Daily Times Leader

Selina Tabet helps to stitch together the West Point community

By ABIGAIL SIPE ROCHESTER

In September of this past year, a new store appeared on Commerce Street where Kellogg Hardware used to be. The new store, Sew Sister Sew, is a sewing supplies and sewing machine repair store, and is owned by a face that should be familiar to many in the West Point community. After many years away from her hometown, Selina Tabet has returned and is helping the community learn to sew.

“I had a plan to start this shop before I moved back to West Point. But I was here in March helping my sister Regina out while she was recovering from surgery, and I started working on buying the building from Bucky Kellogg,” Tabet said. “If I was going to open the shop anywhere, I wanted it to be in West Point, where my parents and sister were.”

Tabet grew up living in West Point from the time she was 2-years-old. She spent her entire childhood in the city, only leaving when she attended Mississippi State University for engineering. She met her husband in the electrical engineering program there, and after graduation, followed him to Florida for work. The couple spent 3 years away, before returning to West Point briefly in 1993.

“When we came back here, I worked as an electronics technician at a factory in Starkville. It was MFJ, and they made the power supplies for HAM radios,” said Tabet. “I was a tester and a repairer.

I've always been pretty mechanically inclined.”

But Tabet did not remain in West Point for long. She and her husband moved again in 1994, this time to Maryland, where they lived until this past year. While living there, Tabet worked a number of odd jobs, including working as a GRE instructor and at a quilting shop.

“I love to sew. I worked in a quilt shop in Maryland, and I loved being there all the time getting to talk to people about sewing, quilting, and fabrics. I love going to conferences and taking classes on sewing and quilting,” said Tabet. “I also do service and repair sewing machines. I started learning while working at the quilt shop in Maryland. I'm still learning. But I enjoy doing that.”

Then, in 2022, after many years of living far from the community where she was raised, Tabet returned to help her sister recover from surgery. While staying with her sister, Tabet was dreaming of starting her new store. She and Regina bounced names for her new store off of each other, trying to find a name that would be unique. They came up with the name, “Sew Sister Sew” together, and the name stuck.

Tabet decided to return to West Point permanently to start Sew Sister Sew. This past July, she moved back to town. By September, her new store was celebrating its opening day. She has been working at her own shop ever since, teaching the West Point community how to sew.

“I like teaching classes here,” said Tabet. “I taught GED for a long time, and I like to teach. So we've had classes to make tote bags, quilted table runners, handbags, zipper pouches, and quilted journal covers. I've also done several private lessons with people who are just starting out who don't want to be in a group. I'll teach them how to thread the machine and about its parts and how it works. Anything I can do to help people learn about sewing.”

When she is not working to run her business, Tabet spends her free time making things. She loves machine embroidery, quilting, and making clothes, accessories, handbags, and tote bags. She also likes taking care of her dog, Tater, who stays at the store with her.

“Tater Tot is the store mascot. Except he scares off the customers sometimes. Every time that somebody comes in the door, I always say, ‘he's annoying, not dangerous.' But most people know he's too small to do any harm,” Tabet said.

When she is not at the store, Tabet loves getting to spend time with her four adult children, Keith, Bert, Isabel, and Leif, whenever she gets the chance. She also loves what she calls “nerdy stuff,” like science fiction movies and superhero movies. She also loves singing in the choir at First Baptist Church.

“I sing in the choir at First Baptist Church and I love it,” said Tabet. “I started attending when we moved back in July. We've been to lots of churches in West Point in a 50-year span, but I love getting to sing for First Baptist.”

When asked what her favorite part of being back in the West Point community is, Tabet was clear. She likes being a part of the West Point business community and getting to know her neighbors.

“I love being part of this little downtown area. I loved the Christmas open house, and walking down the street to the park over here. I love walking next door and saying hey to Fred, or going across the street to Petal Pushers. It's a lot like having very close neighbors,” said Tabet.

If you see Tabet around town, be sure to say hello.

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2023-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://dailytimesleader.pressreader.com/article/281522230224010

Alberta Newspaper Group