About Us
Poekie Nook is an after-school sewing studio where children ages 6-12 learn to hand-sew Poekies (a.k.a stuffies).
We foster a safe and nurturing environment where kids are allowed to thrive: emotionally, socially, and creatively. Unbeknownst to them, they will also be learning life-long skills and enhancing their cognitive development.
Mothers call their babies “Poekie” in Holland.
Due to our drop-in format, at any time there will be kids with varying degrees of ability and experience, all sewing away at their particular skill levels, inspiring those who are new to keep on practicing their cutting, tracing and stitching abilities as they move up through the different levels of Poekies.
Since there is no ‘class-time’ (“Now we all must do this or that”), kids hang out in groups, chatting and laughing, while they learn without the stress of needing to accomplish something within a certain time frame.
Fostering Imagination
It is so heart-warming to see a child’s face light up with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Before long they are creating Poekie familes, sewing clothes for them and creating their own little world.
Through that innocent playfulness, Poekies help keep the natural innocence in our children alive and foster the imagination.
Our Founders
We’re here to share the magic of Poekie Nook!
Christine Bonaccolta
Owner
Christine Bonaccolta was born and raised in Queens, NY. She always had a knack for artistry, and once she completed her studies at NYU business school she worked for private manufacturers and designed jewelry for major retailers throughout the U.S. After a successful career in the Fine Jewelry industry, she decided to take a leap of faith and moved to Marin County, CA with her husband Scott and dog Mylos. They both left corporate America to open and run a math tutoring franchise, Mathnasium. Throughout the following years, they became entrenched in the community, meeting many families and working with their children. It is then that they learned about Poekie Nook and knew it was too magical not to share. Scott and Christine sold Mathnasium in 2021 to fully focus on Poekie Nook. Stay tuned for more excitement at Poekie Nook!
Sophia Van der Harst
Founder
Poekie Nook was founded by Sophia Van der Harst. She was born and raised in a small village in Holland, amidst a bustling artistic family. From 1992-2014, she taught sewing to children in Mill Valley, CA for other businesses. In 2014, she caught the entrepreneurial bug and decided to open-up her own business. Poekie Nook was officially born and the business began to take shape. Her years of teaching, as well as, her Waldorf teacher training helped her to develop a sewing system and a world that children love and which inspires them to create, craft and imagine. In the summer of 2019, Poekie Nook was purchased by Christine Bonaccolta, allowing Sophia to retire to her homeland.