Australian_Homespun_2014-11

MY FIRST BRUSH

WITH HABY

Before craft stores were taken over by thousands

of blister-packed hang-sell items, quaint little

haberdashery shops were everywhere – and they had

an unbeatable allure, not to mention knowledgeable

staff. Elizabeth Newton asked some of today’s top craft

proprietors and entrepreneurs to take a stroll down

memory lane, revisiting their early haby adventures

and mapping their personal paths to business success.

SPECIAL

FEATURE

1

Describe your earliest memory of

haberdashery or textile craft. Playing

with my mother’s button jars on a wet

winter’s day. My sisters and I would spread

them all over the floor and then build roads,

flower gardens, houses etc. It was not until

I was much older that I came to appreciate

the unending patience my mother had as

e were allowed to amuse ourselves this

ay on many a wet day.

2

Can you recall the craft shop/s of

your childhood? What were they like

nd how did they diff er from today’s

tores? My memory is of haberdashery

eing a part of a larger shop, not a stand-

one business. Craft mainly consisted

f knitting, sewing or crochet. Most of the

taff in these shops were older women who

ad an extensive knowledge of these crafts.

don’t recall any stand-alone craft shops

s you see today, with shops dedicated

o scrapbooking or quilting.

What was the first thing you

remember buying from a

haberdashery shop as a child?

Wool: both my mother and grandmother

were keen knitters, and I was introduced

to this at a young age. My first squares

were bright red and orange – not a choice

I would make today.

4

What was the first project you

made with fabric, thread, yarn or

haberdashery? What was it like and who

else was involved? Having two sisters

meant there were plenty of dolls needing

clothes. My mother made all of our clothes,

and I was allowed to use the leftovers for

the dolls. As the oldest, I was expected to

construct these wonderful creations for

dolly, but I’m sure they were very

rudimentary in construction and design. My

proudest moment as a young seamstress

was dressing a Barbie doll in full period

costume, complete with beading, ruching

and all things beautiful. I look at the size of

these dolls now and wonder how on earth

I was able to construct something so small

with all that detail.

5

What made you decide to own

a haberdashery or craft business?

For example, was there a family history

of such things, did you have retail

experience in another field or did it grow

from a love of craft itself? Our business

grew out of a desire to provide employment

for my daughter-in-law that would allow her

to be home with my granddaughter after

school. Over 10 years, what was supposed

to be a part-time job for both of us grew

into a business that now employs two

seamstresses and three shop assistants.

We recently purchased a second store and

are now able to off er wool to our customers.

Buttons remain my first passion, though,

and there are now more than 5,000 in the

shop at Buninyong.

Gael Fennell,

SEW SPECIAL/

BUTTON HEAVEN

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84 Homespun

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