Saturday at Let's Get Stitched...

Saturday was a free day at LGS and all the ladies went off to do 'their own thing'. I was extremely lucky that a blogger friend who lives in Melbourne had offered to show me around...how lucky was I?

Firstly Vireya took me to the suburb of Brunswick where we visited GJ Fabrics and Rathdowne Remnants. I had so much fun looking through both these places.

Firstly GJ Fabrics

At Rathdowne Remnants a collection of old sewing machines were a feature...

Then we caught a tram to the city and our first stop was the State Library. The dome which is a feature of the library's ceiling/roof had been covered in. Since my last visit to this building, the dome has been uncovered. 

It has made a huge difference to this beautiful old building which was started in 1854...which is old in Aussie terms. 

The library always features various displays...

The next photo was taken at the front of the library...there are red bean bags dotted around on the lawn...as you can see many people enjoy a lounge on a bean bag....

We walked on a bit further and Vireya took me to a yarn shop called Morris and Sons...an absolutely beautiful shop...so many beautiful yarns. 

In the same building that the yarn shop was in was a little cafe that Vireya recommended; the food and coffee were superb. 

Then Vireya took me to a shop called L'uccello's which sells beautiful vintage haberdashery items...a truly beautiful shop with lovely staff. On the same floor we also visited a wonderful button shop and a shop specializing in Asian fabrics

Photos taken in L'ucellos...

Then we wandered along the lovely Melbourne streets where Vireya pointed out some of the lovely old buildings...where I come from, very few old buildings survive, being the victims of the wrecker's ball in the 1960-1970s...I love to look at these beautiful old buildings...

Vireya showed me where I was to meet my niece at 3.30. Meg was coming to Melbourne on the train after finishing her shift as a nurse...this was so lovely of her.

As well as showing me around, Vireya also made sure I knew what tram to catch back to my motel, where I should catch it and very importantly, what stop I had to get off at in Preston. I was very grateful for all that information. When Vireya was heading off to catch her train, she gave me a jar of honey from her own beehives...how special is that? 

My beautiful niece Meg...

I caught the tram back to Preston and arrived just in time for the LGS dinner at Stolberg's Beer Cafe...that's what it is called but just seemed like a pub to me. The food was good and the conversation great but by 8.30 most of us are ready to head off to our rooms and 'collapse' after such a busy and wonderful day.