In the winter of 2024, my partner and I took a leap of faith and moved from Australia to New Zealand. We had been talking about it for years at that point and when a job opportunity came around we knew it was time to take the plunge.

As my partner settled into his new role, I found myself pondering what I could do next. There were a few enticing ideas... joining a culinary school, finding a small bookshop with a passion for stationery and, something that I still haven't ruled out, buying a farm and transforming it into an 18th-century smallholding. But I ultimately decided to pursue another long-held dream - opening a haberdashery store.

My grandmother was a talented seamstress who worked for a clothing company and created costumes for theatre in her own time. Her studio was a converted maid's room next to the kitchen. It was a tiny treasure trove filled with a sewing machines, mirror so large that it look up a quatre of the little room, and cabinet bursting at seams with sewing supplies. The room was a testament to her creativity and resourcefulness, with carefully collected tins of buttons, folded fabrics, and stacks of Burda magazines she managed to acquire during the USSR's scarcity.

Combining my love of crafts and history seemed like the perfect way to start this new venture. And so, the idea for Little Haberdashery Shoppe was born. I decided to start small,with a curated range of sewing patterns, however as the name entices there are many things in the works. So best to stay tuned for things to come...