In August, my husband and I went on a trip to Sydney, Australia to celebrate our 20th anniversary. When I go to any new city, especially in another country, I like to do two things–visit a grocery store and walk the aisles to see the foods and packaging of the destination, and of course, check out the fabric stores. In Sydney, I was able to do both, and managed to visit 15 fabric shops during my week there. In addition to writing an upcoming article for Threads about Fabric Shopping in Sydney, I also think it’s my professional responsibility to visit fabric resources wherever I am. After all, I’m in the business!
Before I went to Sydney, I researched the Internet with diligence to find all the possible stores in the area, and especially those I could access with public transportation or by walking. I also posted a request for information on newslists, and received an answer from someone named Alison who lived just outside Sydney. We e-mailed back and forth during the weeks before my trip about various resources I’d read about and about a Sewing & Craft show that was happening during my visit (hmmm…amazing how that happened).
Alison, who is active in the Australian Sewing Guild, volunteered to meet me and take me to some of her favorite stores while my dear husband climbed the famed Harbour Bridge. I don’t do heights, so had no interest in that adventure! Keep in mind I’d never met Alison, but that didn’t matter to me. We learned later that both husbands had posed the question, “What if she’s an axe murderer?”
However, we both knew we’d be fine–after all, we were both sewers, and what better commonality to share. We had a marvelous day!
Today I was able to take Alison, her mom and her daughter, around to Portland’s fabric stores, as they’re here on a West Coast visit. Once again, we had a great time, and she learned about Portland, as I had about Sydney under her tutelage.
There’s something that bonds sewers together, no matter what the cultural differences, the accents or even thousands of miles of separation. Isn’t that great? Enjoy your sewing friends.