And another....

Hurrah! It's almost the weekend again, and that means another market for me.

This market is a true community fundraising effort, and has the best food, great hours, lots of things to keep the kids busy and happy, and you can come and enjoy dinner and a wine too.

See you there this Saturday! 

Winter Magic Market

Brunswick North West Primary School

Culloden Street, Brunswick

2pm - 8pm

Next up!

This weekend you'll find me back in Geelong for this lovely market.

I love the venue for this one, inside an historic old woolstore made modern and light.

I've been on a bit of a quilting spree, so come and see what all those Liberty scraps have become!

Travelling north

Winter has certainly arrived here in the last week or two.

We were lashed by a big storm this week, putting our power out for more than a day.

Funny how you can take electricity for granted. 

Thankfully we have a lovely fire, so while we sat in the dim light of candles, and cooked our soup on the bbq, at least we were warm!

Which leads nicely to say how much I'm looking forward to packing a huge amount of stuff into my suitcases for Brisbane Finders Keepers in just over a week.

I'm very excited to be taking Frankie & Ray interstate for the very first time, plus we'll get to stay with friends, and we're adding a couple of days onto the trip for a mini-break up north.

It might just be enough to see me through to Springtime!

Piccadilly comes to town

I'm delighted to be part of Piccadilly Market's very first Melbourne event this coming weekend.

A great list of stallholders, a beautiful historic building for a venue, and a lovely way to spend a Winter afternoon in the city!

It must be Autumn!

And just like that Summer is over!

Which means I'll be making my first Melbourne market trip for the year this weekend.

I'd love to see you at my most favourite little friendly market in town.

The pointy end

Christmas is coming!

It's been a busy last few months round here, and I'm loving every crazy week.

There's parcels of beautiful fabric arriving almost every day, not just because I've got two more great events in the next week, but also because January means a market a week down on the foreshore here in my home town of Apollo Bay.

So, it's full steam ahead with new dresses, along with fresh shirts, and a few other things as well!

This Thursday I'll be in Geelong at Boom Gallery from 4pm until 9pm with an amazing little line up including Victor Fox, Ernest & Joe, Oktoberdee, Mt Sabine Miniatures, & Attorney, and LaDeDah Kids.

And there'll be great food and a glass of wine from Rue Cler Market as well.

And then, another mid week twilight market to end the Melbourne year!

There'll be food and a glass of bubbles here too to celebrate with.

Piccadilly Market

I might be borrowing a phrase from my friend Crayon Chick if I said, if it's the weekend, then it must be another market!

Just as well I love the chance to get out from my workroom and have a chat.

And Piccadilly Market is one of those where there'll be lots of market friends to catch up with, and maybe I'll see you there too.

I've got some new dresses hot off my machine. 

My love affair with Liberty fabrics continues still.

And a fresh batch of shirts!

Market Saturday

Yep, I've been gripped by a total need to get a new dress out of my head this week.

It's a progression on from the Everyday dress, via the Little Liberty shirt.

Even though we're yet to see much warm weather here in the chilly south, it's coming.

Yes. It is!

So, of course I needed to make more than one to take along to this week's market.

I've been up early today and sewing in my pyjamas.

Now, I can pack the car and get myself to the city!

So, that's November almost done

Another month almost passed, and you know what that means!

December will be here in a blink. Crikey.

So, what's been happening?

We had an overwhelmingly great day for our little market here on Cup Weekend.

The Bay & Beyond Market drew almost 1200 people through the doors, and we've had nothing but great feedback. So, roll on Cup Weekend 2014!

I'm welcoming a new stockist this week.

The delightful Miss Moss in Milton will be taking delivery of some little shirts just in time for Summer, which I'm certain has already arrived in sunny New South Wales. Lucky them.

We're mostly still waiting, although I did get my first dunk in the very cold waters of Bass Strait this week.

It did feel good to sit in the warm sun and have a paddle!

Here comes the weekend!

Right on cue, the sun is shining.

It's not too late to run away to the coast for a weekend.

We're going to have so much fun, so come and join us!

Don't forget, there'll be great food from Wild Goat Catering, and fabulous coffee from Campos in Carlton as well.

www.thebayandbeyondmarket.blogspot.com

Defining ourselves

My friend Sal and I have been working away for the last couple of months organising this little market for our home town of Apollo Bay.

Last year was great fun, and we had such good feedback, we thought we'd do it all again!

Now that it's getting closer, we're getting pretty excited.

And in some terrifying news, a local radio station in Colac wants to interview us. 

Yikes.

It's got me to thinking about who and what The Bay & Beyond Market is.

Sal and I tossed this around too.

Are we craft? Are we art? Are we design?

What's in a name?

The more you think about this, the trickier it gets.

In this age, the word 'craft' seems to have picked up unfortunate associations, even though I love the connection to the Arts & Crafts movement of William Morris and his contemporaries. A movement that came about as a reaction against the mass production of the industrial age, and valued the skills and craftsmanship involved in producing something by hand. 

