Good Day in Melbourne

Yesterday was another nice day in Melbourne - for those I know are reading from overseas - this is our state capital, and is about a two-and-a-half hour drive from where I live. My DF (Dear friend) is working there now one or two days a week, and when they are a Wednesday or a Friday, if I have nothing on I go down with him. Then I have the car while he is at work.

This time I was heading for my favourite of all second-hand bookshops in Melbourne - more about that soon. But on the way I got caught by another one - I have seen the Merchant of Fairness in Balwyn before, but this time I could stop. It is good, well-organised and has a largeish sewing/craft section. Well, several shelves. I didn't buy there this time, but was tempted.

Then, it was on to Kew. I parked (it is in High Street, but away from the junction, the other side of the cemetery), and just happened to walk past an Op Shop on the way. Should I go in? Does a fish swim? Not a lot to tempt, but I got two doilies, pinned together, for $2. One is really nice:

The other was just a standard crochet one, but usable. Both are fairly smoked, but I think wood smoke, not tobacco smoke, as they don't have an odour. I was thinking about how to get them white again, and then realised that I would probably then throw them into tea to get them brown again. So maybe I will just wash it.

Another thing is that I usually cut these in half and piece them into a seam, but was finding it hard to know how I would cut across it - I like those big sets of three leaves, and would have to cut through one, no matter what. Although I could cut it into three and piece it into a corner. Then, on looking at the scan, I can see a tiny tear in one I cannot see just by handling it - so that is the one I will cut across.

This is a closeup of a section - I really should do some research and work out what kind of lace this is called.

Onwards, and into ABBRA CARD ABBRA ROYCROFT, the bookshop I was heading for.

Calling Lloyd's place a second-hand bookshop is a misnomer. It is packed with secondhand books and miscellania and a very organised and HUGE lot of postcards. I went through the "glamour" section, which is the lovely ladies sort, and there were a few I was tempted by for silk prints, but I desisted. There are sections like "fans", "Angels" and so on. I finally bought two local scenes, for historical purposes, a Christmas card featuring a sundial and a reproduction Suffragette card. Total - $24. No - there were five .... I forgot the double-sided one for advertising sewing thread. Bit nibbled on one side, but nice.

Then I started looking at the other bits. There are thousands of little collectable things - should have taken the camera. I was looking for a purple plastic Hoadleys (?) "tin" for Mary, but there were none there. But there was a little old toy sewing machine at $100. Tempting, but no.

Then I went (very quickly in the end) through three HUGE piles of old knitting books, Womens Weeklies etc. Didn't get time to look in them, sure there must have been heaps there. It is the sort of place where you could spend hours, but I was thinking parking tickets take a lot of money that could be better spent elsewhere, so I had to head off. But I do love that place.

Then I thought - I have half an hour up my sleeve, I need some thread and I can just call in at Bustles and Bows in Surrey Hills (I had been tatting for the Dragon vest while I had been a passenger). And there I made another lovely discovery - but that will have to wait until the next cup of coffee - this post is getting waaaaaaaay too long.

PS Lloyd Roycroft's Bookstore is 680 High St, Kew, phone 9859 4215. There may be a couple of days in the week when he is not open, but I forgot to check, so if you are going a great distance (and it is worth it), check first.