Craft & Quilt Fair 2009 Arrives in Melbourne

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The Craft & Quilt Fair is on again at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 23 July to 26 July 2009. Highlights of this year’s fair include the Victorian Quilters’ Quilt Showcase and The Melbourne Bead Fair. And of course, there will be lots of fresh craft ideas, inspirational displays, hands-on fun in classes, expert know-how in workshops and demonstrations.

As the only event to be held in conjunction with the Victorian Quilters Inc annual Quilt Showcase, the Craft & Quilt Fair in Melbourne will display over two hundred quilts from members of the association. As a major fair feature every year, the exhibition attracts numerous visitors eager to admire the various techniques and styles of local novice and expert quilters.

In a Fair first, Fiskars have partnered with the Craft & Quilt Fairs, to present Fiskars’ Craft Studio – a hands-on learning area where you’ll see Fiskars’ great range of quality craft products and have the opportunity to get creative with crafty punches, stunning embellishments, different adhesives and trimmers. Scrapbookers won’t want to miss this fantastic opportunity to road test the very best before purchasing exactly what they’re after from nearby exhibitors.

Aspiring and experienced designers will love EXOTICA! Inspired by the concept of exotica and its meaning of
remarkably strange or rare objects, members of ATASDA (Australian Textile Arts & Surface Design Association Inc) have created three displays of colourful artworks for their 2009 exhibition in celebration of their 35th anniversary. You’ll see amazing collaborations from talented textile artists in the Bugs and Botanica, Cartouche and Masks, Hats and Headdresses displays. In full exotica spirit, ATASDA members will don their most exotic finery and conduct demonstrations.

Special guest at this year’s event is the internationally acclaimed Felt Artist Wendy Bailye. Embracing the
ancient textile art of felt to great effect, Wendy has sold her pieces to art collectors in Germany, Japan and Hong Kong, and will display a collection of her wearable arts, decorator items and large felt artworks at the Fair.

For the cost of admission, visitors will have access not only to the Craft & Quilt Fair and the Quilt Showcase, but to the Bead Fair – a boutique show, dedicated to beads. Buy the latest beads and tools, be inspired by special displays and learn the latest techniques in Make & Take Classes.

Plus all of Australia’s best craft retailers will be in town for the five days of Craft & Quilt Fair, which means you’ll have the opportunity to stock up on the latest and most unique craft supplies and tools.

THE MELBOURNE BEAD FAIR
To meet the growing demand of beading enthusiasts, organisers of the Melbourne Craft & Quilt Fair have incorporated a Bead Fair within the fair. The Melbourne Bead Fair is a MUST see for budding and experienced beaders and craft enthusiasts, with exhibitors from around Australia and as far afield as Malaysia. Plus the Melbourne Bead Fair has on offer the latest in beads, beads supplies, tuition and everything else needed to create your own personalised fashion accessories.

A highlight of the Melbourne Bead Fair is an exhibition of finalists from the Swarovski 2008 Create Your Own Style Creative Beading Awards. In its third year running, these amazing pieces from talented beading artists around Australia and New Zealand utilise Swarovski crystals to create highly innovative and inspiring works.

First place winner, NSW beader Caroline Lan-San Fung created a brooch ‘Dance of the Phoenix’ utilising the pear shaped Fire Opal Swarovski Crystals and inspired by a recent trip to Thailand where Thai Dancers wore their bright red and gold coloured costumes. Caroline, who is a self taught beader with five years experience, says she wanted to incorporate femininity, elegance and the exotic into her creation – just like the Oriental Dancers.

Self taught Melbourne beader, Lauren Elise Macgregor was awarded third place for her creation Daoine Sidhe (pronounced Dae-Na Shee) which is Gaelic for Faerie Folk. Her inspiration came from the work of her favourite artist Brian Fraud and one of his particular drawings in his ‘Faeries’ book, a pencil sketch of a Faerie sitting atop a toadstool with intricate detailed wings. Lauren’s necklace echoed the beauty of the wings using vibrant and beautiful colours with silk and Swarovski crystals. Lauren spent around 150 hours creating the necklace which she says ‘kept her sane’ while she was confined to the couch for two weeks after an operation.

The Bead Society of Victoria will also be celebrating their 15th anniversary at the Melbourne Bead Fair with a fascinating retrospective display of the changing trends in beading over the last 15 years. A large selection of members work will be on display, including many recent entries to their annual bead challenge. Items will include jewellery, beaded dresses and accessories, and beaded artwork. Visitors can also view a typical beaders table set up, showing what tools and items are typically used. There will also be demonstrations showcasing beadwork techniques such as peyote stitch, brick stitch, wirework and chain maille.

Glass fusing artist Pearl Toh will also be displaying her unique creations at the Bead Fair. Unlike others who use an everyday microwave to heat up or thaw out meals, Pearl uses her microwave to create unusual and inspiring pieces of glass fused jewellery! For the first time at the Melbourne Craft Fair, Pearl will also be running glass fusing microwave kiln workshops, giving fairgoers a unique opportunity to learn this innovative craft. Workshops will be held daily at 9.45am.

Bob Xu from Melbourne Pearl Specialists will be exhibiting a range of his exquisite pearls at the Melbourne Bead Fair. They have their own pearl farm in China, to ensure the quality and wide variety of their products which includes around 200 kinds of different loose pearls and around 200 finished products including pearl necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants and brooches. Bob will also be on hand to give advice on looking after pearls. His “pearls” of wisdom include the reason that pearls are best stored in a bag of soft cloth or silk or velvet box (rather than plastic) is because pearls are considered to be able to breathe even after they are taken out of the oysters or shells.

Another local, Brunswick based Dragonfly Blue, will be showcasing a large variety of beads from around the world at the Fair. They stock thousands of different beads including metal, charms, spacers and toggles, beautiful hand made glass beads, foil seed beads, pearls, porcelain, semi precious and a large variety of chains and findings.

The Craft & Quilt Fair will be held at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Southbank, from July 23 – 26 2009.

Tickets cost: Adults: $16, Seniors/Pensioners: $15, Children (5-16yrs): $8, Children (under 5yrs):
FREE, Family (2A + 2C): $39. Group bookings are available for groups of a minimum of 10 people at a discounted rate. To arrange a group call (02) 9452 7575. Tickets are available at the door or online at http://www.craftfair.com.au

For further information visit the website http://www.craftfair.com.au or call 02 9452 7575.