At 57-years-old seeking new employment caused much distress and anxiety, but LeClair was about to take a leap of faith. From the comfort of her home, LeClair created a crafty way to make cash.
“I worked at Bargain Fabric for eight years and it was devastating to learn the news,” said LeClair, who was one of five employees made redundant on October 8, 2016.
“We knew it was coming, but it was hard to believe it would come so fast after being told in April (that our employers were retiring) and then the store closed in October.”
Bargain Fabric Outlet was established in 1993 and served many locals over the years as the go to source for quilting, cottons, flannels, drapery and upholstery fabrics, as well as custom sewing services.
“I loved working there, and the part I was going to miss the most were the people that would buy the fabrics and then bring them in when they were all done.”
LeClair continued, “It was really sad the last day when I walked out the doors and did not know what I was going to be doing, leaving my co-workers and wondering if we could all get jobs. It was a scary time, so I decided to invest in myself.”
Loyal customers of the fabric store sparked an idea that helped reverse LeClair’s fortunes and turn her love of all things fabrics into a fruitful career.
“I started looking for work to see if there was anything I would be interested in while still working at the store. But the people coming in were asking where they could buy cottons, threads, and all that type of stuff once it closed, so I decided I would renovate my garage.”
In January LeClair started to transform her garage, located on 18 Andrews Drive in Kensington, into a fabric store called “Sew Blessed Quilters.”
Inside, “Sew Blessed Quilters” has an eye-catching tapestry of texture and colour with fabrics draping from the ceiling and to the floor in dazzling displays.
“I probably started ripping the garage apart around the end of October, and my former boss gave me all the shelving units and stuff like that so that was a great big help,” said LeClair. “I’m still trying to get it all stocked up, but I get material once or twice a week and there will be a shipment in.”
LeClair runs a fully functional operation, and she makes custom quilts, curtains, pillows, table runners, baby quilts, clothes, and can do alterations. She also teaches evening classes to clients from her new business. Classes run on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Before I worked at Bargain Fabrics I had a sewing business and did custom drapery, so I’ve always been in the fabric industry of one kind or another,” she said.