Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop January 2021 Newsletter
SSQS Journal
Issue 41 January 2021
Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!
It's a New Year with new corners to turn but not to worry we are Quilter's, turning corners is kind of our thing. We piece those fabric shapes together, sewing corner to corner, edge to edge determined to sew them together carefully and accurately, as not to have to do them over. We fit those blocks together, matching those corners, carefully and purposefully sewing so everything fits together perfectly in the end. We quilt those layers evenly to hold those layers strong right to the very edge. We trim those corners and straighten those edges before we bind the quilt with skillful intent, turning the corners carefully and with as much accuracy as we can muster so the edges don't unravel. After all this we are left with a quilt, a thing of beauty, of purpose and of time well spent.
This is what 2021 will be, doing our best to take those corners carefully and with determination to ensure we, as well as our quilts, remain beautiful and strong for years to come.
We have lots planned for 2021 at the shop, some plans carefully marked out and some we will be made as we make our way around that corner. Be sure to check out our calendar each month for classes and video events at the shop. Our January Demonstration Day Video will be sent out January 8 and our theme this month will be "Just around the Corner" I have lots to share with you on the subject of corners in quilting.
As we reopen on January 4th we will be celebrating 4 years in business and we just want to thank you all for being a huge part of our continued success and growth. Thank you for your friendship and support over the years, we can't thank you enough!
May all your Stitches be Sweet,
Joan
Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop Celebrates our 4th Anniversary!
On January 3rd, Sweet Stitches will celebrate its 4th anniversary. As we begin our fifth year in business we are very grateful for our wonderful customers that have helped us through and have allowed us to serve you and offer new products, classes and services through what was a very difficult past year. As we put 2020 in our history books, we look forward to sharing our plans for 2021 over the next few months!
Please join us January 4 - 6, 2021
Anniversary Sales Event
25% OFF
Fabric Books Notions Patterns
25% OFF
AccuQuilt Cubes
AccuQuilt Companion Sets
$75 OFF
Accuquilt Ready Set Go Cutting Kits
$100 OFF
Accuquilt Go! Big Electric Cutter
15% OFF
Daylight Lamps
All Sewing Machines
Holiday Pricing carry over on all Sewing Machines
(Holiday Sale Price plus an additional 5% OFF)
(All sales apply to in stock items only, no special orders. Fabric sales of 1/2 yard or more)
Friday, January 8, 2021
"Just Around the Corner" is Joan's theme for January. Be sure to stay tuned and watch your inbox for our first Friday email and Video link.Friday Demo Days are a little different now but we don't want you to miss out on what's new in the shop so we now produce a video so you can watch at home. Be sure to stop by the shop to see the projects in person and pick up items to make your own projects.
A link to the Demo Day Video will be provided on the morning of January 8.
Our owner's group Go! Play Days! will continue in 2021! We are pleased to welcome a number of new holiday Accuquilt cutter owners to the group! Each month, a new video featuring tips, tricks, and a project idea is presented by Darla and delivered exclusively to our owners inbox. Stay tuned for the third Thursday of the January and our next Go! Play Day! video.
Our January video will feature tips and techniques for adding Accuquilt quilt blocks to your Panel projects.
If you are an Accuquilt owner, be sure to check your email for the video link.
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Upcoming Accuquilt classes:
Accuquilt 101 class Darla will review the techniques you need to know in order to get the most out of your Accuquilt cutting system. This class will be a great review for anyone if it's been a while since your cutter got some use, or perfect if you purchased your cutter some time ago and have not yet let it out of its box!
My Crazy Wonky Heart Class - In time for Valentines Day, Darla has a crazy wonky class with the Accuquilt Crazy Quilt Die and/or Wonky Heart Die. Learn best cutting and piecing techniques with these non traditional pieced dies. Make whatever your Crazy Wonky Heart desires out of these blocks for Valentines Day and beyond. 
Venice Trails Class - What do you get when you combine your Accuquilt Cutting System with The Snails Trail Al Fresco Pattern by Creative Grids and the Venice Fabric Line by Robert Kauffman? You get "Venice Trails", Darla's latest creation with Accuquilt. This class is for those that have an AccuQuilt Cutting System and either an 8" Angles Cube or the 4" Triangle in the Square die along with the 8" snails trail die.
Kits will be available for those that would like to follow Darla's color pallet or you can decide on your own colors for this two part class.
CLASS CALENDAR
January 2021
You can click here to see the January calendar.
The January class calendar is beginning to fill up - or keeping to the theme this month - more classes are just around the corner.
Please note that for the foreseeable future our Covid rules will remain in place so we all stay safe. We will have a maximum number of Three people in our classes and masks will be required for class participants and instructors.
Coffee House
Progressive 5 Month Block of the Month
Starting Late February 2021
This is the Block of the Month Joan mentioned in her December Demo Day Video.
The quilt is 'brewing' in the shop in Joan's colorway (she presented her colors for this quilt in the December video) We plan for the first block to be available in late February along with a short instructional video each month to help you with the project.
If you are interested, please call the shop 219.250.5942 or email info@sweetstitchesquiltshop.com for more information and to get on our list.
Annually, Sweet Stitches has hosted National Sew Day for Quilts Of Valor. This year will be a little different. We usually have the classroom set up with machines and we invite you all in to come in and sew a block or two for Quilts of Valor throughout the day. This year we will pre-cut block kits for you to sign out, take home, sew up and return to the shop for Quilts of Valor.
Block kits with instructions will be available starting January 25 and for each block you finish and return by 4:00 pm Saturday, February 6 you will be entered into a drawing to win one of three gift cards to the shop.
All completed blocks will be donated to our local Quilt Of Valor Group, String-A-Long Stars & Stripes and they will use those donated blocks to create beautiful quilts to present to local veterans to honor and thank them for their service to our country.
Sweet Stitches is donating all of the fabric and gift cards for this event and will use our Accuquilt cutting systems to prepare the kits. This is a great opportunity to support an excellent organization and cause. If you are new to Quilts of Valor you can learn more at these links: Local String-A-Long Stars and Stripes Quilts of Valor Foundation
2021 Pre-game Mystery Party
February 7, 2021
Sweet Stitches is planning for its 5th Annual Mystery Quilt Party on Super Bowl weekend. Of course, this years event will have a twist as we plan to host the event live on-line using a bit of technology.
We have had so much fun planning and holding this annual mystery party in past years that the game must go on. While we cannot be together and hold this event at the shop, with a computer or a smart phone you can connect with the other quilters and participate in the fun. As in the past, Coach Joan will provide instructions to allow you to prepare your pieces ahead of time and then clues will be provided during our event so you can piece your mystery quilt.
There will be no fee for this years event but preregistration will be required to ensure we have everyone connected before the event.
Click here to register for the Pre-Game Mystery Quilt Event
A Machine Minute
General Maintenance and proper technique are critical for optimum performance of your sewing machine and project outcome.
Around the Corner
Have you every considered using your knee lift when you have a project that requires a number of start / stops or pivots around corners when straight line quilting or applique? If you have a project that uses a decorative pattern or a change in sewing direction, consider using your knee lift. While not all, most full sized sewing machines offer a knee lift to allow you to keep both hands on your fabric while lifting the presser foot by moving your knee. This is a great option to allow you to keep your focus and hands on your project to produce precise stitches and patterns.
For those of you that may have a fully computerized machines and an automatic presser foot, you too can use a knee lift or you would have an option to use a pivot setting that is programmed into your machine. If you have an elna or Janome 780+, 9450, 920, 15000 the pivot feature is a button in the upper portion of the main screen that automatically lifts the presser foot when you stop sewing.
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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/Janome 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
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