Boutique and unique: Katrina Weber and Farley Wright of Kitty Came Home

Above: Katrina Weber and Farley Wright in their Goolwa studio.

Story by Poppy Fitzpatrick.

If you were to misplace your purse, you’d likely panic at the loss of its contents over the vessel itself. That is, of course, unless the purse resembled the careful craftsmanship of two passionate Goolwa-based designer-makers, using all Australian-sourced materials. Such an artwork isn’t as easy to replace as an old battered credit card.

When Katrina Weber lost her purse amid the chaos of the Adelaide Central Market in 2004, her search for a replacement that was both original and practical proved a difficult task. As a jewellery designer who struggles to keep her hands still, the natural next move was to create a replacement from scratch. Hand stitching some of her grandmother’s old fabric together with some clear PVC, Katrina crafted a winning design.

The misplaced purse wasn’t the only moment of serendipity in Katrina’s life at this time. While working on her jewellery and living in an Adelaide artist cooperative, Katrina met Farley Wright. Their passions were well matched; Katrina’s relentless addiction to creating was the perfect complement to Farley’s business skills.

As her purse began catching the eyes of friends and eventually an interstate retailer, Kitty Came Home was born. The name, a nod to the countless times Katrina – or ‘Kat’ – would return home with carloads of secondhand fabrics collected from far and wide, now also stands as a fond memory of their late cat Fella who pawed over their creations for a whopping nineteen years.

While Katrina assumed the role of artistic director, Farley took the title of business manager – but when it comes to the work, the pair operate as one. Every single purse is the product of four intertwined hands cutting, measuring, positioning and stitching. The intricacy means the work is intimate, and since the pandemic removed them from their studio in Goolwa’s industrial district, the line between their label and life has become increasingly blurred. Katrina and Farley’s workspace overlooks their garden; industrial sewing machines present daily obstacles to their wardrobe; and their vast collection of fabrics surround them in neat stacks.

But it’s clear this work and life overlap doesn’t bother them in the slightest. An appreciation for process and detail is a common thread throughout their life and the pair maintain a shared and genuine reverence for the concept of ‘handmade’. Some of their earliest customers still reconnect to have their purses restored after a few years of loving wear and tear. This commitment to their craft not only allows them to be connected to every step of the process, but also ensures waste is minimal. Even their packaging is custom-made, using boxes salvaged from the local bottle shop, often adorned with the excess fabric of the design contained within.

‘We get lots of complaints about the packaging, from people saying, “The packaging is too beautiful, I don’t want to open it!”’ Farley said.

Entering the seventeenth year of Kitty Came Home, the cancellation of countless art markets across Australia has been a heavy blow. Besides a few stockists scattered throughout the state including Fleurieu Arthouse, sales have shifted primarily to their online store, which has been pushed to its limits. During Melbourne’s coronavirus outbreak, Katrina and Farley produced a huge volume of fabric face masks from their fabric collection and offcuts from Frock Me Out in Goodwood. After an entire week tied to their sewing machines on minimal sleep, they watched in awe as the online release sold out in a mere seven minutes.

Collaborations with their broader community of designers, including Fleurieu artist Dana Kinter who previously worked with fashion designer Gorman, allow them to support each other while reaching new audiences. The pair were thrilled to pass on the same support to emerging artist Jessica Royans of Birds Nests For Hair, with a stunning collaboration of purses, journals and jewellery.

Katrina and Farley are looking forward to a new collaborative artist release in coming months, while channeling their unending stream of ideas into more projects and evolutions of the brand. With their nomadic, market-chasing lifestyle brought to a halt, it seems that Kitty has come home to the Fleurieu – and might just be staying home for a while.

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Story by Poppy Fitzpatrick. Photography by Jason Porter.

Page left and above: The interiors, design, food and signage at Valley of Yore has been a thoughtfully crafted collaboration between the owners and their extended community of friends, chefs, architects and locals – who have all put their hands up to help create this special café.

