Doing the train stitch

I don't know whose quilt this is. They didn't tell us whose quilt this is! Lovely colours.

Today, I went to the Stitches and Craft show. Yesterday's rain scared me off, and 'though I had planned to go I stayed at home snuggled under a quilt reading Georgette Heyer novels and eating chocolate frogs.

There, I said it really quickly so that you wouldn't notice.

So today, off to the show! Down to Flinders Street.

- Doesn't that awning look like ric-rac?

I've never been in a completely empty train carriage before. How truly odd. Good thing I had some crochet in my purse to entertain me. And what does a girl do when she's making a scarf on the train? Why, the train stitch, of course!


The show (of which there are few to no photos: conjure up visions of colour in your minds, me lovelies) -- the show was in large buildings, threatened by rain and valiantly guarded by market makers in was proposed to be a merry, fun outdoor market. They looked very cold, actually. Not too merry, but trying with true spirit.

The main hall held lots of cheery friendly faces -- Hello blog girls! Familiar faces and new, lovely fabrics, lino badges, zine-scene, stamps and paper and bags of delight. It's great to see you there and all showing off your fabulous talents. We have so much to offer!

The show was a mixed event for me: the demographic is, as it always was, a mixture of kittens and cats, a little muddled as to what it is and who it's at. Maybe, in this first year of Living Creatively ownership, not sure where its best audience is. While a part of me wants to say that I would love to see a craft fair of the indie type here in Melbourne, I also know it's already happening, on a smaller scale, at different locations.

Part of the lovable likefulness (I just made that up) of the crafty scene here is that you have to look for it. But, like dust bunnies, and cute ones too, once you see it, you wonder how you missed so many places and things to see. It's just not mainstream, and the big shows need to cater for the big groups of people -- which is, by nature, the main stream. We've just got to make sure our little rivulet doesn't dry up.

A real highlight of the day, and something to get me thinking about the mixed love-hate relationship I have with the Stitches and Craft show, was watching 'Handmade Nation'. This film was put together by Faythe Levine, who wanted to document the stories of the crafters across the US who were defining the Indie Craft scene. Go see it if you get a chance! I thoroughly enjoyed the personalities in the film, the enjoyment in crafting and the questions it raised. Is this a passing fad? (Not for me, mate.) Whay do we love craft? (It's authentic! It's fun. It has a heart and a sense of humour, just like a good date.) Later, I bumped into Faythe on the train station platform, and wanted to tell her what a key part of the day the film had been. It was nice to chat, even though she must have talked herself hoarse after days of promoting and introducing the film. Thank you!

A word of advice to marading crafters?

I should be off, but I wanted to say a big WELL DONE to all of the blogland superstars who bravely put their wares on show, invested time and love and colour and spirit in the show. I'm proud of you. You lot done good.