About Us

An off-the-cuff suggestion from the previous owner to Tara that she would be the perfect person to purchase her business, followed by a weekend of speculation and what-ifs, culminated in the somewhat spur of the moment purchase of Centrepoint Craft & Fabrics by mother & daughter duo Alison & Tara in 2022.

Alison was previously a caregiver in a rest home but after 16 years of a demanding physical job was ready for a change. Like many people, Alison used to knit for her family when the kids were little but hadn’t knitted for quite a while. The new yarns and patterns available now are too good to resist however, and Alison now knits a lot of our samples. As resident Shop Girl, Alison is the one you will see in store, with a friendly smile and helpful advice. Alison loves meeting new people and chatting to customers both new and old.

As a quilter, Tara always wanted to own a fabric store when she retired, and even though the opportunity presented itself about 20 years too soon, it was too good to pass up. Tara works full-time though, so you won’t see her in the store very often. Tara loves fabric, with a particular penchant for Ruby Star Society, and wishes there were more hours in the day to sew. She loves helping people choose fabrics and colours to bring their projects to life.

As for Teddy – well there was no way he was staying at home, so he became the official Shop Greeter. He loves seeing his favourite people come in to the shop, and his biggest decision of every day is which toy he will bring out to show them. You’ll often find him sleeping in the window in the sun. He might bark when he hears the doorbell, but that just means he’s excited to see you.

Centrepoint Craft & Fabrics has been locally owned and operated for over 40 years. Located in Waimate, New Zealand, we serve not only our local community, but crafters and makers throughout NZ, stocking everything from yarn and fibre to quilting and dressmaking fabrics, and a wide variety of supplies for sewing, quilting, knitting, crochet, needlecrafts, and more. We are passionate about supporting local crafters, through workshops, Stitch & B!tch nights, and showcasing products from local artisans.