Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute

BMI Members Christmas Party with the Ballarat Singers
2023-12-11 17:30 - 19:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
In Conversation with Chrissie Bellbrae

September 18

@

6:00 pm

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7:30 pm

$11.78

Humffray Room

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The Florentine Quilt

Chrissie Bellbrae

‘Breath-taking settings, strong female characters, mystery, intrigue and romance … The Florentine Quilt has it all, and will keep you up turning the pages long after your usual bedtime.’ – Pamela Cook, author, writing coach and podcaster.

‘Three women connected in time to a medieval quilt and an ancient tale of forbidden love.’

Australian textile conservator, Theodora Harris, is grieving her grandmother’s death when offered an internship to restore a medieval quilt depicting a legend steeped in Celtic folklore. But while the hero Tristan is lauded in the design, his true love, Isolde’s story is missing. As each scene is restored, Theodora’s powerful connection to the quilt brings family secrets to the surface and the threads of long lost love refuse to let her go. 1896: Gifted healer Amelia Treloar should have foreseen the signs after sailing from the wild Cornish coast to join her husband in the Australian mining town of Walhalla. 1875: Florence Trevelyan is exiled from Queen Victoria’s court for following her heart. But she’ll never abandon her search to reclaim the one she left behind. Each woman pays the price for love— and for her differences. Is the missing scene from the Florentine quilt the key to unlocking more than one woman’s forgotten story?

The Florentine Quilt | Chrissie Bellbrae

About the author

Chrissie Bellbrae, Author

Chrissie Bellbrae’s first stories were crafted playing families with dressmaking patterns at her mother’s feet while the sewing machine hummed in the background. While working in education, she undertook a Fiona McIntosh Masterclass and hasn’t stopped writing since. Tempted to explore the rabbit holes within her own family history— Chrissie’s narratives transport readers from past to present, and create more significantly interesting lives for her ancestors than they possibly ever lived. Her debut novel, The Florentine Quilt, was inspired by a life-long interest in art, textiles and tales her grandmother told her. Lured to the beauty of salt water, Chrissie acknowledges that she lives and writes on the coast of Wadawurrung Country.

This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

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This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

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