One fine day back in 1996, a 28 year old woman went shopping at the Melbourne Arts Centre Sunday craft market.  One of the stallholders was a funky young woman who had recently returned to Australia from the UK.  She was selling amazing hand-made hats.  The 28 year old woman bought one.

The marvellous red and black hat deserved the right dress, so the woman went to Clegs and bought some red and black fabric in the same shades and a similar texture. She matched them up with McCalls 7587, copyright 1995.

The woman then wore the hat and dress to her family Christmas celebration, which she took her new boyfriend along to.

One day in 2006, a 38 year old woman received a phone call enquiring about local playgroups. The enquirer was a funky creative woman recently returned from the UK. She went along to playgroup and the two women discovered that they had a lot in common other than having young children. They both enjoyed sewing and craft and grew up in the same area in country Victoria. Although they couldn’t both continue attending playgroup, they stayed in touch and gradually developed a close and solid friendship.

One day the first woman was looking through her cupboards and pulled down the red and black hat. She took a look inside at the label.

I know that you’ve all figured it out by now.  I bought the hat a long time ago from Nicole, and years later here we are having met up again.  I am lucky to count Nikki as a special friend.  Serendipity!

And I still have the dress, as well as the hat. By the way, I married the boyfriend I took to that family Christmas.