Every once in a while it’s nice to get away with friends to do some therapeutic shopping for fabric. So on an overcast June morning threatening rain, a bunch of us got together to do just that.
The Red Red Bobbin
At the Red Red Bobbin. This scene looks familiar!
Our main goal was to visit a shop catering to those of us who love bright, clear colored fabrics – the Red Red Bobbin just outside Brantford, Ontario.
Every summer the Red Red Bobbin has a 2 day ‘Clothesline Show & Sale’. The shop itself is in the owners’ home, a circa 1870’s yellow brick beauty. They’ve devoted their main floor to the quilt shop.
During the sale one of the big draws is the 3 yards for the price of 1 sale which takes place in their detached garage which is annexed for the event. Because of the threat of rain, the Clothesline Show was not set up on the day we visited. Oh well, next year perhaps!
Crafty Gal
Trula and Brenda, with an Everything Goes Bag hanging on the right and a Voyager Bag on the left.
Parking is mostly along Mt. Pleasant Drive due to the crowds that visit, and as we walked up the gravel drive, I couldn’t help but notice a tent filled with beautiful bags for sale, several of which were made from my patterns. The owner and creative force behind the display, Trula James calls her business CraftyGal. Trula makes of all of these lovely bags herself.
Laden with purchases made in the garage, I then entered the shop itself inside the main house. The colors inside are as fresh as a daisy to match the pretty, bright fabrics on display.
Being an animal lover, it was sweet to find a specially upholstered chair in snazzy fabrics for Lucy, the beloved fur baby of the family.
Every fabric in the house was offered at 10% off and I found a nice selection of delectable prints to carry home with me. Next year the sale takes place from July 20 – 21st so mark your calendars!
Lunch at the Healthy Rabbit
From there it was on to a vegan restaurant for lunch called the Healthy Rabbit located in Brantford, Ontario. The food was simply delicious. Surprisingly, the restaurant is mostly run by a dedicated group of volunteers who believe in healthy eating habits.
Mary Maxim
Next we piled into the car to visit Mary Maxim in Paris, Ontario. I’ve gotten to know some of the staff at Mary Maxim because they run a booth opposite my own at CreativFestival in Toronto.
The Girlfriends Bag at Mary Maxim in Paris
It was nice to see several displays featuring my bags as well as my bag zipper displays in the shop. Once again, none of us left empty handed.
Country Patchworks
Our next stop, where I really did some serious shopping, was just outside Woodstock, Ontario at Country Patchworks.
I had admired the cute footstool kits that Deb Eddy and her son Adam of Eddycrest Sewing Furniture had for sale at CreativFestival. They had already sold out when I visited them there, but this day I was able to buy the kit and fabric I needed before we all headed home with much lighter wallets!
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