I can't remember a time when creativity wasn't in my life. Throughout my childhood I learnt the skills of sewing and knitting with my mum, and the skill of "you can make anything" from my dad. As a teenager, I would sew a dress on Saturday morning to be worn to a dance later that night. To me anything was possible. This carried on as I had children and then grandchildren.​ However somewhere in that time, home sewn garments became out of vogue and the "did you make that yourself?" was no longer a compliment. So began our world of throw away fashion!  Now the tide is turning as we see the error of our ways. Suddenly there is a groundswell in all things handcrafted spurred on by lockdowns, spending more time at home and a growing awareness of the true cost of fashion.​

 

Now we have dropped the dowdy hobbyist image of home sewn to something thoroughly modern, sustainable and socially gratifying. The quest for original, one-off, slowly made goods is a growing trend and for me that makes my business somewhere where I get to do what I love.​

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My collection of wares includes:

• Repurposing of fabric whether it be blankets, towels, tablecloths, giving them new purpose in our lives, clothes with soul

• Handknitted garments

• Children’s clothing, some repurposed fabric, some new

• Homewares, some of which I have made myself and some by NZ designers 

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down by the sea crafts and creations by Cathie Cowell has had a physical presence at 105 Brighton Mall, Christchurch since 2016 and I still have products for sale in the street-facing shop "The Creatives Edit".​

 

While I value the importance of the physical retail experience, balancing both in store and online shopping can help me to reach a wider audience. Sharing my creations online allows me to connect with customers beyond geographical boundaries and to showcase my products to a broader audience. The homeware - some of them are made by myself and some I have decided to share on this website because I love them and wish to support other designers in Aotearoa.​

 

Disclaimer: Products that are handmade, by its very name, may have inconsistencies in size and flaws in fabric because of the very nature of being recycled. I always endeavour to offer the best quality product at all times.