4ply for my Mom and she says its lovely to knit with.  From memory it was the mint colour and it was pretty true to the colour on the website.  I've only used the Perendale yarn and I've now lost count of how many sweaters I've made but it must be getting close to double digits.  Again when I've ordered on line I've found the colours to be pretty close to what you see on the site.  I haven't as yet used their possum wool - saving up for that one - but plan to buy some on my next trip back to NZ.

Try their knitting needles.  I've bought a few pairs for myself and I quite like them.  They're very cost effective and they're also made out of casein which is something a little different.

If you do have time and are driving through Taihape (note the shop is to the south of Taihape on Highway 1 as you head to Wellington) and is well worth a visit.  I don't think I've been in yet and not walked out the door with yet more wool. If you're not in the area, do use their mail order service.  Everything I've ordered has always arrived well packaged and quickly, often within 24 hours of my order when living in New Zealand.  I haven't ordered anything as yet to be sent to me in Australia mainly due to my being back or my partner being back at least once a year, so I can order and have sent to a relative or friend's place for pick up.

GJ Discount Fabrics, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

One of my favourite fabric stores in Melbourne is GJ Fabrics [ www.gjsdiscountfabrics.com.au  ].  For me its the quilting fabrics I enjoy looking through but if you need fabrics for dance costumes, this is also the store for you.  GJ Discount fabrics is located on Lygon Street, Brunswick East.  Don't make the mistake of thinking the store is in Lygon Street where all the Italian restaurants are - its not.  To get there, I personally would recommend hopping on Tram #1 or #8 along Swanston Street and then getting off on tram stop 126 which is right in front of the store.

Overall, really nice selection of fabrics including moda fabrics and other name brands.  They have an extensive selection of brights, novelties, Australiana, some Asian/Japanese prints along with an excellent selection of baby and children prints.  You will also find a small selection of Moda pre cuts such as jelly rolls, layer cakes and charm squares.  On my last trip there, I bought the Morris Workshop jelly roll to make a quilt design I've picked up off of YouTube. 

Also for an expat Kiwi, I've managed to pick up some Kiwiana FQs.  Make sure you check out their specials as again, I've picked up some great quilting fabric at fantastic prices including a Kiwiana panel fabric which you would normally pay NZ$24.00 pm and I lucked out and found it in the store's special area for AU$8 pm.  Needless to say I bought about 3m which I'll get a lot of use out of.  Check out the Kiwiana quilt picture on the blog and you'll see the panel in use.

And another store with friendly and helpful staff.  This store also runs workshops though I left Melbourne before I had a chance to sign up for any of them.  Also fantastic sales.  So if you live locally, make sure you sign up for their email notices so you can hear about their sales ahead of time.

Pat's Fabric & Plants, Murrayville, VIC, Australia

Discovered this little craft shop on our way home from visiting friends in NSW in July 11.  Murrayville is a very small town on the Mallee Highway that we passed through on our way back to Adelaide.  I love shops like this as it was a mix of quilting fabrics, a bit of wool, some local crafts and other interesting bric a brac.  In terms of quilting fabric, the store didn't have a huge range but it did have a little of everything.  I managed to pick up a nice panel of Australiana flowers.  If you're passing through stop and take a peak.  I'm a great believer in supporting small town shops where possible.  And if nothing else,  every so often you can find something very interesting to pick up.

Fabricland, West Vancouver, BC, Canada

The next addition is Fabricland [ www.fabricland.ca ] or more specifically Fabricland at Park Royal [ www.shopparkroyal.com ] in West Vancouver.

I'll start with Fabricland and then work my way around to Park Royal.  If you visiting Vancouver, Park Royal is easy to get too.  If you have the time, I'd recommend catching the bus  [here's the online schedule [ http://westvancouver.ca/Level3.aspx?id=2152 ] either any bus from the city that has Park Royal on it or even better get the #250 which will take you all the way to Horseshoe Bay.  It's a lovely drive and you can get off have a wonder around Horseshoe Bay and then get the return bus back. Even stop off along the way and visit Dundarave or West Vancouver itself.



Once you've done your sightseeing, stop at Park Royal itself.   Be aware there are two parts to it.  Fabricland is in the South Mall.  One thing to prepare yourself for is the store itself is not exactly the tidiest place.  I've being go there on and off for years and I've yet to see the place looking its best.  Then why do I keep going back I hear you ask?  It has a great fabric range both for dress making and quilting. And if you're in the mood for upholstery or curtain fabric you'll find all that there as well.
In terms of quilting fabric, as long as you're prepared to spend a bit of time working through the rows upon rows of fabric, I promise you, you will find some lovely pieces.  Designer wise, I don't remember seeing any Moda when I visited there last year.  In fact they seem to have a heavy emphasis on RJR, Timeless Treasures and similar ranges.  Had a relatively extensive selection of novelty and bright fabrics which of course I loved.

