Sewing With Purpose

So Much Inspiration

I moved to New York City from Lima, Peru when I was 17 years old. It was there in The City of Dreams that I met my husband and best partner in life. We were loving life, growing a family and living in New York City’s upper east side. In fact, that time in our lives is so special to me it helped inspire the name for my shop — Ofelia City East.
My love for sewing started when I was just five years old. I remember having a wonderful time hand stitching and making clothes for my pretty dolls. My Grandma Ofelia was a professional seamstress, so we can easily say I have it in my DNA. She was my first inspiration and the reason my store features her beautiful name.
My second biggest inspiration for my sewing passion came from my lovely mother-in-law. She used to tell me stories about her sewing and all the clothes she made for her kids — all of which she saved for her grandchildren. She was the driving force behind my desire to pick up sewing again. I took classes online and started to make clothes for my own kids. Sadly, she is no longer with us, but I keep her memory alive by continuing the tradition she passed on to me. She is with me every time I sit at my machine and create.


From Plastic To Fantastic

The idea to create cute waterproof bags and totes was inspired by my children. They would come home from school with their dirty soggy gym clothes bunched up in a disposable plastic zipped bag from their teacher. It did the job, but I had to find a better way to transport their clothes and prevent these plastic bags from sitting in a landfill. To the sewing machine I went and some adorable reusable waterproof bags were born. With Ofelia City East, I’m able to provide my customers something stylish, cute, earth-friendly and practical. That’s a whole lot of wins in my book.

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While I love making reusable bags, I've expanded into kids' clothes and accessories.

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Tidbits About Karen

 

• She has two children — Richie & Reagan

• In addition to sewing, she loves to bake and paint (not at the same time) 

• Helping to save the planet one bag at a time

• She works at her daughter's Preschool as a Teacher Aide.

• Ofelia is her middle name, named after her Grandmother. 

 

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Thank you for visiting my shop and for supporting handmade efforts! It means the world to me.

 

 

Karen Ofelia