Today is a public holiday here in Australia. AUSTRALIA DAY to be exact. So in true Aussie style, our family is heading down to the beach to meet up with a couple of other families, and will spend the afternoon sitting in the sunshine, having a few drinks and cooking up a bbq lunch.
Today, I'd like to share with you my perspective on being a quilter in Australia. Angie from Gnome Angel threw the idea out there........so thanks Angie! You're making me think out loud!
Living in Australia can sometimes feel like you are so completely removed from the rest of the world. At times, I watch news reports and read stories of far away places, and it's hard to imagine such things are happening? But then other times, it's like the world has landed on our doorstep!
Being a quilter in Australia is somewhat the same! By that, I mean you see all of these amazing quilt shows, websites and fabric stores in other countries and you think - "why don't we have that here?!?!!?" And then next thing you know - you discover an amazing quilt shop and someone starts the first Modern Quilt Show in Australia! You get yourself an Instagram account and discover UH-mazing and talented Aussies doing the stuff you've been coveting from international crafters! And then, then you dig a little deeper, and you find an endless array of fabulous Aussies in the Blogosphere. It's quite simply - Inspiring.
Australians are a loyal bunch. And supportive - OH SO supportive. We like to see one another succeed, and once a friendship is formed, it generally lasts forever (well, for me anyway!). Over the past couple of years, I have been lucky enough to make friends with a whole bunch of Aussie quilters, and at times, they have been the ones who have encouraged me to go forward with ideas - whether it be patterns, fabric swaps or even just a quilt I'm constructing. I've met a number of these lovely peeps, and although the majority of our interaction is online, knowing they live in the same country, and that I CAN actually go and catch up with them is really lovely.......
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| Angie and I meeting up at the Quilting Show in Melbourne last year... |
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| Alyce and I spent the day fabric shopping in Tokyo in October.... |
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| Some of the gals from the Melbourne MQG on white glove duty at the Stitches & Craft Show in Melbourne 2014. |
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| Ros & Abby met up with me for a day of fabric shopping & lunch last year.... |
This past year has been HUGE for me. I was published in Make Modern Magazine with my very own quilt pattern, and continue to write my Domestic Quilting Goddess column each issue. I started the Aussie Charm Swaps, and in turn, am encouraging Australian quilters & crafters to support Australian businesses by having them as sponsors of giveaways. AND I have expanded my small business to selling Aurifil threads here in Australia. All of these things could not have been possible without the ongoing support of my Aussie quilting friends, and I am ever so grateful for that!
The talent of so many Australian quilters is being recognised world wide, and I have so many wonderful people to look up to. Wishing you all a very happy Australia Day and I hope that you are all spending the day doing something you love, with the people you love.
You can catch up with some other Aussies here:
You can catch up with some other Aussies here:
Happy Australia Day. Great post. Nice to get to know you better! And someday I would LUV to visit your homeland!
ReplyDeleteGreat words + pics Melissa! - I so want to meet more Australian quilters this year - I've had a drink with Angie in Canberra, and met some of my QuiltCon girls already - and would love to meet more! - maybe the Woollongong quilt show, not sure ... you are so right though, it's great to know we are at least close enough to meet up! Cat
ReplyDeleteYou have friends here too..
ReplyDeleteMe
Keep inspiring us Melissa!
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