Now one of the secrets about Fabricland is they have fantastic discounted fabric packed into large shelves along one side of the shop.  Now if you're not a bargain hunter like me, this will drive you nuts but as I do love to find a great bargain I dove in.  I found some great curtain fabric to make some curtain for my sister's trailer for about CAD$2 pm - lovely fabric but boy heavily discounted.  And my best bargain was finding Loralie Designs "Sewing Stuff" fabric at CAD$2 pm.  Here that fabric runs around NZ or AU 22/24 pm.  But as I said you have to be prepared to spend a bit of time digging through the rolls or bundles of fabric to find these bargains.

And another fantastic thing about Fabricland is their Sewing Club.  My Mom belongs to it and I made good use of it getting 50% off a 24" by 24" Olfa cutting mat.  It was touch and go as to whether I'd get it into my suitcase to bring home but I did, just! And I got even further discounts on both quilt fabric and batting I bought.

 Let's not forget about Park Royal itself [www.shopparkroyal.com].  You'll find all the regular stores in the North and South Malls including the Bay, Winners, Future Store, London Drugs etc.  There are many individual / unique stores there are as well.  Even if Fabricland wasn't there, I would still make it a point to visit at least once when I'm back. 

And then there is The Village, a rather upmarket lovely outdoor shopping center which you'll find on the south side of the mall.  One of my favourite stores is there, Aerosoles Shoes (one of worst kept secrets, I love shoes), an American chain that you can find here.  Super comfortable shoes that are very styley.  Also you will find the Whole Foods Market - for the Kiwis who read this, you can find Phoenix drinks and juice there and if you're really lucky NZ fruit such as apples in case you're feeling homesick.

Overall between the shops and the cafes at Park Royal, I'm sure you can enjoy a lovely day there.  If you're feeling rather athletic, there is also a nice walk you can do around the sea front from Park Royal to Ambleside Beach or vice versa.  If its a nice day, its a lovely picteresque walk.

Plaza Patchwork, Adelaide, SA, Australia

I've only lived in Adelaide since early March 2011 so haven't managed to hit all the patchwork / quilting shops in my region. However, I feel I lucked out with Plaza Patchwork [no website I'm afraid] which is literally around the corner from where I live in Adelaide and has turned into one of my favourite shops to visit - don't think I've made it out yet without buying something. 

 You can find Plaza Patchwork at the Brickworks Markets [ www.brickworksmarkets.com.au ].  Note, the store isn't open every day over the weekend so it pays to check this before heading to the shop.   I'd suggest calling before you visit the.  Ring or text Lynette on 0433 504944  to find out what hours the store will be open over the weekend. Getting to the market if you're in the city is super easy either by car or by bus.  Just check the site for details.

 Now why do I like this shop?  The #1 reason is the lady who works at the shop is lovely.  Very friendly and very knowledgeable.  Get her to show you some of her work and you'll be blown away by it.  Gorgeous.  Next, the range of fabrics is probably one of the best I've seen in Australia so far and all to my liking.  You'll find all the major brands - RJR, Hoffman, Timeless Treasures, Quilting Treasures, etc.  The only brand I've not seen is Moda. Another reason I love this shop is the amount of out of production (OOP) fabrics I've found there.  And then lets not forget that all of the fabrics are currently $20 pm - the cheapest quilting fabric I've come across in this country so far for many of these brands.

One service that Lynette provides as well is quilting which I've just recently experienced. I made a quilt for a friend's little boy

Front of quilt - Pixar's Cars

Back of quilt

and had Lynette quilt it with red flames - the quilt is of McQueen from Pixar Cars - so you can see how it worked.  The quilting was fantastic and very reasonable, $81 for the twin quilt.  I'll definitely be going back again.  Sorry doesn't show up in the photo very well, but my partner thought it was pretty cool - endorsed by a male!

 I highly recommend a visit if you're in the area and be prepared to spend a bit of time exploring the shop and having a chat with Lynette.

Patchwork by the Sea, Brighton, SA, Australia

One of my early finds is Patchwork by the Sea [ www.patchworkbysea.com.au  ].  The store is very modern and they have a great range of fabrics including Moda. 

