Frequently Asked Questions
I love the shop name! How did you come up with it?
We wanted a name that reflected the rich history of craft and sewing, and the value these skills have brought through to the modern world. Minerva was the Roman Goddess of handcrafts, art, and weaving (and also strategic warfare!), and as a woman owned business, we felt a connection to this strong historical character.
We also wanted to incorporate the nurturing sense that many people feel in their sewing space, and, being enthusiastic bird watchers, we added Bower. With Satin Bower Birds prevalent within the Blue Mountains, we also felt it added a nice geographical touch.
Many people questioned our decision in the planning stage, but we get so much positive feedback about it, and it definitely suits our sweet shop!
How do I visit your beautiful store?
Our shop front is located in central Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, 1 1/2 hours west of Sydney.
Our address is Shop 9 Katoomba Arcade, 147- 153 Katoomba St, Katoomba
A link to our location on Google Maps can be found here
The walk through arcade can be accessed from both Katoomba St, and Pioneer Place. There is plenty of paid parking on both sides (mostly 2 hours), or 3 hours free parking is available underneath Woolworths carpark.
What are your opening hours?
You can shop online with us 24 hours a day. Orders placed before 2pm will be sent out on the same day, and all remaining orders are sent the following business day.
Our Katoomba shop is open Tue - Fri 10am - 5pm, and Saturday 11am- 4pm
We are closed on Sunday and Monday
Can I order samples?
Yes! We highly recommend ordering fabric samples before you commit to your dream purchase. We charge $5 for up to 5 samples, or $10 for 10 samples. Just send us an email at enquiries@minervasbower.com.au with your list of fabrics, and we'll send it out. Payment can be made to our PayPal account (minervasbower@gmail.com), or can be taken over the phone on 0431394636 or 0433012594
If you'd prefer not to wait for samples to arrive, we are also more than happy to send out additional photos or videos of the fabrics, which can give better colour and drape clarity. Again, just send us a message, or get in touch via our Chat function on our homepage.
Do you sew? Can you help me with questions I have?
Yes! Between us, we have over 70 years of sewing experience. We both come from multigenerational tailoring and dressmaking families, and have sewn professionally and personally our whole lives. Our homemade wardrobes give us much joy, and we are always happy to answer any of your sewing questions.
Do you sell natural fibres?
Our fabric range is almost exclusively natural fibres. We use a hierarchy of decision making when choosing our fabrics, as follows - biodegradable, ethically produced, production and labour condition certification, Australian grown and made, recycled components, dead stock, and purchasing fabrics suitable for cold climates. A tiny proportion of fabrics contain a small amount of synthetic composition, mostly in our winter weight collection.
As we love sewing with stretch fabrics, many of our jerseys and stretch woven fabrics also contain either spandex, elastane, or polyurethane, however we also stock a wide range of knit fabric that has no synthetic component.
We can proudly tell you the country of origin, and composition, of each roll of fabric.
Sustainability extends beyond just our fabric selection, and has evolved into an ethos which guides our whole business. We support the practice of slower fashion, and we are always happy to advise on how to extend the life of your wardrobe.
How quickly do you send online orders?
You can shop online with us 24 hours a day. Orders placed before 2pm will be sent out on the same day, and all remaining orders are sent the following business day. We send out confirmation and order tracking information to you, as soon as your parcel of goodies is on its way to you.