Sewing Business Blog » sewing machine repair

Coupon Cabin Giveaway Hop – $55 Sewing Notions + 400 More!

S. Denise Hoyle — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:01:24 +0000

Welcome to CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz! This multi-blog event is hosted by Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe, and Sassy Mama in LA and is sponsored by CouponCabin. This is the biggest event the blogosphere has seen with over 400 giveaways each at $25 value or more plus a huge giveaway with some major prizes like a MacBook Air, iPad2 & Visa Gift Cards. You can find all the giveaways from the participating blogs by visiting the host blogs, Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe, and Sassy Mama in LA. Each host blog will feature a different set of giveaways for you to enter!

No matter what type of coupon you’re looking for, you’ll find it and over 100,000 others at CouponCabin.com, a leading destination for coupon codes, printable coupons, deals and more. Now with a new and improved grocery coupons section and the largest selection of coupon codes that are guaranteed to work, CouponCabin is the best place to start your search for savings. This holiday season, CouponCabin is dedicated to making holiday savings as easy as pie by bringing you the best deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You can also download our CouponDetector and we’ll let you know when the site you’re shopping has coupons and deals available. Never pay full price again with help from CouponCabin.com!

CouponCabin is giving away the following fabulous prizes:

Grand Prize: MacBook Air (11-inch, 128GB; ARV $1,199)
2nd Runner Up: iPad2 (16GB, with Wi-Fi +3G; ARV $629) & $200 Visa Gift Card
3rd Runner Up: iPad2 (16GB, with Wi-Fi +3G; ARV $629)
4th Runner Up: $300 Visa Gift Card
5th Runner Up: $200 Visa Gift Card
6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Runner Ups: $100 Visa Gift Card each

Please visit Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA to enter the giveaway and make sure to say Shopper Strategy referred you! You can enter on all three sites or just one- it’s up to you! If you enter all three giveaways that just means more chances for you to win.

My giveaway sponsors are SewWithSarah.com and SewMachineRepair.com! They’ve provided us with a prize package that includes the “Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer” book plus over $30 worth of sewing notions!

Click ‘more’ below to view the giveaway entry form!

To enter simply subscribe to the Sewing Business blog via Email by sending a blank email to sewing_business@aweber.com or via RSS feed! You can do a few or all of the bonus entry methods in the form below to increase your chances of winning.

Don’t forget to click the links below to enter as many of the other amazing Coupon Cabin Hop giveaways as you would like! I highly recommend bookmarking this page so you can spread out your entries over a few days. Good luck!

How Are Your Sewing Projects Coming Along?

Sarah J. Doyle — Mon, 10 May 2010 11:50:33 +0000

How about that for a funny title? If you’re like me, I’m never without a LIST of sewing projects waiting to be done.

The real kicker is when you’re right in the middle of a major project (and usually one that I’m behind on), when the sewing machine decides to intervene and stop you in your tracks! This happened to me last week — I was going to town on my stack of sewing when all of a sudden the machine stopped dead. No, the power hadn’t gone out and no, the needle hadn’t broken on me — the needle had jammed with a mountain of loose floppy thread in the bobbin/shuttle area.

I’m very fortunate that my husband, author of Sewing Machine Repair For The Home Sewer was in the other room reading the newspaper. He came in and fixed it for me, and hinted that I check out the Sewing Machine Repair book, so if it might happen while he was on the golf course I could fix it myself and not have to wait until he got home (if it had happened an hour later, he WOULD have been on the golf course!).

A few days ago we received a call from a gentleman who was inquiring about our Sewing Machine Repair as a Home Business manual – he said his wife worked for a quilting shop and was affiliated with two other quilting businesses, and that they get inquiries all the time about getting repair work done on machines. He said he was retired, but not ready to be a couch potato, so wanted to order the repair manual so HE could do the repairs on the machines.

Do YOU have extra time in your business that you could add sewing machine repair as a part of your business? Or is your husband handy like mine, or retired, or simply been laid off his job lately and would like to help incorporate this business into what you already have going?

Check out the SewMachineRepair.com site and see how you could benefit from the books that are available there. You could easily SAVE yourself dollars by not having to take your machine to the repair shop (and be unable to work on those projects for a week or two while the machine sets at the repair shop), OR perhaps you’d like to MAKE some extra dollars by doing sewing machine repair.

Huge Sale on Sewing Machine Repair Business Book

S. Denise Hoyle — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:01:05 +0000

SEWnFit.com is having a huge sale on all of their bestselling repair ebooks, including the popular “Sewing Machine Repair as a Home Business” book which has NEVER been put on sale before. For a limited time you can get a whopping 30% off all sewing machine, serger and treadle repair books!

