I went for an afternoon drive

The afternoon often finds me in the car. Mr S is a terrible daytime sleeper (solid 8 hours at night so I'm not complaining), but the combination of the car's movement and Mozart often does the trick!

Yesterday, I thought I'd drive to the little country town of Loch, about an hour from my home, to visit The Quilter's Barn and the town's collection of antique shops.

I have in mind a quilt for Mr S, based on this lovely little sun hat I bought him from Jasper Junior (a great toy shop in Melbourne, that also stocks some fun hand made clothes).

Alas, no suitable fabrics there.

Instead I found some more strawberry fabrics for another quilt I have in the planning stage.

Today is Loch's annual Quilt Hanging Festival. So the Quilter's Barn is also having a fabric sale. Unfortunately, it's expected to be a hot day (around 34 deg C), so there is no way I would take Mr S there today. Yesterday, they were getting it ready in their big teaching room and weren't letting customers in despite some disappointed noises. However, when they heard I was collecting strawberry fabric they took me in to show me a few bolts. I bought a metre of a pink linen with large strawberries, and nearly 6m of a cotton I think I'll use for the backing. It was reduced to $5 a metre - a bargin!! I had only intended to buy a metre, but when it was opened out I thought it would be perfect.

And here are some of the fabrics I've collected - I know it's very sugary sweet - not my normal taste at all - but I think I'm compensating for a childhood deprivation. My mother would never have allowed something so saccharin into the house! Generally I agree with her, but sometimes you need to feed the inner child, and mine has an occasional need to be a 'girly girl'!