"I love to share the joy of sewing with my customers. I try to help with any challenges my customers bring to me."

Jeanettitorial

It’s finally looking like spring—flowers blooming, trees in blossom, grass green, and farmers getting in the fields!  I’ve actually enjoyed working in the yard a few evenings, cleaning up the debris from the winter storms.  We also recently cleaned up lots of left-over leaves at our cabin in Ludington and found crocuses blooming underneath them. 

From April 23-25 we were in Cleveland, OH, attending certification classes on Designer’s Gallery Studio, QuiltWorks, CustomWorks, and MasterWorks.  I always knew these were great programs, but after having more time to learn about and experiment with them, I can’t wait to show you the ease with which they help you  create and edit embroidery.  For example, QuiltWorks provides a wonderful way to use your embroidery machine to quilt the tops you piece.   If you want a very effective and efficient way to do lettering, Letter Works III is for you.  It’s a stand-alone program with over 150 professionally digitized fonts (including 30 exclusive Baby Lock fonts), all of the tru-type fonts on your computer, and 21 monogram fonts that can combine with 44 decorative frames.  This new program (and the update from earlier LetterWorks programs) is scheduled to be out in May.  During our classes, we also took a more in-depth look at the Interactives.  These “design packs” allow you to create a virtually limitless variety of lovely and innovative themed embroidery designs.  As you can see, We’re excited about what the Designer’s Gallery family of software can do for you.

Our first shop hop is just around the corner.  Be sure to sign up so that you can be eligible for all of the gifts, prizes, and special bargains that will be available at each store.  We are looking forward to meeting new sewists who will visit us during the shop hop and, of course, we always welcome you, our special friends, to our place.  P.S.:  We’ll some great refreshments during the shop hop.

We won’t be traveling during the month of May like we have been recently and like we did last May when we went to Quilt Market in Salt Lake City.  However, we will be celebrating grandson Calvin’s 7th birthday in Bloomington as well as granddaughter Sydney’s 2nd birthday just a few miles up the road from us.   And on the subject of grandchildren, are we excited that Katylynn Ivy Prenkert’s adoption became official on May 10?  I guess so!  Derry and Janelle were really “pumped” too.  Grant, our special 3-year-old grandson, is actually now attending school half-days so that he can get the therapies that he needs.  He is doing pretty well after a tough adjustment period.  And we certainly want to get to Ludington to care for the yard there, plant flowers, read, and RELAX.   We would be able to squeeze everything in if there were more hours in the day and about 50 days in the month. 

My summer calendar also looks very busy.  The Elkhart County Quilt Gardens will be opening soon and we believe this will bring even more quilters to Wakarusa.  There will be a garden across the street from us as well as a quilt mural on the east wall of the Key Bank building.  I have pieced a quilt to match the mural.  The quilt will be on display this summer and is to be auctioned off for charity at the end of the summer.  We’re planning a Sidewalk Sale during June.  I’m just not sure yet when it will be.  Get the latest news on our web site (www.jeanettesfabric.com), and while you’re  there, sign up for our e-mail list so you can stay posted on news and e-mail specials.  You can be sure we won’t bug you too often.  On June  9, we will have our carry-in lunch/dinner for Sewing Lovers’/Embroidery Club.  If you’ve never come to club, this would be a great time to start.  Please call and sign up. 

And, finally, on April 24 Sally had surgery on her neck.  She has been in much pain recently.  She came home from the hospital on Sunday, April 27, the day I am writing this Jeanettitorial.  She reports that  the pain she had been experiencing is gone although she is currently “stapled together.”  She has to wear a neck brace for a while.   Please pray for her quick and complete recovery.  We want her back in the store as soon as possible, smiling and helping you.

Looking forward to seeing you in beautiful downtown Wakarusa: we believe that we can help you with your sewing projects and supply your sewing needs. If you would like to receive our email updates (we call them Email Specials), just follow this link and give us your email address and we'll take care of the rest! And we promise to guard your privacy very carefully, never sharing your information with anyone.

A BOBBIN IS A BOBBIN--RIGHT?

  Not necessarily!  It seems simple enough.  Bobbins hold thread.  However with all of the different brands of machines and the different types of bobbins,  things can get a little complicated.  Many sewists own several machines and have more than one kind of bobbin in their sewing boxes—including plastic, metal and pre-wound.  It is very important to use a bobbin that is appropriate for your machine.  We would be glad to advise you.  Here is another caution.  Never use a bobbin that is nicked, bent, chipped, or rough.  Replace it.  An incorrect or damaged bobbin will cause thread breakage, tension problems, and plenty of frustration.  On the other hand, the right bobbin, properly wound and correctly installed, will help make your sewing much more enjoyable.  It’s a good idea to have extra bobbins on hand.  Bobbins are inexpensive but so important!