This is a great time to get your copy of a complete home business manual that will help you to start your own sewing machine repair business, or add some additional income to your current business, for only $41.97 (regularly $59.95).

You can also save hundreds of dollars on repairs for your serger, treadle and sewing machines, protect your investment and keep them running for years while taking advantage of the steep discounts on these books:

Download yours today and start saving on repairs right away! Learn the tips and tricks you need to repair your own machines and never worry about breakdowns again.

How To Bring Bobbin Thread Up

Sarah J. Doyle — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:38:43 +0000

How do you bring the bobbin thread up from the bobbin area after changing a bobbin? Did you know there is an actual “correct” procedure for bringing the bobbin thread up from the bobbin?

The correct way of bringing the bobbin thread up after changing the bobbin is as follows:

A. While holding the top thread with the left hand, turn the handwheel with the right hand until the needle is all the way down into the bobbin area.

B. Keep holding the thread and rotating the handwheel, bring the needle up to the highest point. As the needle comes up, a loop of bobbin thread will come up with it. Pull on the top thread to draw up more of the bobbin thread.

C. Turn loose of the top thread, and pull on the loop of the bobbin thread to bring up the free end of the bobbin thread.

D. Pass both the top and bobbin threads under the presser foot and take them back toward the right. Both thread ends should be at least 4″ long to prevent them from being pulled into the bobbin and jamming as you begin sewing.

Before beginning the sewing process, lay both threads under and toward the back of the presser foot – hold them gently as you begin to sew. This will prevent the threads from being pulled into the bobbin area and jamming.

This may be “old hat” information to many of you; however if you are teaching children or adults how to sew, this would be excellent information to print out and give them for a reference.

**The above information is an excerpt from the Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer book.

Are You Desperately Looking For A Part Time Job?

Sarah J. Doyle — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:38:36 +0000

There aren’t too many people in this economy who don’t have stories about hours being cut, jobs lost and benefits reduced IF they still have a job. Many of those unemployed and underemployed are desperately looking for second and third part time jobs just to be able to pay bills and put food on the table.

I’d like to make a suggestion to those of you who are desperately looking for a part time job. Would you consider doing something from home? Begin a part time home business. A part time home business can be cheaper and more flexible than a second or third part time job.

Before you say “OK, let’s do it”, there are some very crucial things to consider. As we all know, there are no home businesses that will make you rich overnight (at least I’ve never run across any). Therefore there are some things to think about before jumping into the first thing you think sounds good.

** Choose a type of business that you already know something about. Do you know how to sew? Perhaps doing some alterations could bring in extra money. Perhaps teaching others how to sew would be money for you and very helpful for those you’re teaching.

** Do you have a houseful of “things” that you’ve been wanting to go through and get rid of (outgrown kids clothes, shoes, knick knacks, etc). Check into eBay or Craig’s List and see how quickly you can get some of those things listed and sold. You’ll feel really good about the housecleaning, not to mention the extra dollars you can make.

** Are you mechanically minded? Think about putting out the word that you can do sewing machine repair — you’ll be surprised at the number of calls you’ll probably be getting as more and more people are digging out the dusty sewing machines so they can start sewing again.

** And speaking of sewing machine repair, I know someone who makes a business of hitting the yard sales, good will shops and flea markets and buys up the old sewing machines for just a few bucks, then repairs them and sells them for a great profit.

While starting your part time home business, choose low-cost marketing tactics, such as flyers hung at the local post offices, fabric shops, get some business cards printed that you can hand out. Put a small advertising flyer or business card into your local bills when you pay them (power bill, water bill, etc); you never know when the people opening those payments at the utility companies might just need your services.

A part time home business may just be exactly what you need to create the extra money you need, and hopefully enough that you can stick a little away for emergencies.

How To Keep Your Sewing Machine “Humming”

Sarah J. Doyle — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:14:10 +0000

We all know what a “humming” sewing machine is — one that starts up each and every time we sit down to do some sewing. In other words, it is a sewing machine that stays IN our sewing room and OUT of the repair shop!

