IN the 1990s, Pamela Stuart-Brown decided to share her love of all things craft with the people of Bathurst, by opening The Sewing Centre along Howick Street.
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And now, 30 years later, her daughter has stitched along the same seam, and has opened her own sewing store, The Crafty Peacock.
Michelle Macgregor Owen first opened the doors to The Crafty Peacock in November of 2021.
Back then, it was run out of a small section of the Bathurst Furniture and Kitchens store in Robin Hill.
But now, she has gone out on her own, and has opened the business from a new store front along Stewart Street, conveniently located right next-door to the West Bathurst Post Office.
The store, which was first opened to the Bathurst public on January 22, is every sewists dream.
It's a one-stop shop for all sewing, dress-making, knitting, quilting and crocheting needs.
"We sell yarn, we've got different types of yarn and yarn patterns and accessories, we sell dress fabric, and we sell quilting fabric, and we sell lots of haberdashery and notions [supplies]," Ms Macgregor Owen said.
Continuing the family legacy
The Crafty Peacock is also a certified Bernina Sewing Machine stockist, and can provide services for these machines, and affiliated Bernette machines.
This love of all things sewing, and the quality sewing machine brand is something that Ms McGregor Owen developed from her mother.
"My mum, Pamela, taught me how to sew when I was maybe nine or ten years old, and she was the one who taught me and my sister, both of us, our love of sewing," she said.
"In 1990, mum opened up the first Bernina dealership in Bathurst in Howick Street; The Bathurst Sewing Centre, and that was wonderful because I think I got my first, beautiful Bernina there.
"That began my love affair with Bernina's. I'm a die-hard fan, which is why I sell and service Bernina sewing machines here."
And the fact that Ms Mcgregor Owen was continuing her mother's legacy was something that never even occurred to her, until speaking to a brand representative.
"It was really funny, when I was first talking to Bernina and saying that I was opening up this type of business and that I was looking to bring Bernina's in, and one of them said, 'Wasn't it your mother who brought Bernina to Bathurst?'," Ms Mcgregor Owen said.
"I was like 'oh my god', it hadn't even occurred to me that that was what was happening, that I was, in fact, doing the same thing as my mum, which is really beautiful.
"When customers come in and say 'oh, I bought my Bernina from your mum in 1991' or whatever year they bought it, and they're ready for an upgrade, I just think it's gorgeous."
Owning her own business
Another thing that means so much to Ms Mcgregor Owen, is being able to share her love with the people of Bathurst, in a shop she can call her own.
"The Crafty Peacock is my dream. It's something I've always wanted to do, to be immersed in fabrics and be surrounded by textiles, and to spend all day talking to people, who also, like me, love working with textiles," she said.
And with this dream coming true, the new store front also offers greater capacity for in-store classes.
There are social sewing groups, groups led by masters of the craft, and groups focused on machine operation, dress-making, quilting, and anything to help empower people to try their hand at the craft.
"We don't make things for people, but we will teach you how to do it and we'll make sure that you know how to use your sewing machine," Ms Mcgregor Owen said.
These classes will begin in early February, with those interested encouraged to keep an eye on the Facebook page for any further information.
In the meantime, Ms Mcgregor Own said she would welcome anybody to check out the store, and be especially perceptive to the perfect patchwork carpet.
