Redcliffe’s newest fabric store, JK’s Textile Connections, is set to become a hub for textile enthusiasts, sustainability advocates and local creatives.
Owned by Joan Kelly, the store specialises in end-of-life fabrics, haberdashery and sewing essentials, with a strong focus on keeping fabric out of landfill.
“After hunting around remnant stores and op-shops for fabric most of my life and seeing the environmental issues being created by overproduction, it seemed the obvious choice to recycle fabric,” Joan said.
With a career that spans the arts, film and museums, Joan said she had always been drawn to textiles.
“Studying art history, I was always drawn to the brocades and drapery over the paintwork or sculptures themselves,” she said. “Making and working on other films during my student days, it was often about how the costumes helped tell the story – as economically as possible of course – and the older stores seemed to have the best fabrics.
“A formative incident occurred in Vietnam where I – rather cheekily – had taken some of my own fabric to have some clothes made. When the head tailor saw one particular piece of fabric that came from my mum’s collection, she gathered everyone around to feel it and told me what fabulous quality it was. It was amazing to see the reaction of these experienced tailors.”
JK’s Textile Connections: Redcliffe’s New Home for Sustainable Sewing
Upon her recent return to Redcliffe, Joan recognised an opportunity to create something special when she discovered that JJs, a beloved fabric shop on Sutton Street, had closed down.
“It seems like good timing and a good opportunity,” she said.
She rescued some of JJ’s closing-down stock, which she said was ideal for costume events such as the Abbey Medieval Festival.
The store is also well-stocked with evening and suiting fabrics for formal events and has been providing quilting opportunities.
As the Queensland distributor for Melbourne Glitter and Dance, Joan also offers dance customers the chance to order from the catalogue.
“The part of my job I enjoy the most is talking to everyone about their projects,” she said. “My rescue model gives me a lot of flexibility in purchasing so I maintain a list of niche ‘desire’ orders and look out for these fabrics.
“There is SO much beautiful fabric ending up in landfill. I would encourage people who inherit craft materials to offer those stashes to op-shops but if anyone has quilting fabric or rolls of fabric that are more difficult to dispose of, come and see me!”
JK’s Textile Connections can be found at 126 Sutton Street, Redcliffe. For more information, visit JK’s Textile Connections’ on Facebook.
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