hey! This is us, two sisters with a passion for sewing and fashion. In 2015 this passion became its own business!
High-quality fabrics for women’s clothing are not easy to find, so we thought there was nothing better than opening a shop ourselves 🙂 What started as a side project next to a full-time job, grew into a full-fledged business in a historic town house in the heart of Mechelen . The cozy space is always filled with beautiful women’s fabrics, patterns, haberdashery and other fun gadgets for every seamstress. With two major collection changes per year, the range remains varied and sensitive to trends. We regularly travel to Paris to look for the latest novelties and to purchase unique, contemporary fabrics. This way your homemade outfit will look like it came from a nice boutique!
A small family business also means personal service! We are always ready to help you in a friendly and non-binding manner. Questions are free, and tips and tricks are included for free!
We are Ann and Annemie. 2 young mothers with a great passion for handicrafts. With both 3 young children, sewing is a unique relaxation and we found a quiet place in ‘Atelier In’t Leerke’ to share our passion with you.
Hopefully we will get to know you at one of our courses or workshops, or you will jump in soon. Our range of fabrics is always up-to-date, and you are always welcome for the latest haberdashery trends.
Of course we want you to know who is behind this webshop and how you can always contact us.
Knops & More is a retailer of hobby and craft supplies in Opwijk. Our store is located just across the border from Merchtem in the direction of Opwijk with a spacious parking lot at the back.
Our store is divided into 3 color zones.
In the green zone you will find everything for crochet pleasure as well as sewing thread and zippers.
In the blue zone you will find embroidery threads and packages, haberdashery, buttons, felt and acrylic threads.
In the red zone you can find our books and magazines and go through them with a cup of coffee in our salon. You will find quality wool here in all colors and qualities.
Our workshop corner is also located here.
We have been open to the general public since May 4, 2020 and our offer is constantly growing!
Greet and Peter are the managers and Marijke is our strong force in the store.
Guy’s Naaicentrum was founded in April 1982. The story begins decades earlier, in the 1930s. Désiré Van der Vorst, the maternal grandfather of founder Guy, started trading in the Waasland markets with merchandise such as buttons, sewing thread, zippers, etc, to sell. Later he also starts a shop in the Slangstraat in Hamme.
Two of his three daughters, Annie (Guy’s mother) & Irène, later join the company with their respective husbands. Irène and Etienne successfully ran the shop in Hamme until 1997. Between the 1960s and 2005 Annie, Jozef and son Guy sold an extremely extensive range of high-quality sewing materials on the markets in Waasland and Dendermonde.
In 1982 Guy starts in the sewing machines. With a technical background as a background, he starts training with the most renowned sewing machine manufacturers of the time: Husqvarna in Huskvarna, Sweden on the one hand, and Pfaff in Kaiserslautern, Germany on the other. He learns all the basic elements to repair and adjust a machine. During the same period, he meets Chris, his future wife. Soon Chris, meanwhile his wife, begins to learn many tricks of the sewing trade from Guy.
During that period, Guy’s Sewing Center was located at 2 Plezantstraat in the center of Hamme. With the extensive range they already had at the time, they quickly proved to be an established value in the Waasland and beyond. Guy’s Sewing Center is bursting at the seams for the first time and a brand new store is opened in 1987 in the Roodkruisstraat. In the meantime, in addition to all possible sewing materials, from embroidery and overlock threads to an unprecedented range of zippers to scissors, various brands of machines have also been added to the range: the Japanese top manufacturers Babylock and Janome (then marketed in Belgium under the brand name Lewenstein). ) join the range. In the mid-1990s, the store was expanded for the first time with an underground warehouse, extra large showroom annex classroom and computers for software lessons. A few years later, the quality brand Bernina is also added to the range.
At the end of 2004, the range was expanded to such an extent that a new expansion was necessary. The new building with adjoining shop is being built in record time. In less than 12 months, Guy’s Sewing Center has doubled in size. Quilting fabrics, gems from Gütermann & Swarovski and an even more extensive range of handicraft items, such as knitting yarns from quality brands Lana Grossa, Rowan and Schachenmayr, further complete the range. With the sewing machines, the Japanese brand Juki completes the unparalleled selection of overlock machines and the quality brand Bernina is also included in the range.