For those Kiwis living in Adelaide, this is the only store I've found so far in Adelaide that sells Nutex Kiwiana fabric.  Not the cheapest fabric but if you're desperate for some of the fabric for a quilt, the last time I was in their shop, they seem to have a pretty good range.  Another range they have which I may need to go back and pick through their Japanese fabric range. I'm currently collecting various FQs or more to design and make a queen or king size quilt for one of my brothers.

The only down side to this store for me is I wish they were a bit closer to where I live as I've been dying to do some classes to hone up on my very home schooled patch working skills.  I believe they run classes for all levels of experience.

The other reason this shop is a great place to visit is its location right by the Sea [mmm wonder if that is where they got the idea for their store name].  I highly recommend the fish and chip shop thats around the corner at the end of Jetty Street as you walk down to the sea side.

Creative Edge Quilting & Sewing, North Vancouver, BC, Canada

A lovely quilting store on the North Shore is Creative Edge Quilting & Sewing. Unfortunately they don't appear to have a website so address and contact details below:

2065 Old Dollarton Rd
North Vancouver, BC V7H 1A6
 (604) 982-0088

This is a small shop tucked away in the back roads of North Vancouver. You would probably need a car to get here though I do think you can take a bus.Check www.translink.ca  out Trans Link's site for assistance in getting here. The selection of fabrics is not as large as say Fabricland, but the helpful staff are worth a visit.  The store also handles quilting orders as well.
I made this quilt for my sister but what I thought I was making, a lap rug, ended up turning into a queen size quilt. Given I was travelling to Vancouver, the last thing I wanted to do was pack a completed quilt into one of my bags - I suspect I wouldn't have got anything else in the suitcase. I had my Mom check out pricing for me. All up it was CA$150 which also included the batting. I supplied the top and back of the quilt and then finished it off. I though that was a pretty good price.

Front of quilt

Back of quilt

I also bought a piece of Moda fabric - yes I can hear the deep intake of breathe given I've been saying I'm not a huge fan - as well as a couple of FQs. They had some lovely quilts on display including a pretty funky Halloween quilt. 

Now the other cool thing about this shop is its a great stopping place on your way to Deep Cove:



Deep Cove is a lovely sleepy suburb of North Vancouver. It has great cafes and a couple of lovely home ware shops. And for the family members who collect coins and stamps there was a great little shop there but not too sure if its still there.

Quiltaholics, Adelaide. SA, Australia

My latest find is Quiltaholics (www.quiltaholics.com.au )in Magill in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide.  Its taken awhile for me to finally get to this store and I'm really pleased to finally get there.  They have an extensive range of fabric.  They've done a great job in setting the store up to make it easy for you to find what you're interested in.  So if you like novelty prints, kids/baby prints, Asian/Japanese prints, etc. they're all there.  And yes even Moda fabrics particularly jell rolls, etc. 

Did I buy anything?  Most definitely.  Quiltaholics have a great range of panels and I bought two that I'd been looking for, for awhile and some Pixar Cars fabric to finish off a quilt for a friend's little boy. Price wise the panels seem to be between $13 and$16. The panels I saw seem to be in the novelty range including animals, fairies, solar systems, etc.  The fabric price range was the around the $22/$23 per meter mark, fairly standard I've found with quilt shops in Australia.

And if you're after books to help you with your quilting/patchworking/appliquing, they had a good range to select from. Along with these books you'll also find a good range of patterns that should tempt you.  I also took a peak into their classroom, a good size room with good light.  On my list to check out their class offerings.

Ballarat Patchwork, Ballarat, VIC, Australia

To begin with, check out the Ballarat Patchwork's website www.ballaratpatchwork.com.au .  The website will give you all their contact and address details.

Fabric wise, heavy on the Moda, Kaye Fasett and Amy Butler fabric.  For those of you who've ready my previous blogs these aren't my favourite fabrics so I didn't end up buying anything.  For those of you who do like these ranges, lots to choose from.  And they have a reasonably extensive range of patterns as well.

You'll find the shop in a converted house (For those who are from Wellington, New Zealand and/or have been there, think converted villa you would see in Tinakori Road, like Nancy Embroidery's old store).  It's very compact but the owner has done a lovely job of decorating the house.  Fabric is easy to pull out and look at.  And let's not forget what I think was a lovely touch, the resident cat.  Had to laugh when the owner's cat popped out from under a table as the customer's went past.  That was definitely a first for me.

Overall, well worth a stop when you're in Ballarat next.