Nothing wrong with that is there? In fact, it's possibly more relevant now than ever.

But then, what about the idea of referring to ourselves as designers? That carries a certain weight of professionalism about what we do.

What if we don't actually make every single thing by our own hand?

Are we artists too? Or artisans even?

I really hope I don't get asked to define ourselves in that interview!

Oh, and take a look at the fabulous artists/craftspeople/designers/makers that are on board this year over here. And save the date!

The Finders Keepers

Yes, it's that time again!

I'm in a mess of packing here today, but it'll all come together in time for me to travel up to Melbourne tomorrow morning, all ready for 6pm Friday.

I can't wait, I hope I'll see you there!

My life in pictures

Busy, busy, busy!

A lovely market day on Saturday, as always at the Maribyrnong Makers Market.

The weather was better than kind to us, and it was delightful to get out of the house and have a day with friends and lovely customers.

And now I'm getting ready for the Melbourne Finders Keepers.

More dresses, and shirts.

Which means there's been lots of scraps being tucked away to make new scarves.

These are great to make when my urge to patchwork is strong!

And it tides me over until I can get back to working on quilt number two.

Saturday is market day!

I love this market!

Only four times a year, in a pretty setting, with lots of lovely things.

I'm hoping that Spring will be kind and give us a gorgeous sunny day on Saturday, perfect for getting out and about!

I'll have some new things to show off, perfect for putting a little Spring into your wardrobe.

Hump day

I love the idea of Wednesday as hump day, all downhill to the weekend from here.

It just pops up more quickly each week than I think it will!

It was great to get back on the market train last weekend, and this Saturday I've got another one to look forward to.

This delightful little market will be jam packed with great people, Wendy June, Totally Innocent, Pia Handmande and Squirt Baby to name a few.

This one's a very civilised 3pm start, and we'll be there until 8pm, so there's time to get all those weekend chores out of the way before heading out to enjoy the goods on offer, as well as great food and a bar.

See you there!

Winter Magic Market

Brunswick North West Primary School

Culloden Street, Brunswick

3pm - 8pm

Back in the saddle

I'd be fibbing if I said it's been easy to get back to work after our holiday, but I have been enjoying the bit of time I've had at home to ease back into things.

I've been working on some more dresses, and on my list for today is a little shirt or two.

There's been time to play around with my new found love of cross stitch, and I've hatched some pincushions. They make me smile, and I love making them.

This Sunday marks my return to Piccadilly Market, the first market for me since the end of May.

I'm looking forward to getting back to some regular market days, it means that Winter is nearly over!

Nearly there

Yes. More quilting!

The hand quilting has been slow and steady, and a nice way to pass more than a few very cold and wet days here.

A little bit done here and there, whenever there was a spare half hour or so.

And all of a sudden, there was the end!

Today I've got the binding on, the corners of it mitred, and it's all pinned up ready for the final step.

(more hand sewing!)

I've loved every minute of the making of this quilt, and I can't wait to see it finished and on our bed just in time for Winter.

But, because I knew I'd miss the hand work, I've got another one all cut out and waiting for me!

In the meantime, I've got one last Melbourne market before Winter really sets in.

Perfect timing to grab a little piece of Liberty patchwork in a scarf perhaps?

Shirt & Skirt Market

Sunday May 19

10am - 4pm

Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford

This week

The last fortnight has flown past.

I've been a bit quilt obsessed! 

Making new scarves has allowed me to carry on patchworking with Liberty, and I'm finding it hard to stop making these too.

A quick look at the calendar reminded me that I have another trip to Melbourne this weekend for Shirt & Skirt Market at the always beautiful Abbotsford Convent.

It's been quite a few months since I've been along to this one, so I'm looking forward to being back there this month. 

Fingers crossed for a glorious sunny Autumn day!

Shirt & Skirt Market

Abbotsford Convent,

1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford.

Sunday April 21

10am - 4pm

Wrap up

Another fabulous Finders Keepers!

The beautiful Royal Exhibiton Buildings make an amazing venue.

And how lovely to meet new people, and see new things!

One part of me longs to go to these events as a visitor, but I love being there as an exhibitor!

So, there's always too little time to get out and see everything *sigh*.

Just the few things I made a beeline for when I got a little break....

The gorgeous ceramics of Adriana Christianson.

And I am in LOVE with Dandelyne!

My only purchase for myself was a bangle made from upcycled plastic from Dale Hardiman.

Colourful, tactile, wonderful!

It was great to catch up with so many market people, love your work folks!

And thanks too to all those who came and introduced themselves to me. 

I especially love the community that is Instagram, it's such a friendly place!

The Finders Keepers!

Marking the (almost) end of my big market season, the Melbourne Finders Keepers is on again at the end of this week!

If you haven't been to this event before, you're in for a treat. There's an amazing line up of talent from all around Australia. And there's great food and something to drink. And good coffee, of course. And live music as well.

I'm fit to burst with excitement, and I can't wait to show off some of my new things too!

The designer directory is a great way to take a first look at what you'll find, and maybe make a little list...