Last Friday Robyn and I left the city life and took to the open road with the Quilters Guild of NSW on a bus trip to Orange to immerse ourselves in quilting for the weekend.
We left Sutherland soon after 7:30am and headed for Strathfield to collect more quilters. Our first stop was Glenbrook where we had plenty of time to visit the Post Office Patchwork shop then find morning coffee and stroll through the other shops there.
On then to Blackheath. There was quite a long hold up on the way because of an horrendous accident but we were able to keep to our timetable well. Lunch and more shopping in Blackheath. I left having bought all the items on my shopping list for the weekend. The Patchwork Place shop is in a lovely cottage.
On again to Orange where five patchwork shops stayed open for us after 5pm. Here I bought a wall hanging as a present and a length of beautiful bamboo print fabric, something Surrey and I have searched high and low for both in shops and on the internet. Surrey would love it!
by the end of it all I'd had enough of quilt shops and was pleased to take the short ride to our motel, settle in and head for dinner at the Orange Ex-Services Club. The food and company was great.
Back to the motel feeling exhausted but very pleased the the day's purchases and experiences.
On Saturday we were up at a leasurely hour with breakfast at 7:15am. The bus left at 9am to take us to Lucknow and the 2 Fat Ladies clothing and gift shop. I actually bought a top for my 'mother of the groom' outfit. There was an ugh shop across the road where both Robyn and I bought new ughs.
Back in to Calare Public School, Orange to visit the quilt show, have lunch and have the general meeting of the Quilters Guild. Then there was a very inspiring show and tell session and I learned about 'leaders and enders', a technique for machine sewing. What a great idea! Robyn showed her beautiful machine quilting work on a quilt she had recently finished, inspired by a door at their house. It is magnificent.
There was a wine tasting at the Totally Local winery
and Robyn and I were able to replenish our cellars. The cheeses were
also delicious so be risked buying some of those to take home.
Back to the Templers Mill Motel where we sorted our purchases before going to dinner at the club again.
On Sunday we headed back home via Millthorpe. Here we visited Hazel's patchwork shop and also the Markets that happened to be on the weekend we were there. I was able to buy another present at the Craft Cottage. Robyn and I treated ourselves to coffee and cake at the old butchery cafe.
Further east we stopped at the Bathurst Hatched and Patched quilting shop. The owner had opened especially for us here as well. It is a lovely shop and I will have to return some day.
Just as we left Bathurst the rain started in earnest. There were violent thunder storms and heavy rain. But when we arrived in Blackheath again for a quick toilet stop it stopped raining while we were there. More rain on the mountains making driving slow for our bus driver Warren.
We arrived back at Sutherland by about 6:30pm with a tonne of purchases. I had a quick but delicious dinner at Robyn and Geoff's before coming home to collapse and enjoy a long night's sleep. A great weekend away.
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