22 JULY 2020 | ISSUE 454 | FREE
WWW.GONAGAMBIE.COM.AU
PAGE 4
Christine Schindler Maisch is the owner operator of Nagambie’s Stitch This – More Than You’d Expect! During the COVID-19 pandemic, Christine has made strategic decisions at a pace that you would not normally contemplate. She has reinvented and adapted her business model to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and to establish a footing in the new reality. “I took over an existing fabric store located in Kyabram back in 2006. It soon became a busy place for quilting, dressmaking, pattern drafting and knitting. It was always my plan to open a 2nd store in Nagambie, but I wanted to wait until after the bypass and see how the town developed,” said Christine.
Christine came to Nagambie almost 7 years ago opening a little shop which has been redeveloped and is now home to the Nagambie Brewery and Distillery. “I moved to my current location at 332 High St Nagambie, 5 years ago. The fabric industry had taken a bit of a dive, so I closed the Kyabram store and made the decision to stop selling fabric a couple of years later. My partner Chris from Sundries Too Numerous to Mention encouraged me to get into the second hand business, so I got my dealers license and became Stitch This – More Than You’d Expect!” said Christine. While customers browse and explore the store, Christine can be found busily sewing away keeping the locals happy with her alterations service.
“After numerous requests for an alterations service, I began doing alterations for locals which has enabled me to keep up the love of sewing I’ve had for most of my life, and whilst customers browse the store, I get to sit and sew all day,” said Christine. Some things are meant to be and Christine found that although she had ceased stocking fabric, it found a way to find her again. “Once I had made the decision to stop selling fabric, it has found a way of finding me, by way of deceased estates, house cleanouts, and people offering fabric, or it goes to landfill. I’ve also been fortunate to acquire all sorts of end of line upholstery fabric and have been able turn this into supermarket shopping bags,” said Christine.
Supermarket shopping bags have been the main focus of Christine’s business and she has made over 1500 bag sales across Australia since August last year. As well as second hand goods, Stitch This – More Than You’d Expect offers a clothing alterations service, and a line of “Handmade in Nagambie” products, made in the store as customers browse. Christine also has a range of soap and scented diffusers that are made in Melbourne “As my fabric pieces get smaller, so do my bags. I also do laptop bags, Ipad bags, zippered pouches, hot water bottle covers, and more – All with my new “Handmade in Nagambie” labels which have been popular with tourists,” said Christine. Continued on page 3.