Hokonui fashion show winning kakahu coming to our window!

We had many compliments on our recent window display of modern feathered cloaks made by Wellington East Girls’ College students and staff under the guidance of Nan Walden, WEGC’s Lead Teacher Technology, Design and Evaluation. Well, now we’re privileged to be able to display the cloaks Nan made that recently won a major award at the Hokonui Fashion Show, plus other garments she made that won a merit award at the show. Come and check out our shop window for yourself! One cloak will even be available for purchase.

Library books you can borrow from us

Our next batch of library books has arrived! I asked Wellington City Library for modern crochet and knitting patterns and they’ve sent 8 books that customers can borrow for a week at a time on payment of a $10 bond – (refunded when the book is returned).

One book, Sue Whiting’s Party Crochet – 24 Stylish Designs for any Party, is decidedly retro but the others range from fashionable (eg Striped Crochet Blankets – Modern Heirlooms to Crochet, by Haafner Linssen to positively out there (Fashion Knitwear by Jenny Udale, which profiles 40 modern knitwear designers). The photo above is from that book. (There are more wearable ideas in there too!)

Looking ahead to 2025

I bought this business just over 6 years ago and have changed its focus, and premises, in that time. And we’ve become technologically terrific, with a computerised stock system sync’ed with a new website, so that we can (and do) sell online to customers all over NZ. None of this could have happened without the skill and enthusiasm of the excellent staff and tutors I’ve employed.

There have been changes to the team – most obviously with Gemma’s recent move to Australia – but everyone who has worked, or works, in or for the shop is highly skilled, passionate about craft and committed to providing excellent customer service. In my experience, the shop is a rare and positive work environment: we’re surrounded by things we love and are happy to share our knowledge and to learn from each other, our customers and suppliers – and of course Youtube.

I discovered the shop late in 2015 when I was experimenting with semi-retirement and had time to get back into knitting, which I’ve always loved. I was looking at wool for a jersey for my son when the nice woman who helped me (Shirley!) mentioned that the business was on the market. In fact I was utterly bored with semi-retirement and had been left some money by my parents so, as I knitted Jack’s jersey, the idea took shape that maybe I could buy a shop! It took some months to come to fruition but on 1 April 2016 (I know - April fools’ day), one week after I turned 61, I took over.

So I’m now 67 and thinking that by the time I’m 70 I probably won’t be keen to work as much as I do now and may even want to retire properly. Because I found the shop through being a customer, I’m putting it out there now, to my wonderful and plentiful customers, that if you know someone who might like to take over Wellington Sewing Centre in a year or 2 or 3, then please get them to talk to me about it. I believe the shop is a vital part of the crafting community of Wellington - and further afield. Every day, customers say to us how much they appreciate having the shop handy and so well stocked: it’s a happy hub of creative inspiration! I want it to continue into the future in someone else’s safe hands and will do all I can to ensure that happens.

In the meantime…

It’s business as usual and we all look forward to seeing you in the shop or helping you online or by phone, email or text!

Stay warm and healthy - Jo, Robyn, Jess, Toni, Annie and Vincent