Frangipani Fabrics

Make a Bell & Bird Christmas Wreath in #ShopShowcase with Frangipani Fabrics in Sandy Bay, Tasmania.

Check out Bell And Bird Christmas Wreath on Cut Out + Keep

How did you get started?

Modern Hobart sewing nook Frangipani Fabrics started in 2000 when my mum Ann and I quit our day jobs and surrendered to the crafty cause. We started the shop in Darwin in Australia's tropical north, but escaped from the Cane Toads and cyclones and relocated to Tasmania in 2008.

We love what we do and truly believe in the meditative and restorative powers of doing creative things (I’ve seen it in action many times!) and know that small, independent craft shops like ours have a special place in people’s lives.

Where are you located?

In a sunny cottage in the river-side suburb of Sandy Bay, in Tasmanian's capital city, Hobart. We have a big class area and pack our week with sewing classes for all ages and skill levels.

Which products do you specialise in?

At Frangipani Fabrics our first love is modern fabrics and quilts. We’re so excited to be part of the modern quilting movement that is going global at the moment & try to fill the shop with modern fabrics (including Cotton and Steel, Tula Pink, Carolyn Freidlander and Cloud 9) and patterns (Elizabeth Hartmann, Jess Frost, Jaybird Quilts, Zakka Workshop and Carolyn Freidlander). We are proud founding members of the Tassie Modern Quilt Guild.

We love working with wool felt and other natural fibres and sell sewing projects with a difference that we know our customers will enjoy. We also specialise in modern soft toy patterns and supplies (we're big fans of Ric Rac and May Blossom).

Do you have a particular favorite product that you sell?

I love our new range of Christmas woodland stitcheries by staff member Gabriella Adams. These magical embroideries are on wool felt, feature unicorns, foxes, toadstools and a winter tree and sit in little 3" mini hoops.

What's on the stereo?

ABC Classic FM

Where else should we visit in your area?

There's too much to choose from! A great day would start off with a coffee from our favourite baristas at local coffee shop Sash, a picnic in the Botanical Gardens, and shopping in picturesque Salamanca Place.

Do you host any workshops, classes or special events?

We have had so many exciting classes this year. From Elizabeth Hartmann's Aviatrix Medallion and Karlee Porter's Graffiti Quilting method. We're just about to start Katja Marek's Millefiore Hexagon Block of the Month where students will hand piece her amazing rosettes full of intricate geometric shapes.

We run friendly drop in sewing classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays. These classes are fantastic because students can come and sew anything (from a felt fox, to a frock) and we’re there to support them. No question is too silly (“which way up does my bobbin go?”, “what happens when I press this button?”). We’re experts at unjamming machines.

My favourite class is our kids' class where kids as young as nine are sewing toy chameleons, sharks, and pixel quilts.