Our best selling book “Sewing Machine Repair For The Home Sewer” has helped literally thousands and thousands of people keep their machines at home and out of the repair shops. Carol B. in Memphis recently wrote “I can’t believe it — 3 of my 6 machines were out of commission, so I thought I’d give your Sewing Machine Repair book a try before taking them to the repair shop. I got your book in the mail, read through the problem / solution areas, then got busy on my machines. By the end of the day all 3 machines were HUMMING again! Your book saved me at least $150 the day I got it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Now for the good part — the Sewing Machine Repair For The Home Sewer is now in downloadable eBook form — AND, for three more days (until Sept 30), the eBook is on sale for only $18.70 (regularly $24.95). Do yourself a favor and click here to get the newly updated and revised Sewing Machine Repair For The Home Sewer book and keep YOUR machine humming!

Handiest Product You Could Have In Your Sewing Room

Sarah J. Doyle — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:18:00 +0000

We have done product reviews on a wide variety of items, from button hole elastic to the Twelve In One Magic Ruler and a ton of other items that make the sewers and crafters work a little easier.

We’ve been getting quite a few requests to do an informational post on the Sewing Machine Repair For The Home Sewer book. Molly from Louisville, KY wrote in saying she’d really like to see a post about this book because since she bought it (nearly a year ago) she’s not taken a single one of her 14 machines to a repair shop! WAY TO GO MOLLY!!!

So, here we go —— ta dah!! Drum Roll Please…….

The Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer covers nearly 90% of all problems sewers have with their machines — from timing issues to needles breaking, thread jamming and bobbin problems. It even tells how to take apart and put back together (with drawings) a tension so it can be fixed.

The Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer is written in generic style so that it covers nearly every machine on the market. Keep in mind, however, that if your computerized machine has gone haywire, it would have to be taken to the dealer, as the dealer is the only one who can get the specialized tools to get into the computer chip / computer board area. You can still do other maintenance to your machine following the directions and instructions in this book — just not deal with the computer chips.

If you’d like to read more about this book, or the Serger Repair book, or Treadle Repair book, head on over to SewMachineRepair.com and check out the books. We think you’ll be glad you did.

Economy Creates 50% Increase In Repair Businesses

S. Denise Hoyle — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:51:00 +0000

With the downturn in the economy, Americans are tightening their belts and pinching their pennies. This in turn has caused an estimated 50% increase in business for local repair shops like Jose Matute’s Gables Shoe Repair shop in Miami.

Matute says its been a major change in his business and that his improving finances are allowing him to replace some of the older machines he uses in his 47 year old business.

Many repair operations, such as sewing machine repair shops and clothing alteration businesses are experiencing this same increase in their businesses, and most savvy shopkeepers are using the extra funds to invest in the future of their business,or are saving it for slower times that may come.

Smart consumers are opting to have damaged or aging goods repaired, rather than spend more money to purchase new clothes, shoes or appliances.

Although it is difficult to predict when the current economic downturn might be over, these new trends in consumer habits will likely continue since shoppers are becoming comfortable with their more frugal ways and will not quickly return to exuberant spending habits once the economy does pick up.

Read more about Jose Matute’s story in the Miami Herald.

College Student Surprised By Flood Of Sewing Machines

S. Denise Hoyle — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Tariro Mupombwa is a 21 year old student at the University of Pennsylvania who is working on a major in biochemistry. A couple of months ago she visited her native Zimbabwe and witnessed the effects of the cholera epidemic that started last August, along with the major economic issues the country is having.

In an effort to “contribute something positive to the society” she came up with a plan to collect donations of sewing machines and then export them to Zimbabwe for the creation of a non-profit that will make school uniforms and clothes for infants.

Residents of a home affiliated with the Salvation Army will be trained to make pleated skirts, khaki pants, blazers and button down shirts. Many of the residents are retirees with no family to help support them in a country where 80% of the population is unemployed and malnutrition runs rampant.

Mupombwa had hoped to collect 25 to 35 sewing machines when an article ran about her project in The Philadelphia Inquirer, but she has been “a bit overwhelmed” by the outpouring of over 120 calls and emails and the offers of new and used sewing machines.

To help out, she has now recruited seven of her classmates who are also responding to the emails and calls. One of her professors has even offered to help store the machines until she can have them shipped. Read more here or contact Tariro Mupombwa for more information on how to donate at tarirom@gmail.com or 215-417-8679.

Keep Your Sewing Equipment in Tip Top Shape

Sarah J. Doyle — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:42:00 +0000

One of the most irritating things that can happen to those of us in the sewing, alteration, crafting, doll making and other “sewing” businesses is for a machine to break down in the middle of a rush project — or any other day of the week! We simply do NOT have the time to spare to lug the machine to a repair shop, only to be told it will be a week or two before they can “get to it” to check it out and make necessary repairs. