Oops, I meant to post in the middle of the week, but it was kind of busy around here this week. I blame it on this little guy:
TheFirstChild and SweetiePie were gone for a week and we got to dogsit. Cute little Winston is still a high-energy puppy and he took up all of my extra time. We had lots of fun taking walks, playing with his cousin dogs, and taking a few pictures. He did NOT want to wear those goggles, poor little guy! (But, ever the gentleman, he’s always wearing his bow tie.)
Anyway, one last post from Australia. I saved the fun stuff for last. Kellie took me to some beautiful shops. First up was Sunspun — not a fabric shop, but since I love to knit, just as good!
What a fun little shop — packed FULL of pretty yarns and samples.
Yarn shops confuse me. I can’t buy yarn like I do fabric — maybe because I’m not a scrap knitter like I’m a scrap quilter. I have to have a specific project in mind when I buy yarn. So, in spite of all the beauty, I walked away with just a pattern book. I’d like to chalk it up to self control, but confusion is the true story! It was a wonderful stop though.
Then we were on to Amitie where we met up with Jan. And I met Louise — SO fun! Oh, and Judy Newman was there too, so it was really fun to meet her. I know I’m forgetting someone else — I was in a fabric stupor.
Look at all that gorgeous fabric — and all in Amitie style. Shelves of Liberty!
A pile of fabulous quilts, with our star, The Aunt’s Quilt on top of the pile. I don’t know what I was thinking — WHY didn’t I get a good picture of THE quilt??? Or any of them, for that matter!
Here’s a shot of the lucious quilts in the front window. I was so busy looking at everything and just enjoying it all and I’m sad that I didn’t get more pictures. ;-( It was SO amazingly inspirational though — I was overwhelmed. Amitie certainly lived up to her reputation!
After Amitie, Kellie, Jan and I had a fun lunch catching up and then Jan took me for the afternoon and evening. I have to stop here for a minute and rave about the food that Kellie and Jan made for me while I was in Australia. We don’t eat much lamb (well, any, really), but in Australia they have it quite a bit. The first night Kellie made delicious lamb chops (I bought some for TheManoftheHouse to try when I got back and they’re not called lamb chops but that’s what they look like — it’s more like a roast) and roasted potatoes. Later in the week, Kellie also made lamb strapback (I hope that’s what you call it) with the most delicious fruit salad I’ve ever had — she drizzled it with some sort of basalmic molasses (that I sadly can’t find here). Words just can’t describe those delicious meals!
Then, the night Jan took me to her house, she plopped this jumbo bowl of grilled pineapple and prawns in front of me. I thought it was our main meal, but it was the appetizer. And, being from the landlocked midwest, it was my first experience actually peeling the shrimp, which Jan’s girls thought was hysterical. They were probably wondering how I escaped from my corn field! Dinner was a delicious roasted lamb (which I thought was beef until the next day) with roasted pumpkin and vegetables. And THEN, Jan had invited Meredithe to dinner and it was so fun to meet her. We were so busy talking that I didn’t get any pictures of all of her beautiful quilts. (And trust me, that’s a tragedy. Because, you guys. These girls are all Australian quilters. By default, all their quilts are beautiful!) Since we were having an all Aussie dinner, Jan requested that Meredithe bring an Aussie dessert, and what’s more Aussie than Pavlova? It was amazing — I LOVE bananas and raspberries — maybe I was an Aussie in another life!
Such a fun night and I was sad to leave the girls, but time was short and there was much to do. The next day, Kellie took me out to the country. We had the best day and went to another beautiful little quilt shop.
Mill Rose is just full of fabric. Feast your eyes on all that Liberty! There was some serious drooling and fondling going on in this room.
Another big room of fabric — behind that brown row of fabric is another double-wide aisle of beautiful prints.
What a fun little quilt shop. After all that fondling and shopping, we were parched and hungry, so we went next door and had a delicious lunch in the Mill Cottage.
I didn’t buy much fabric. It’s easy to be restrained — not that I didn’t LOVE all the fabrics, but we’re so spoiled with prices here in the states — we pay less than half of what fabric costs in AU. I couldn’t resist buying just a little though, so, here’s a picture of my purchases.
From Mill Rose, the six prints on the left are Terra Australis by Emma Jansen. Can you see the boomerangs, kangaroos, and Australian continents? I had to have a little souvenir! And the prints on the right and across the bottom are from Amitie — just some low volume prints that I loved.
So, that’s it. Whew! What a fun trip, made all the better because I was able to see Australia with friends. Kellie is always so good to me, and I miss her and her cute little family.
Oh, one last picture. You can’t take all those road trips and fondle all that fabric without some sustenance. I now have two new candy favorites (which I can’t find here boohoo!) — The fantales are sort of like a big milk dud — caramel and chocolate, what’s not to love? And the Babies are like Gummi Bears — only WAY better. Way, way better. And, in case you didn’t know, they’re pronounced “Baaayyyyybies” — as in “The Dayngo ayte mah Baaayyyyyby!”
XOXO,
Anna
I have been loving your posts about Australia! Looks like an amazing place to be and those quilts are just delicious!!
LOL!! I love hearing your tales of Australia!! You made me hungry with all the food talk. And fabric hungry too. Winston is such a cutie! but why is he wearing googles?
I so wish I had been with you!! Australia is always on my must see some day list. It looks like you hit every quilt shop in Australia and yes we are spoiled by prices and now I complain when it has gone over $10 – we are so lucky aren’t we.
I love Winston in his goggles! What a cutie! :oD
I’m glad you bought some fabric in Oz – even though, as you say, you lot are spoiled with your prices. Ours are sooooooo expensive here compared to yours. *sniff*
You are so funny!! It was fab to meet you and have a chance to chat. So pleased you enjoyed your trip. You went to all my favourite shops! Millrose are now extending and are planning a Liberty ROOM!!!! You’ll be able to check it out on your next visit!!
Pavlova is one of my absolute favourite desserts too. It sounds like you had quite the cuisine cooked up for you and it all sounds delicious. I love Sunspun but havent been there for quite a few years now. The Mill Rose shop is supposed to be gorgeous but I havent visited there as yet. I have to say that your puppy is just adorable modelling in his goggles. What a very sweet photo.
we started outr UK holiday discussions this afternoon …. better mark it in your diary! Can’t have a Wulfohn Family Holiday with out our Anna! …. and it’s ‘backstrap’ not strapback …. bloody americans! I think you should have posted Ben’s song he wrote for you!!! Miss you sooo much xxxxxx
I can’t decide what had me drooling more…the food or the fabric. Wish I had gone in your pocket…but we both know how impossible that would be. I can’t wait to see your souvenir quilt.
I have been following in your footsteps! I’m happy to host the next retreat, so start saving your pennies!
Wonderful post! Such gorgeous shops filled with yarn and fabric and lovely food to enjoy in between! Loved the picture of Winston and the goggles :)
Happy weekend.
Helen xox
i have a crush on winston. izzy doesn’t sport goggles, i may need to get her a pair. and a bow tie won’t work, she’s a girl. perhaps she needs a scarf? necklace? we’ll have to figure out something to dress the girl up. i just puppysat myself. i had that puppy for 2 nights and 2 days and by the end of day 2 i had a big crush on her. day one, not so much. i also, have to have a project to buy yarn for – so i totally understand – and i’m not the knitter that you are. one day, when i grow up, i’ll make myself a cardigan. a woman that works with “A” had this one knitted cardigan that i’ve been coveting for years. I haven’t been able to muster the courage to rob her home nor plan her demise, so one day i’ll have to knit one for myself. okay so i want to know how on earth you were able to walk away from those shelves of liberty relatively unscathed. un.be.LIEV.able i think this last part was my fave part of your aussie trip. next time don’t go to the big rock and the blazing heat open air camping and hellish adventures and just go shopping and eating lunch and pavlova in darling little spots. shopping/lunch/pavlova. that’s it. yarn and fabric. the end. :)
have a fun rest of your weekend.
:waves madly.
Oh that looks amazing! Look at all that yarn and fabric – heaven!
You were in Australia! It looks like you had an amazing time and a whole lot of fun with fabulous people. So lovely to see your photos and hear of your adventures.
you lucky girl! ;p
ooh pretty quilts and starburst babies!
what a cute puppy! He looks like a WWII pilot, lol!
Your food photos are unreal and the lamb dishes sound amazing. I love love lamb chops.
What lovely fabric shops they have.
so, was this a work trip or simply an aussie holiday? What an incredible experience.
Those shops look gorgeous…so kind of you to take pics for us so that we can oooohh…and ahhh :) Now I am in need of investigating to learn more of that tiny churn dash at Amitie…
I truly enjoy reading your trip to Australia! Must visit Australia someday!
I would have had to buy another suitcase. What a fantastic trip you had!
looks like it was a great trip Anna. so glad it all worked out.
Winston is just super cute! Just makes me want to hug him, he looks so cuddly.
An Aussie blog friend once sent me some Tim Tams. I’ve been craving them ever since! Maybe we need to have an airlift?
Awe, Winston is such a cutie! It looks like you had an awesome time, yarn, fabric, friends and food, nothing can get any better than that :)
I do believe that some of these quilts look even better than mine. Ahem.
At first I thought how restrained you were…lol. Then I remembered the price difference. I am doing the new Amitie BOM, its Jen Kingswell design so I am interested in it The first lock came and the piecing looks over my head…like a crown of thorns but pieced by machine not hand? Hmmm, this one I might make in scraps first.
Loved seeing all those fabulous pictures…those shops are to die for…I wish we had big fabric shops like that here.
Winston! I’m in love with him. What is he, a labradoodle? We are researching for our next dog as our poor old Dalmatian is going downhill faster than we want to admit. I’ve been fascinated with labradoodles and golden doodles. Winston looks very much like a labradoodle we’ve met.