You Know You're a Stitcher When....

Acquiring stash in Melbourne.

You can obtain kits from Spotlight and Lincraft ( branches all over
Melbourne). I like the Lazy Daisy in Heidelberg.

There are also a couple of mail order companies such as The fox collection
which is a magazine has more complex kits and patterns. Also the craft
mailbox.

Riot attack ( many branches is also a good place to get floss. Unfortunately
there tends to be a limited variety of goods in Melbourne and I often shop
on the internet from overseas companies.

Debbie

"koalamom" wrote in message
om...
Deb Milner wrote in message
. ..

[snip ]


When I was there, one of the clients took me there on Saturday. I had
SO much fun, that I had to buy another large suitcase when there (at
the market of course).

When I returned home, when going through customs, I gave them my
declaration sheet, but was also asked if I had anything to declare.

My response was "Only that I am in SO much trouble when my DH sees the
new suitcase and how full it is".

The customs inspector laughed and sent me through.

DH reacted....well, let's say I still get teased about that trip.

Did you ever find any stash at the Vic Market ? During my 3 trips
there, I never did. Seemed like that they had everything but. ( and
for the uninitiated, Deb and I do mean everything ). To get stash
with an Australian theme over the years I have 1) gotten two gifts
from my mother-in-law 2) created my own stash through PC Stitch 3)
purchased Allura's Australia in Cross Stitch from a major bookstore 4)
some tearouts from my mother-in-law's Better Homes and Gardens [ Aus.
version ] 5) Ebay purchases [ haven't seen them yet, my MIL is keeping
them for me until I get there. Two big pattern books, too costly to
mail.

Isnt't that the worst ? When you know you have stash, someone else in
the family volunteers to keep it for you, and you haven't even seen it
yet ? ;-) ...

To Melbourne stitchers, where are the best places in the city to get
stash ?

Julie

snip To Melbourne stitchers, where are the best places in the city to
get
stash ?

Julie snip

http://www.stitches.com.au is on twice a year in Melbourne. A whole range
of traders and quite a few classes available. Other smaller craft shows can
be found here http://www.marketsandfairs.com.au/ .

Chris, NSW

Take a trip out to Geelong and call in on us.
Regards
Alan Binding
Bellarine Cross Stitch
35 Watson Avenue
Belmont, Geelong VIC 3216
AUSTRALIA
On-Line store www.vicstitch.com.au
email

"Chris" wrote in message
u...
snip To Melbourne stitchers, where are the best places in the city
to
get
stash ?

Julie snip

http://www.stitches.com.au is on twice a year in Melbourne. A whole range
of traders and quite a few classes available. Other smaller craft shows
can
be found here http://www.marketsandfairs.com.au/ .

Chris, NSW

"Alan Binding" wrote in message ...

Take a trip out to Geelong and call in on us.
Regards
Alan Binding
Bellarine Cross Stitch
35 Watson Avenue
Belmont, Geelong VIC 3216
AUSTRALIA
On-Line store www.vicstitch.com.au
email


Alan, I don't know when or if I will be able to get down to Geelong,
but I can always get to a computer ;-) ... I checked your website
today and I am impressed, there are lots of nice things on there. You
carry the Silkstone line ( of which I already have one ) and Couchman
Creations ( of which I have two ). I am curious, though, to see if
you have anything that is Aboriginal ? Specifically, I am looking for
some Aboriginal designs and don't have anything like that yet. Not a
specific one, but in general, I just want to see what is out there. I
have been looking for years and this seems a terribly underrepresented
market out there as far as designs go. Any thing you carry fall into
this category ?

Julie

"Chris" wrote in message . au...
snip To Melbourne stitchers, where are the best places in the city to
get
stash ?

Julie snip

http://www.stitches.com.au is on twice a year in Melbourne.

Chris, I was up and down and all over this website today and I didn't
see anything for cross stitch there. Making teddy bears, making
dolls, making quilts and various paint or crafty type projects not
involving Aida/Linens, etc. If you have been to this show before, can
you tell me what is the percentage of the show is devoted exclusively
to cross stitch things ? On one previous trip to Australia, we
happened to cross paths with a craft show in Bendigo. My in-laws live
in Castlemaine and we were up in Bendigo shopping for the day. This
craft show had all sorts of crafts ( homemade candles, hand made
birdhouses, handmade dolls and clothes, etc. ). The only stitching
things that they had were several booths where you could purchase
materials. Linen, Aida, and so forth. There were no charts nor
threads for purchase. I got the impression from that the cross
stitch, per se, isn't a large percentage of the craft scene in
Australia. Looking through the website you listed here, while these
are all nice things, just furthered my impression about percentage of
the craft market devoted to cross stitch in Australia. Thanks again
and if you can tell me more, maybe I am missing something ?

Julie

Cross stitch scene in Australia:

There isn't much of one - sorry to disappoint! The craft shows are
generally full of scrapbooking, patchwork etc, but not so strong on
the needlework. You would find it difficult to find more than a couple
of stands with a strong cross stitch focus.

The Australian magazine "Embroidery and Cross Stitch" struggles to
find designers to design cross stitches for them, so while you would
think by being in the title, that it should make a large percentage of
the magazine's content, there's usually only one project (out of about
12) per issue.

Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch and Beading Magazine is a source for
Australian content cross stitches, and focusses heavily on cross
stitch.

Most needlework shops would stock some cross stitch kits, and a good
range of threads e.g. DMC, and some specialty ones like Gumnut Yarns,
some of the interesting Anchor ones, Kacoonda, and others.

But as for a strong focus on cross stitch in Australia - perhaps you'd
better create it! And for the record, its not something that really
interests me either, but I'm happy to help with info!

Yvette
Sydney, Australia

(Yvette) wrote in message . com...
Cross stitch scene in Australia:

There isn't much of one - sorry to disappoint! The craft shows are
generally full of scrapbooking, patchwork etc, but not so strong on
the needlework. You would find it difficult to find more than a couple
of stands with a strong cross stitch focus.

The Australian magazine "Embroidery and Cross Stitch" struggles to
find designers to design cross stitches for them, so while you would
think by being in the title, that it should make a large percentage of
the magazine's content, there's usually only one project (out of about
12) per issue.

Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch and Beading Magazine is a source for
Australian content cross stitches, and focusses heavily on cross
stitch.

Most needlework shops would stock some cross stitch kits, and a good
range of threads e.g. DMC, and some specialty ones like Gumnut Yarns,
some of the interesting Anchor ones, Kacoonda, and others.

But as for a strong focus on cross stitch in Australia - perhaps you'd
better create it! And for the record, its not something that really
interests me either, but I'm happy to help with info!

Yvette
Sydney, Australia


Thanks for the help, Yvette. Any input I can get would be nice
...... I have a favorite designer that I prefer and I can order from
her directly at the same price that my preferred shop would use. This
shop also has both an online ordering capacity and also won't be too
far to drive to from where I will be living. That way I can order
online or visit them depending on my available time. I have enough
stash at this point that at least initially, my shopping will be for
materials and thread and not patterns, per se, I think ...... I don't
understand why there aren't more fans of cross stitch in Australia.
Maybe I can get Jill's magazines regularly once I get settled in with
a regular address ? Does anyone know how much in Aus $ an annual
subscription costs these days ? And does she have a link to this
magazine ? Maybe I can get a subscription online ..... I will
put it into my wish list for Mothers Day and then can just transfer
the mailing address this winter ;-) .... Julie

Hi Julie,

I don't think it's quite as bad as Yvette said. Well, not in Perth anyway.
There are several places one can buy cross stitch supplies, both in real
life and on the net. There is at least one store in Perth which is a
needlework store, rather than a craft store, but I'm sure there are others
too. So there must be some interest.

The newsagents are full of cross stitch mag's from UK, USA and Australia
(not so many of those.) Jill Oxton's is probably the most well known
Australian one. The website is http://www.jdcc.com.au/jilloxton-xstitch/

As far as craft fairs, the 'Stitches and Craft' or 'Needlework, Craft and
Quilt Fair' both seem to have plenty of cross stitch stuff in them, amongst
all the other crafts (not that 'Stitches and Crafts' has come over to Perth
in a long time, but that's another story...).

Okay, so we don't have as much as the USA does, but you can still get hold
of just about any cross stitch related stuff if you just know where to look.
:-)

HTH
--
Leigh
Perth, Western Australia
Real email is bearleigh at bigpond dot com

On 15 Jan 2004 03:54:50 -0800, (koalamom)
wrote:


Did you ever find any stash at the Vic Market ? During my 3 trips

I was only there the one time, but no, I did not see any stash.
Probably a good thing, the ATM and were having frequent conversations
that day as it was. I'm not kidding when I say I had to buy a new
suitcase (large one) AND one of the striped tote bags that is about
the same size as the large suitcase....grin

for the uninitiated, Deb and I do mean everything ). To get stash

Oh, yes. I have to tell you, I truly wish I had that meat market near
to me.


--
Deb

WIP: How Great Thou Art (Leisure Arts Greatest Hymns II)

"Leigh Harris" wrote in message ...
Hi Julie,

I don't think it's quite as bad as Yvette said. Well, not in Perth anyway.
There are several places one can buy cross stitch supplies, both in real
life and on the net. There is at least one store in Perth which is a
needlework store, rather than a craft store, but I'm sure there are others
too. So there must be some interest.

Sorry,

I hope I haven't misled you. Yes, as Leigh says, there are certainly
places you can buy both supplies and kits, but I was thinking in terms
of what the cross stitch scene in America appears to be like (from
reading all the cross stitch themed posts) and what it is like in
Australia. It was a comparison, and in comparison, it is very small.

The four shops in Sydney (all small operators, not large chains) that
I frequent all stock a large range of floss, and a range of kits. Its
just that the interest isn't as high here, (I've no idea why!) and
therefore the market does not demand such a range.

I'll see what I can find out about Jill Oxton's magazine for you.
Remind me by email if I forget! (I'm pregnant!)

Sorry if I misled you. But unfortunately I just don't want to get your
hopes up unnecessarily. You could do a search on Peg Fraser, Sarah L
Ricketts and Persephone Designs if you're interested in Australian
well knownish cross stitch designers.

Yvette