Stepping into Hettie’s Patch is like entering a whimsical world from another time. Charming French and English pastoral patterns and colourful rolls of beautiful fabric draw you into the Port Road destination that is Adelaide’s home of quilt fabric, threads, and other decorator items.
Founded by Lorraine Lovell in 2005, Hettie’s Patch is where the patchwork community gather from all over the world to browse the boutique store’s hand-selected range of fabrics and patterns and to take part in specialty classes to learn and talk all things quilting.
“I opened the shop to encourage women to get together,” Lorraine says. “It doesn’t matter who they are or what they do for a living, just as long as they have a common interest in sewing. It’s [sewing] very relaxing, very good for the soul.
“We attract a lot of local people, but it is a destination,” she says. “People come from all over the place, it’s mainly women, and we get a lot of interstate customers. It’s great for socialising as well as sewing, you make a lot of friends here.”
Lorraine had no intention of opening a quilt shop but the right place at the right time was available.
“I’ve always loved fabric, I live in the area, and the perfect premises came up,” Lorraine says. “It was at the time in my life where I thought I’d like to try something different. So, I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll open a quilt shop’.”
Lorraine hand-selects quality fabric, linen, threads, and patterns from brands such as French General, Liberty of London and Valdani Threads as well as reproductions of French fabrics. There are also skin care products designed by Cath Kidston and Nathalie Lete and kits designed by Lorraine.
“We have fabrics that you can’t buy in general large stores, so they’re all specifically for quilts: pure cotton, and linen. I buy them from independent sellers, so you can’t find them in the big stores, and it’s all quality fabric,” she says.
“Most of the quilts I make now are designed for kits with a certain pattern in mind,” Lorraine says. “I make at least six new quilts a year. In amongst that we do little things like pin cushions and bags, needle cases and quite a lot of little projects because a lot of people just want to do a one-day class and make something small.”
The classes are held in two rooms upstairs directly above the shop (the owner of the building is installing a lift for those who cant walk upstairs), and participants get to gather in the gorgeous garden out the back of Lorraine’s shop for lunch.
“We bring in interstate teachers and overseas teachers when we can,” Lorraine says. “I’ve always loved fabric, and quilting is a good way to use a lot of fabric. I do like the company of other people who are interested and passionate about the same things.”
Lorraine says patchwork is becoming more popular with the young generation.
“It’s a fabulous hobby for people who have got the time,” she says. “I’ve started seeing more young girls come in who want to learn to sew and quilt. They [quilts] make fabulous gifts for people, they’re heirlooms you can keep and pass down.
“It’s so very calming,” Lorraine says of quilting, “it can be stressful if you want it to be, but I don’t let it stress me out. I just enjoy the whole process of making a quilt from beginning to end.”
Monday - Friday
10am-2pm
Saturday
10am-1pm
10am-2pm
Saturday
10am-1pm