The frustrating thing about clichés like ‘everything happens for a reason’ or ‘when one door closes another one opens’ is that they almost always turn out to be true. For Holly and Nigel Wyatt, an exhausting year of doors slamming shut in every direction led them to one unassuming, rusty roller shutter sitting ever so slightly ajar in Myponga’s main street.

Many readers would recognise Holly as a beloved and valued member of the Fleurieu Living team. She and Nigel moved to Myponga five years ago and while Holly’s work at the magazine meant the couple’s network grew far and wide, there never seemed to be a place to connect with their immediate Myponga community beyond the odd wave at the general store. Add to this Nigel’s daily commute to Port Adelaide for work and their busy home life with their two young sons, Emerson and Abel, and there was rarely a chance to forge strong local connections.

The pair had always nursed an ever-evolving vision for creating their own cafe or concept store – a distant plan that Nigel’s father Ralphie had eagerly encouraged them to pursue. ‘We’d say, “yes Dad, but we don’t have the money, I need to work, we have kids.’ But he’d just say we have to do it,”’ Nigel said. Alas, life took control with a slew of unfortunate events, which ironically laid the foundation to pursue the very dream they’d been putting off. Nigel was unexpectedly made redundant from a social work role he was passionately devoted to, his beloved father Ralphie passed away and the world was sent into pandemic chaos all in one fell swoop. When a neglected space inside the old Myponga Cheese Factory became available, Holly and Nigel took the leap – and Ralphie finally got his way.

The pair have worked tirelessly to rejuvenate the space, including the painstaking work of repainting the rafters and chipping back the paint on the walls. But a tremendous workload was made significantly lighter with the help of many generous folk. Friends and – helpfully – architects Steve Hooper and James Martin of Skein assisted in drawing up interior plans, while Gab Fantner dedicated many effortful days and his unrelenting attention to detail to the project, never expecting anything but friendship in return. Repaying these contributions individually feels impossible to Holly and Nigel. Instead, they express their gratitude to their community through the cafe itself – in its warm and welcoming style, its embrace of local makers and in its name.

‘Valley’ speaks both to the old township of Lovely Valley that now sits beneath the reservoir, as well as Hope Valley Football Club, a place where Nigel’s late father was a familiar community fixture and welcoming face for newcomers. ‘Yore’ represents old community traditions and values, supporting local producers and makers, and actively connecting with the lives of those around you. >

This page: At Valley of Yore Holly and Nigel Wyatt (bottom left) have curated a collection of good food, bespoke products and good design (including the Enoki inspired lights) and above all, positive vibes. Photo middle left by Tamara Robinson. Photo bottom left by Lou Nicholson.

Although only opening in early January, Valley of Yore seems to already be doing just that.

The smell of Fleurieu-roasted De Groot Coffee wafts up to the mezzanine, which offers teasing views of the reservoir. Crusty loaves of bread and other treats by the Uprising Baker adorn the counter, while local books and other bespoke products fill the corners. I sip my coffee from a ceramic cup sourced at the Myponga Markets next door. Holly and Nigel want to use the cafe’s interior to spotlight as many South Australian and Australian brands as possible, including the stunning over-counter lighting displays by Bernadette Kelly of Port Elliot’s Rollo and the seminal influence of Enoki Design. The pair describe Valley of Yore as an extension of their own home – a place they wish to fill slowly and consciously with well-made and meaningful items. round, collaborations with more local businesses and producers, and plenty of events to breathe more music and arts back into the Myponga township.

The building continues to evolve while celebrating its own cracks and blemishes. It’s a visual reminder of Holly and Nigel’s honest approach that balances quality and comfort, while never feeling elitist. Nigel sips a botanically infused non-alcoholic sparkling drink, while his dusty work boots are planted firmly on the old cement floor. They’ve since learned of the Japanese philosophy for a perfectly imperfect life, called ‘wabi-sabi’ and the term sits comfortably with all they’re trying to create.

The exposed walls stand as a reminder of the building’s past lives, while each nook brings something new to the space it’s becoming under the Wyatt’s wings – a place for everyone, in all their wonderful imperfections.