Hello Everyone,

 

It's September! Can you believe how fast summer came and went? I'm ready for the heat to go but summer you can stick around a little longer.

When we announced back in the April Newsletter that we are moving into our new building at the end of September it seemed so far away. Here it is September first and we are now just weeks away from our move. Every evening after we close up the shop Rob and I head across the parking lot to see what has changed over at the new shop. We have been doing this since April. I had trouble envisioning the new shop at first when it was just a big empty dirty warehouse but Rob would always assure me that it's going to be awesome! He can always see the bigger picture and I'm thankful that one of us can. In the past month I have begun to see how awesome it is going to be, Rob was right all along! I can see the great space that we will have and how we will use our new space. Now I can see where the quilts will hang, where the cutting tables will be set up, how the new fabric shelves will be arranged, and where the checkouts are. Soon you will start to see the changes on the outside of the building too as they start transforming the front of the building and creating that welcoming entrance we are envisioning for the shop. The finish line is more in sight each day and we cannot wait to cross it with all of you, our customers and friends who have helped make this new shop possible. Thank you!

 

May All Your Stitches Be Sweet,

Joan

Sweet Stitches is planning a few trips out of the shop to attend quilting events as a vendor.

This month we want to talk about breaking thread and just one of the many possible causes. I see it often when repairing machines, the needle plate and specifically the needle opening is rough. The plate can be gouged from needle strikes leaving the opening very rough with sharp edges. How does this happen? In the case of typical sewing - its sewing too aggressively, that is helping the fabric along by pushing or pulling the fabric rather than allowing the feed dogs to do their job and draw the fabric through the machine while you simply guide the fabric. Pushing or pulling the fabric can distort the needle and cause it to deflect and contact the needle plate damaging the surface.

When you sew, the thread is tight against the needle on the down stroke but on the up stroke the thread will be loose and can and will come in contact with the needle plate opening. If that opening is rough, the thread will begin to shred and eventually fail.

You can prevent needle plate damage by allowing your feed dogs to draw your fabric under the presser foot, the feed dogs drop out of the way and the fabric stops moving just as the needle reaches the fabric. If you allow your feed dogs to do their job, your needle plate will retain its smooth finish and thread shed will be something that used to happen.