SSQS Journal
Issue 59 July, 2022
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Hello Everyone it's July!
I feel like I blinked and June was gone. A quilt show in Fort Wayne, a two day sale at the shop, a full class calendar, a summer mystery kickoff, 2 videos and a guild visit with a pop up shop made for a very busy June. Sometimes I wonder how we accomplish everything we do in a month but it gets done because we have a wonderful group of ladies that work together here at the shop. I also have a partner that carries the load both figuratively and physically. So glad he always has a shoulder to lean on too. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by all that needs to be done some months and I recently came across a little book of inspirational sayings that my daughter gave me and I found a little saying that just seemed to fit my month. “When you feel you have been buried, perhaps you have really just been planted. Bloom.” I guess it's all in how you choose to look at the situation.
I am so glad to be planted right here in my little quilt garden with all of you!
We hope you enjoy your holiday weekend with family and friends.
May all your Stitches be Sweet,
Joan
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The shop will be CLOSED Monday, July 4th |
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We will be back 10am Tuesday |
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Joan's theme for the July First Friday Demonstration Day is "Tangles"
From Triangles to Tangled thread, Joan has tips, tricks and quilts to share!
Because today is First Friday and the first day of the month, we are combining our Newsletter and Demo Day emails. Click the link below to see Joan's July video.
ENJOY!
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Don't forget to "Like" and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! |
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Sweet Summer Mystery
Our Summer Mystery is off and running. Our first clue was sent out by email along with a video guide from Joan on June 17. Future clues will be provided on the third friday of July and August.
The mystery features One easy Block broken up over 3 months. This Awesome pattern uses the Folded Corner Clipper Ruler - Joan's favorite ruler! The cutting and the sewing for this mystery will be easy during the busy summer months.
If you did not sign up for this Free mystery quilt, please call (219.250.5942) or send us an email to info@sweetstitchesquiltshop.com and we would be happy to provide clue number one and be sure your email is included when we release clue number two and three.
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Lakeside Block of the Month
Good News! The fabrics have arrived and Darla, Claire and Terry have been busy preparing kits. On Wednesday, July 6 at 10:30 Darla will provide an overview of this 10 month BOM and provide tips that she learned as she created the shop sample. For anyone that cannot make it to the shop on the 6th, we plan to record the presentation along with the question and answer session.
Thanks to all of you for being so patient as we waited for the fabric to arrive!
The Lakeside BOM is sold out. If you are interested to participate in BOM projects, stay tuned to future newsletters and our facebook page.
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The July calendar will not be quite as full as past months as we will be away from the shop for a Quilt Show and we have several staff vacations planned but there will be plenty to choose from.
If you are interested to explore our classes and schedule, 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.
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Are you Interested in Accuquilt?
If you haven’t tried AccuQuilt, our Project of the Month series is your opportunity to try AccuQuilt for yourself. Our dies and cutters are available to every class attendee to use in class. AccuQuilt owners are welcome, too, and you don’t even have to bring your cutter to class. This month we are using a commercial pattern called Ring Toss Table Runner by Cut Loose Patterns.
Once your registration is complete, the fabric and supply list will be made available. There is a pattern fee this month because we are using a commercial pattern and the pattern is $3.50 plus tax.
We will have an afternoon class where you can make a table topper (or it could be a wall hanging!) on July 28.
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Accuquilt Go! Play Days!
This Month Go! Play Day! is on July 21
Our Go! Play Days! explore a new quilt border each month. Darla will present a new idea for a pieced border to add zip to your quilts. This is a great way to become more comfortable with using an AccuQuilt cutter, improving your piecing skills, and be more creative (or daring!) with color and fabric choices. With every class we will learn a new trick, tip, or way to fool the eye. At the end of the year, all 12 monthly borders can be combined to complete a twin size quilt top!
An 8” Qube set is recommended for this series of classes, but any size Qube can perform with minor adjustments; Darla is here to help with that. No Qube? No problem! Many of the borders can be completed with basic shapes you may already have in your collection.
If you happen not to start with us in January, you may still join at any time during the year. Come to class expecting to try something new. Only $5 reserves your seat. Can't make every Go Play Day? Don't worry you can come into the shop and pick up a written pattern for the month you missed for $5.00.
Go! Play Days! are for those that own an accuquilt cutting system. You will bring your cutter and dies to class and learn tips and tricks to get the most out of your system from Darla.
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Sweet Stitches Road Trips
Sweet Stitches will be a vendor at the Berrien Towne & Country Quilt Guild Show
The Quilt Show will be held at The Box Factory for the Arts located at 1101 Broad St, Saint Joseph, MI 49085.
The theme for the show is:
The Art of the Quilt.
Dates: Thursday July 14, Friday July 15, Saturday July 16.
Hours: 10 until 6 Thursday and 10 to 4 on Friday and Saturday.
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Sweet Stitches would like to thank the Appleseed Quilters Guild that put on a fabulous Show at the Fort Wayne Grand Wayne Center early in June. We would also like to thank the Kokomo Piecemakers Guild for their hospitality this week. Joan made a demo presentation along with a trunk show and of course we had our pop-up shop. We enjoyed spending time with the Kokomo Guild!
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As you already know, the annual One Stop Quilt Shop Hop will skip this year. The Kokomo Convention Center is no longer available and the organizers have found a new home in Wabash, IN. The One Stop Quilt Shop Hop will return July 21 and 22, 2023! If the shops are not able to get together in one place for a shop hop we thought it would be a good to open our shops this summer for a Road Trip Shop Hop. So many people visit the booths in Kokomo but have never visited our brick and mortar stores. This year the organizers have assembled the majority of shops and have created a shop hop that will run from May 31 through September 3.
We hope that you take this opportunity to visit the participating shops that continue to support the One Stop Shop Hop. We all look forward to being under one roof again in 2023!
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General Maintenance and proper technique are critical for optimum performance of your sewing machine and project outcome.
Sometimes it's amazing they still run!
Sometimes we joke at the shop about our Hall of Fame (Shame?) for dirty machines. It's not everyday or even week that we see a machine packed with debris. Even more rare is to have them back to back but that is what we had recently. Machine number One arrived because the reverse did not work and number Two was having issues with thread getting stuck in the bobbin.
Interestingly, if you saw either machine and inspected the bobbin area you would say the machines were pretty clean. The owners were doing what they could to keep them clean. After a while, however, the dust, debris, lint, and thread find their way to places that you cannot reach unless you remove covers and parts.
You will be happy to know that both machines came out just fine. Both required a bit more work than normal but we got 'em clean, oiled, and tuned up so they are ready to sew again.
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Machine #2 - Packed like colored Concrete |
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Have a question about Machine Maintenance? Feel free to stop in and ask, we are happy to assist with helpful advice to keep you 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 Park, Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop is your destination for fabrics, notions and all things quilting. We carry a wide variety of brights and batik 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.
Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop
1575 S Calumet Rd.
Chesterton, Indiana 46304
219.250.5942
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