ABOUT US

Hello there! Welcome to our shop!

Susan

My how the time has flown by. We have been open 6 years. Many things have changed from COVID to IDA (and a few more hurricanes). We have made it through these tough times because of you, our customers, our family. We are still a struggling small business. But I know, because you support us with your generosity of shopping with us and covering us with your prayers and good wishes, we will prosper in the coming years.

You know my story of growing up, my mom sewed most of my clothes, which is how I learned to sew. Though she sewed my clothes out of necessity, she LOVED sewing, and she passed that passion for sewing on to me. I remember her taking such care to make sure every dress, shirt and pair of shorts was made just right, even with the clothes we wore just playing around the house.

For Easter and Christmas, mom would sew special coordinated outfits for my sister and I to wear. I smile just thinking about it! She’d let us pick out our own hats and gloves. Do any of you remember hats and gloves. It was such a wonderful time...memories that I will always remember and cherish.

The first time I sewed for myself was as a Brownie. The results may have been a little crooked, and missing a few stitches, but the recognition I received for job well done filled me with pride and encouraged me to continue sewing as a Girl Scout, which was a very important part of my life until well after high school. My favorite class in high school was Home Ec, which is where I really honed my skill – a skill that has become a source of enjoyment throughout my entire life.

I’ve strived to pass along my love of sewing to my children, as my mom did for me. David, my oldest child, sat beside me when he was young and learned to stitch on scraps of fabric. I still have several of his “masterpieces” at home. And my daughter Karen, well, she took what little I taught her and ran with it, and today I’m so very proud to call her my partner here at “My Happy Place,” Chateau Sew & Sew. Her ability to teach children and adults alike has inspired a love of sewing in generations of new sewers.

Sewing is truly a life skill, and in more ways than you may think, it develops math skills, artistic skills, and even social skills – all of which are essential for children. Now much more than in years past, children need to interact with others, kids, and adults. Showing respect and kindness to all. We try to incorporate well balanced classes to reinforce these much-needed life skills. Praise and reinforcement are important to confidence, and we are so proud of our students.

As Karen children, Evelyn and Jackson, my grandchildren, get older, I look forward to helping them learn and enjoy these life skills as well. I love what I do and I’m so happy to pass it along to all of you, our family.

Karen

My earliest memories are of my mom’s sewing room. I remember all of her tools and the machine she used to create everything from beautiful heirloom smocked dresses to Halloween costumes. I still have a photo of me dressed in an angel costume she made for me one year.

There’s something so special about items that are hand-made – all of the love, time, thought and effort that goes into making them. These things cannot be purchased.

Sewing runs in my family. I come from generations of clever, creative, resourceful women who loved to sew. They sewed out of necessity, but also out of their genuine passion and love for sewing.

I’ve loved to sew and create things for as long as I can remember. I’m not a professionally trained seamstress. I learned to sew watching my mom, and she learned watching hers. I always tell my students that I do this because I love it. It’s a skill that I’m constantly evolving and improving. The more I make, the more I want to learn. I’m forever grateful to my mom for teaching me a skill that I will be able to pass on to my son and daughter, who will hopefully pass it on to their children.

My grandmother had a business selling things she and my grandfather sewed, and now my mom and I have Chateau Sew & Sew – a true family tradition, and a labor of love.

To my grandmother and my mom, and all of the women who came before them, thank you.

Chateau Sew & Sew

Chateau Sew & Sew is a dream come true for us! We strive to impart our love for creativity and pass along our knowledge of sewing, a skill that will last a lifetime! That’s our pledge to you.

Located on Magazine Street, in the heart of the Lower Garden District, our little neighborhood fabric and sewing studio has so much to offer! Stop by and you’ll find us teaching a class, cutting fabric, sewing up a new project to see in our shop, holding story hour, or just chatting with customers (or neighbors!).

We offer a variety of classes and welcome ages seven and up, all skill levels, so please check our Classes page for more information and schedules. For tips, advice, news, specials and more, please check our Blog page.

Please come by anytime to say hi and see what’s going on in the studio! We’d love to meet you!

And thank you for shopping local!

Our Pledge

At Chateau Sew & Sew, we strive to impart our love for creativity and pass along a skill that will last a lifetime and beyond! We want to make each customer feel a part of our family and to give you service with a smile.