From the autumn of 2012, his son Joris also joined the family business as the 4th generation in the sewing sector. He gradually learns the trade from both his father Guy and mother Chris as well as from the countless courses he regularly follows: he follows the lessons of Pfaff & Husqvarna VIKING, Bernina’s 3-4-5-7 series and the countless Janome- models, but also of all brands of overlock machines. Embroidery software and the multi-needle Janome MB-4/MB-7 series also hold no secrets for him.
In 2017, the decision was taken to tear down the adjacent building on the other side and build a completely new store: spacious, modern and light are the keywords here. Demolition will start in July 2017. After a tour de force, Guy’s Sewing Center 2.0 will open its doors in August 2018. An extra spacious showroom, much more light and space in all areas, efficient quality lamps to give the most true-to-colour image of the products,… Everything has been thought of. There is also a spacious classroom for the private lessons of the machines and workshops. The new store has a low carbon footprint in relation to its size:
large solar panel installation,
exceptionally economical LED lamps,
warehouse lighting sensors,
efficient and powerful ventilation,
heat pumps for heating and cooling,
using rainwater for the toilet.
The range of knitting wool and fabrics will be further expanded at that time. Lana Grossa even distinguishes Guy’s Sewing Center as a Lana Grossa Superstore.
Our permanent team of people now consists of Guy, Chris, Joris, Hilde, Anita, Liesbeth & Lore. Fixed points of contact to offer you the best possible service, each with its own specialty.
Far and wide, in East Flanders, Antwerp and Flemish Brabant, we are known for our customer-friendly service, clear explanations without buzzing marketing terms, large stock, unparalleled range. Guy’s Sewing Center is therefore the one-stop-shop for everything that has to do with sewing, needlework, knitting, ….
You read it. Passion and knowledge for and of our profession, it has been in our blood for generations. Since the 1930s, we have distinguished ourselves with the choice for
A zipper is popularly referred to as a tiret. This is immediately one of the necessities for a sewing project. The name Ti-Ret was not chosen by chance either. Tinny started her sewing shop in Retie in 2011. It’s actually an abbreviation.
Fabrics, wool, sewing and craft supplies in Retie
Sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet: does it itch to make something yourself? Visit Ti-Ret in Retie and get advice for your specific project. You will find everything you need to get started.
La Maison Victor fabrics
The real sewing fan will undoubtedly know this magazine. In La Maison Victor you will find different patterns for making fashionable, contemporary clothing. The fabrics used for this are not available everywhere, but luckily they are at Ti-Ret! This way, your homemade clothing looks exactly like the photo in the magazine.
A personal and honest service
When you enter Ti-Ret you can count on a personal service from Tinny. Questions are answered in detail so that you can immediately get started with your creative project. Are certain products not available in the store? Then we will be happy to see if we can order it.
Just enough of the best quality
Dropping by for supplies for a creative project? Then it is best to take the pattern with you. This way we can give you exactly the right amount and you have as few leftovers as possible.
In addition, all our supplies are of the best quality. This way you can enjoy your homemade clothing for a long time.
OPENING HOURS
Tuesday 9:30-12:00 and 13:00-18:00
Wednesday 9:30-12:00 and 13:00-18:00
Friday 9:30-12:00 and 13:00-18:00
Saturday 9:30-16:00
Carla’s Handwerkshop: your clothes skillfully repaired
A broken piece of clothing? That often stays in your closet for weeks. You don’t find the time to pick up a needle and thread yourself. Or you miss your grandmother’s sleight of hand. The solution? Visit Carla’s Handwerkshop. Carla repairs your clothes quickly and efficiently.
Small or large clothing problems
Closing a tear in your jacket? Placing a zipper? Or widen or narrow your new skirt? Carla has it under control. Every working day between 13.30 and 18.30 you bring your clothes to her. A week later you will receive them back in great shape. Are you busy during those days? Then just drop by on Saturday morning, between 9 and 12 o’clock.
Also sewing supplies!
Perhaps you prefer to get behind the sewing machine yourself? Even then a visit to Carla’s Handwerkshop is worthwhile. You can browse through all sewing supplies and pick the right stitching, buttons or zippers. Knitting wool for your winter scarf is also waiting for you here. Carla is happy to provide you with appropriate advice.
Invisibly refurbished
At Carla’s Handwerkshop your pants or sweater goes through experienced hands. And you can see that … or just not. Because your garments are repaired in such a way that the sewing is almost invisible. That’s finishing.
Are you tearing the sleeve of your favorite coat? Then you trust Carla’s Handwerkshop. Feel free to pop into the store.
A personal and honest service
