Chateau Sew & Sew

MONROE NATIVES KAREN FLOURNOY AND HER MOTHER, SUSAN JACKSON, RUN A CHARMING FABRIC AND SEWING STUDIO IN THE PICTURESQUE GARDEN DISTRICT OF NEW ORLEANS

ARTICLE BY VANELIS RIVERA AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK

Upon entering Chateau Sew & Sew: Fabric and Sewing Studio, an unmistakable energy surges your senses. Bright flashes of color greet you like new friends—neons, pastels, blush tones, smokey hues. On a closer look, playful patterns materialize from rolled fabrics, fanciful tidbits line wood shelves, and intricately woven quilts serve as geometrically precise tapestries. Fun is what owners, Monroe natives Karen Flournoy and her mother, Susan Jackson, aimed to evoke in their studio’s layout. They believe that while you may not be able to buy happiness, you can always buy fabric.

Though sewing has always been a part of Flournoy’s life, the “sewing bug really hit hard” when her youngest Jackson was born. Primarily crafting baby clothes, she began uncovering techniques beyond what her mom had taught her, which lead to trunk shows. When she moved to New Orleans, she thought there would be a surplus of fabric vendors to ransack, but she was left wanting more. With the combination of her son getting older and being caught between going back to work as a grade-school teacher or venturing into more flexible options, led to her mother’s suggestion, “Let’s open a fabric store.” May 2015 marked the opening of Chateau Sew & Sew. Now at their second location, the picturesque streets of the Lower Garden District, their business is gaining a seamless traction.

One of Flournoy’s earliest memories traces back to her mother’s sewing room. She remembers all of the scattered tools and the machine responsible for creating everything from beautiful heirloom smocked dresses to Halloween costumes. She still has a photo of her dressed in an angel costume. Sewing runs in the family, and Flournoy comes from generations of creative, resourceful women who not only sewed from necessity, but also out of sheer love and genuine passion for the art. Her grandmother ran a sewing business as well—a true family tradition, stemming from a labor of love. “I found that sewing was a great way to bond. I have terrific memories from when [my mother] would sit with me. I was hoping to pass it on with Karen, so that Karen would have memories of our time together,” fondly says Jackson. In return, Flournoy plans to pass on the tradition to her daughter, Evelyn. At only two years old, she is referred to as “the boss” of the store.

Picking up sewing was instinctual for Flournoy. One of her favorite pastimes after school would be fervently perusing Michaels to find materials for cross stitching and sewing ornaments. Taking an interior design class introduced her to tailoring pillow cases and shower curtains. Like most creators, Flournoy is ambitious about her projects, but balances her drive with the understanding that nothing made must be perfect. “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” she tells her students. Even clothing from a store, if carefully inspected, is bound to have imperfections, but “we never think to turn them inside out and look at them,” she explains. At the moment, one of her most zealous projects is partaking in a Block of the Month Program hosted by Golden Days by Jen Kingwell (an Australian designer), which is also available to the studio’s clientele. Signing up for the program means you receive a monthly delivery of an acrylic template designed by Kingwell. The scrappy patchwork and curves, shared amongst pieced blocks and delightful appliqué blocks, resonates with Flournoy’s intrepid craft spirit. “It involves a lot of different techniques,” she says, explaining that the project can be hand or machine sewn. Sew & Sew participants meet once a month to explore different colors and pieces based on the pattern at hand.

“I feel like I’ve always been creative. I’ve just always like to make things,” Flournoy shares. When it comes to sewing, creativity often begins with the fabric. At Sew & Sew, the majority of the fabric sold is one hundred percent cotton. Though it is called “quilting cotton,” it can be used for clothing and other clever small projects. Not surprisingly, most New Orleans customers are interested in making costumes. The studio has also received travelers from all over the world. A customer from California once came in and purchased a full box of about 50 yards of fabric. She didn’t have a project in mind, but she declared she would find one. There are customers that often request a particular fabric designer, like the modern and fun Tula Pink, whose bright color scheme and inventive designs are quickly becoming a customer favorite. “I definitely think there’s a feel of the shop. That it’s just fun and colorful and just a happy place,” says Flournoy concerning the fabric.

There is an unfortunate misconception that sewing is making a comeback, but Flournoy doesn’t necessarily understand that perspective: “I think you would be surprised. I don’t think it ever went anywhere. If you go on Instagram and search a tag like ‘star pattern,’ you’ll find that a following already exists,” she adds. In fact, if you go on Instagram and search the tag “me made,” you’ll find about thirty-five thousand posts. There is a whole movement of people from different generations and walks of life immersed in the world of sewing and fabric. “I think there’s something to be said for the time and the love and the effort that goes into when you make something for someone else,” says Flournoy. Traditionally born from necessity and practicality, sewing is also an art form. “There’s an emotional response to colors and patterns,” she adds, recognizing its function as a creative outlet.

“There’s something so special about items that are handmade. All of the love, time, thought and effort that goes into making them. These things cannot be purchased,” asserts Flournoy. This idea resonates with the customers taking advantage of the many sewing classes offered at the Chateau: smock top and dress workshop, intro to quilting, sewing for kids, after school sewing for kids, tote bag class, espadrille workshop, copy your clothes workshop, among a few more. The studio at times hosts guest teachers from nearby states, and all of the studios’s employees teach. “It’s definitely teamwork around here and I definitely couldn’t do it without my mom. There are so many working parts to [the business] besides what you just walk in and see,” says Flournoy.

A huge portion of Flournoy’s incentive to open the studio involved skill that fuses math and art, forcing children to be patient, improve hand dexterity, and gain confidence through their finished products. Flournoy has taken children as young as five and six years old in her classes, even though it does take closer one-on-one attention, so classes for young kids has gone smoothly in small groups. Sharing the gift of timeless stitching is also about the element of communion: “You’re sitting here sewing, you end up sharing tips and tricks, and then you end up sharing stuff about your family or your personal life.” The quilting groups offer the most space to share, even with students ranging from their twenties into their seventies. While Flournoy jokes that she’s an old lady at heart, the craft can be fun and inviting for anyone. Some men also venture into the classes, comparing the intricacies and precision of sewing to woodworking. Three boys have joined the after-school sewing program as well, proving that the joy of putting hands to good use is timeless.

If you stop by Chateau Sew & Sew, you may find Flournoy, Jackson, or their team teaching a class, cutting fabric, or sewing up a new project. Beyond fabulous fabric and unique gifts, they strive to impart their love for creativity and knowledge of sewing on visitors. Flournoy asserts, “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.”

Visit Chateau Sew & Sew’s website to learn about their classes and upcoming summer camps: https://chateausew.com. Check them out on Facebook and Instagram for fabric deals and new items. They are open Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.