Hello Everyone and Welcome February!

January was in and out like a Northwest Indiana Snow Storm. I think it felt like the month went so fast because we were so busy at the shop with classes, planning virtual events and videos, sewing up projects as fast as we can and helping customers and friends get their projects together before the snow comes. It was a full month and we are grateful for your business and your enthusiasm for what's going on at the shop. Thank you, friends!

With all that went on in January, I have to say that a couple of visits from some of you really stood out and really touched my heart as you told me what our shop has meant to this past year. One group of ladies came in from the St. John area and started to tell me how much they enjoy staying connected to the shop through our videos and newsletters. They were very kind and the remark that stood out to me and makes me so proud is that they love that over the years we have really created a community here at the shop and they are happy to be part of that community.  We often hear that many of you come in for color therapy, or you needed some inspiration so you dropped by or you just came in to visit and check on us.  I cannot tell you how much that means. We are so glad we can be that for so many of you and please know what you are all that for us too! 

Our theme for our February Demo Day Video will be "Sew Much Love!" It's that time of year again Hearts & Flowers, X's & O's and lots to share here at our little Quilt Shop Community! 

May all your Stitches be Sweet,

Joan

Friday, February 5, 2021

Our theme this month is "Sew Much Love". Hearts and Flowers, X's & O'S the month of February is full of all those things we love. 

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 February 5th.

CLASS CALENDAR
Interested in Learning to Quilt or improving your quilting skills? Sweet Stitches offers classroom instruction for beginners through advanced students. We continue to add new project classes to the calendar along the many of our favorites. If you are interested to explore our classes, click the link below that will take you to our calendar or you can find the calendar and a list of classes on our website by clicking Classes in the top banner.

When you find a class that interests you, simply click on the class to see a full description and picture of the project.

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. 

Click Here for the February Class Calendar

Progressive 5 Month Block of the Month
Coffee House

Starting Friday, February 26, 2021

This is the Block of the Month Joan mentioned in her December Demo Day Video.
The quilt is currently 'brewing' in the shop in Joan's colorway:



This is a FIVE (5) Month Progressive Block of the Month.

The First Block kit will be available on February 26, 2021. Additional blocks will be provided on the last Friday of each of the next Four (4) Months and will include all the fabric needed to create your 72 x 72" Quilt top.

The Fee for this Block of the Month is $25 per Month.

Signing up for this "BOM" and paying the initial $25 locks in your spot and commitment to all Five (5) Months.

Joan has selected a beautiful colorway for this fun and dynamic quilt that is certain to be a favorite. Joan is planning to provide an email with a short video tutorial that will be available each month to help guide your progress.

You can link to the BOM Sign-up by clicking this link.

National Sew Day

Annually, Sweet Stitches has hosted National Sew Day for Quilts Of Valor. This year will be a little different as 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 were made available starting January 25 and WOW did we have a great turnout and demand! We are working hard to restock kits and have more available as of today 2/1/2021.

For every block that you complete and return to the shop by 4:00 pm Saturday, February 6 you will have an entry into a drawing to win one of three gift cards to Sweet Stitches.

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. Be sure to stop in and pick up your Quilts of Valor Block kits!

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 Zoom 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. The Deadline is February 3rd.

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.

We hear it quite frequently, "I only use my straight stitch and every once in a while a zig zag."

Don't be afraid of Decorative Stitches, they can really add to your project and provide a fun and creative look.

Decorative stitches are a great way to embellish your projects as they provide a nice finishing touch and detail that can make all the difference in your sewing project.
To get the most out of your sewing machine and its decorative stitches, it is important to use the correct foot, fabric configuration and machine settings. With a few simple rules, you too can be a pro at using decorative stitches:

Give 'em room - In order to allow your decorative stitches to from correctly it is best to use an applique foot. (in the elna world this is the F or F2 foot) This foot resembles a sled with runners on either side that allow the stitch that is being formed to smoothly slide under the foot. This is especially true for the dense satin stitches. The applique foot also allows the fabric to move easily both forward and backward when creating a complex stitch such as a pictograph. 

Give 'em support - Decorative stitches are generally wider, are more complex and use more thread than simple utility stitches. As a result of this, if you sew on fabric alone, it will often pucker when using a decorative stitch. In order to obtain a quality outcome, you will need support in the form of a stabilizer. There are many types and options when it comes to stabilizers (batting may be an option) but what they provide is additional support that will allow the decorative stitches to lay flat and not pull on the fabric.

Give 'em some time - When compared to a common utility stitch, your needle is covering much more area when running a decorative stitch. This means that it will take longer to cover the same linear distance. If you try to sew a highly complex stitch at top speed, the quality will suffer. When using decorative stitches run your machine a little slower and let those feed dogs do their job, don't push on your fabric, simply guide and let the machine move the fabric through. 

Go ahead, give those decorative stitches a try! If you follow these simple guidelines your results will speak for themselves!

1585 South Calumet Road  Chesterton, IN 46304
219.250.5942
www.sweetstitchesquiltshop.com

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