“Last time I saw you I was right in the thick of the heart banner movement. After I spoke to you we opened the heart space in July ’22 after the flood which was the creative hub in the CBD. It was a community hub where we housed all the heart banners because my house was really full of heart banners and donations. We were getting so many donations of craft items, fabrics and sewing machines that people wanted us to pass on. People also kindly donated money to support the banners so the banners were given for free to anybody who had lost their homes or business in the flood and anyone else who wanted one could have one by donation.
We ended up with a fair amount of money so we signed a lease on a building and opened a creative hub. It was a free arts and craft op-shop. We had hot water bottle covers being donated, dog coats, all kind of things. We ran that for 12 months with very minimal funding but we paid rent, electricity and insurance and I can’t comprehend now how we managed to do that. I feel like it was a miracle, a very special, important miracle. We became a registered charity and after the 12 months there wasn’t as much need for it. We were getting tired and it was run completely by volunteers so we closed down.
Personally I was working a part time job to get some income as I had lost my shop in the flood. I went to Melbourne for a couple of days and I was sitting at the airport thinking, I always tell everybody they need to connect into their creativity because it’s so important. Connection is so important for healing, whether that be to your community or your passion or your friends and family. I thought ‘Rebecca, you need to practise what you preach so you need to start sewing again for pleasure’
I came home and I made a prototype of a bag made from vintage wool blankets with leather straps and lined with vintage sheets, put it on-line and had 60 orders within two weeks. I was so busy doing that I left my part time job and I sewed bags for nine months. It got a bit hot working with woollen blankets and a bit repetitive for me so I got another part time job in a bottle shop in Lismore Heights where I’ve now been for two years. I needed that at the time because I’m a people person and I love to talk. Being home alone I was just talking to the cat. He was deaf luckily.
I was asked to teach sewing at Silt Studio who were Sessle B’s at the time. They were running a program for NDIS participants. It went really well and people were asking if I could do night classes, adult classes, etc. so that took off. I needed somewhere to teach so I started at the Artisan’s Table in Keen St early this year two days a week. I was also doing one on one with an NDIS client every Monday. I realised I needed to expand it. I just love it so much and decided I needed to get my own space.
I found out my old shop The Curious Kookaburra was vacant so I called Sharon at The Professionals and she said, ‘When do you want to move back in?’ I needed to make sure the lighting was really good and the space was right. I swore I’d never open another shop in the CBD, I think people who have are really brave and I have so much respect for them, but this is different. The tables I got from the op-shop, the chairs were free and I’m recovering them myself, plastic trestle tables and the machines all have carry bags. If the water rises we just pick up the machines and take off. Being back in this space though is really beautiful. I feel like I’ve come home. I’ve been here a month and I’m busy. I’m still doing my NDIS participants. I do beginners, intermediate, one on one lessons and I teach work shops. I’m all about up-cycling and re-purposing which is fantastic.
It’s typical with how things are in my life, I don’t ever really have a clear direction but these things just manifest and I feel super blessed. I never thought that I could make a living sewing and I did for a year and I also didn’t think I could live on teaching people. What is really beautiful… and I’m going to cry……..I lost my Mum in February. She was a textiles and design teacher and she started teaching me to sew when I was five. I’ve been sewing for over 40 years and she loved me teaching. It feels like what I’m doing is the right thing.
I had a student just after Mum died and it happens that she was a Nurse at Lismore Base and had looked after Mum when she was there. She told me Mum was grumpy because she hated being so sick. Mum had a quilt on her bed and she asked her about it. ‘She said, ‘Mum’s face lit up and she told me she made it and if I ever needed to learn to sew I should go to you.’ She said she was so very proud of me. It felt to me like it was very validating. Mum and I were very close. I feel like I’m passing on her legacy to other people and it’s exactly what I need to be doing.”
and coming soon www.becsbespoke.com.au