When their mother died in 1928, the three Danaher girls from Motukaraka on the Hokianga Harbour were sent to the Star of the Sea Convent in Howick. Here the Sisters of Mercy imparted to Winifred the sewing skills that would lead to her lifetime love of creating. She recalls at the age of 12 being put in charge of repairing all the school hats, involving altering the fits, cutting down the crowns and adding a new lining. Her love of fashion is apparent in the many garments she has produced for herself and her five daughters over her lifetime, and those early re-modelling skills are still used to ensure that her wardrobe stays “on trend”. Winifred’s passion and prowess inspired great grand-daughter Antonia de Ment to recently request a sewing machine for Christmas and at the age of 10, she is now set up and ready to follow in those formidable footsteps. Read more about the history of home sewing in the New Zealand Fashion Museum publication Home Sewn.