Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop June 2019 Newsletter
SSQS Journal
Issue 22 June 2019
Hello Everyone!
I was hoping to greet you all with “hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather” but it seems the rain has had other plans for our summer. No worries though, the sun will shine again and we will be able to enjoy all the things we love about summer. Until that happens how about you come see my First Friday Demonstration Day June 7. Our theme will be “A Taste of Summer”. I plan on showing you fun ideas for summer quilting and sewing projects and I will be revealing my 2019 Row for the Row x Row Experience that begins June 21, the first day of summer. The theme for 2019 Row x Row Experience is “Taste the Experience” and my row is titled “Taste of Summer”. On Demo Day we will also have newly finished quilts we have made in the shop, new fabric arrivals, and patterns too. Please be sure to bring your Show & Tell to share with everyone. We hope you can join us as we kick off summer with a taste of what's happening in the shop.
May all your stitches be sweet,
Joan
 |
 |
June 7th at 10:30 am
A Taste of Summer will be our theme for our June 7th Demo Day. Cookouts, Berry Picking, Picnics, Days at the Beach, and 4th of July Celebrations they all have that taste of summer we love! Come see what we have to share with you to make your summer sweet! Be sure to bring any Show & Tell you have finished. We love to see what everyone is making. Doors open at 10 am and the Demo starts at 10:30 am Come Join Us - It's Free!
Join us on the First Friday of each month for Demonstration Day at the Shop!
GO! Play Day!
Thursday June 20, 2019 10:30am-4:30pm
Are you an Accuquilt Go! Owner? We would love you to pack up your die cutter and join us for a day of Accuquilt play! Darla will share the how to's of making 12" blocks from your 8" Cube or 13.5" from your 9" Cube. Bring your cutter, your qube, and your sewing machine. You are also welcome to bring your own project to work on too. This event is Free for our Accuquilt Owners, Come Join us! Cut Time, Quilt More! With Accuquilt!
Sweet Stitches is participating in Row by Row again this year. Row by Row was founded by a New York State quilt shop owner, Janet Lutz, in 2011. Row by Row was created as a summertime shop hop that all brick-and-mortar quilt shops are invited to participate in. For each summer, a theme is selected and shops design an original “row” pattern. Patterns are provided free to customers who visit the shop during the summer months. Sweet Stitches, like most shops, also create and sell kits to accompany the pattern.
Since 2011, Row by Row has grown dramatically and today it is estimated that 3,100 shops across the US, Canada, and Europe will create a “row” this year and 1.4 million quilters will participate in the program across the world.
Through the summer months, quilt shops will have visitors traveling from near and far that collect the rows once the program kicks off on June 21st. If past few years are any indication, Sweet Stitches will welcome a number of out of state travelers to Northwest Indiana!
As you can see from the logo above, the theme for 2019 is “Taste the Experience”. Following this theme, Joan has designed and crafted a Row titled, “Taste of Summer” playing off a favorite summer activity, grilling out. You will have to check out Joan's row the next time you visit the shop.
The Row by Row experience is a very good program that brings quilters to Brick and Mortar stores during the travel months. After the summer season ends, the shops are then permitted to sell the rows on-line.
To learn more:
Row by Row Experience
Indiana Row by Row Facebook page
Join in and Take a Class!
We have a full calendar of classes for June and July!
You can link to our June Calendar here.
In addition to our formal class schedule, we offer tutoring on quilting techniques, projects, machine basics, and operation. Please let us know if you have suggestions or would like to schedule a group or private tutoring session!
Homestead Betty Modern Sampler Block of the Month
Month 5 Blocks for our "Homestead Betty" Block of the Month are ready for pick up as of June 7th.
This Sweet Little Red & White Pieced Quilt is made in the Maywood Studio Fabric line “The Little Things”. The quilt hanging in the shop was assembled by Linda Poparad and quilted by Judy Holden. A new block will be released on the first Friday of each month.
A Machine Minute
General Maintenance and proper technique are critical for optimum performance of your sewing machine and project outcome.
"Thread and the Seesaw effect "
The reality of how your thread moves through your machine, needle, and fabric is far more involved than you might think. The fact is, your thread travels back and forth through the eye of the needle and will even be pulled into and out of the fabric many times before it is incorporated into a stitch. Depending on the stitch length, your thread can seesaw through the eye of the needle as many as 15 to 20 times. Therefore, if you are using a worn or incorretly sized needle or an older or poor qualtity thread it is more likely that you will experience friction, wear and failure (the thread breaks).
To gain an appreciation for the high impact nature of your thread and needle combination, and to prove to yourself that your thread is seesawing back and forth try this little experiment: Thread your machine with light colored thread. Take a black marker and make a one-inch long mark directly on the thread near to the take up lever. Be sure to make the mark dark so you can clearly see it on the thread. Now run your machine at its slowest speed setting using a long straight stitch. As you carefully sew, keep your eye on the black mark. You will see the mark move down and back up with the movement of the take-up lever. Remember that your thread must make its way around the bobbin which requires a length of thread. It is then the job of the take-up lever to pull this excess thread back up creating the stitch and thus the thread will seesaw back and forth. As you follow the progress of your black mark, you will see the line move down and move into and out of the needle and into and out of the fabric until it is incorporated into the seam. After performing this experiment, you will have a new understanding and appreciation for the impact that the correct matching type and size of your needle and thread will have.
Consider a new needle first if you are having thread breakage, nesting or are seeing skipped stitches.
Quilters of all skill levels can find encouragement, inspiration and creativity at Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop. Located in Chesterton, Indiana just a few miles from the natural beauty of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop is your destination for fabrics, notions and all things quilting. We carry a wide variety of brights, batiks and reproduction fabrics as well as notions, patterns, books and Elna sewing machines. Our large classroom offers students everything they need to learn and grow their quilting talents. From fabric selection to project advice to training on your new machine, our friendly, knowledgeable staff is ready to assist. Stop by the store or click the "Shop Online" link to view our wide variety of products ready to ship direct to your door.
1585 South Calumet Road Chesterton, IN 46304
219.250.5942
www.sweetstitchesquiltshop.com
Follow Us on Facebook 