My name is Marni and for the last 7 years or so I have
wanted to open and run my own craft shop - specifically
patchwork and quilting supplies as that is my main hobby (among
many!)
Frankenstein's Fabrics is that dream come true. With the support of my family and friends
the shop opened a little over 3 months ago. Dad and I spent a
few weeks prior to that building, painting and designing the
fitout for the shop.
I have been involved in many different aspects of the
textile industry from a very young age and in fact learnt to
walk in my dad's factory (OH&S wasn't a big deal in the
80s). Dad is an upholsterer and I've been around him and his
work my whole life. At school I always preferred the artistic
and creative subjects and this continued right up until my
HSC. I did textiles, drama and visual arts as well as a TAFE
course on perspective drawing and colour which I feel has
given me excellent basic knowledge that has made my life as a
quilter a lot easier. Once I finished school I ended up
working at Lincraft for a while in their furnishings
department before moving on to work at Craft Depot at Pennant
Hills - working there with such a great group of women (it was
like having a dozen extra mums - they always were looking out
for me) made me see the pure enjoyment of patchwork and
quilting. That job started me on a slippery slope to fabric
obsession that has resulted in me open Frankenstein's. From my
job at Craft Depot I moved to working for Express Publications
- as the assistant for Australian Patchwork & Quilting
Magazine. The few years experience I gained from 'the
other side' of the craft industry made me realise how much I
was meant to be in this profession. Quilting not only gives me
great pleasure and satisfaction but brings a lot of joy to the
people around me. The look on someone's face when I've given
them a quilt I've made not only makes me happy but makes them
feel good - that I have taken the time to make them such a gift.
I opened Frankenstein's with the intention of making it
a more social and interactive patchwork shop - I want it to be
the social aspect as well as the supplies that keep bringing
people back time and time again. So to do that I am planning
special guest speakers, open days, show and tells and airings
of the quilts. There are classes as well - starting out with
the basics to get people going and progressively adding more
intermediate and advanced classes as we go along. Classes are
listed on the website under the Classes tab and are updated
regularly as more classes and dates become available.
I also want my customers to see that I am not the
average quilter - I am quirky, odd and non-conforming. I
appreciate the work and execution of techniques in the quilts
of the past, and I envy those who continue to create stunning
quilts by hand - but I am not that kind of quilter. I love
machine work - piecing, appliqué and quilting. I love brights
and fun kids prints. I collect Halloween fabrics and knick
knacks and I am not shy about the things I do like. The name
of the shop came about for 3 reasons:
1. My surname is Franks
2. I love Halloween
3. I love the story of Frankenstein's Monster - he was
patchworked together by the Doctor from various body parts,
much like I patchwork a quilt together from various fabrics.
People ask me about the name - especially why I didn't
call it something like other patchwork stores. My answer is
simple - I am not like other patchwork store owners, I
couldn't name the shop something floral or cottagey or using a
pun and live with myself. The name Frankenstein's encompasses
my style, my likes and I am being brutally honest with my
customers about that. I will not lie to them about myself just
to make a sale - that is not the way to do business. Plus its
all a bit of fun. :)
There are lots of things going on in the shop in 2012
and I invite you all to become a Frankensteiner - whether
online following me on Facebook or the blog or whether you
come in to see me in store. I hope to see you there.
No comments:
Post a Comment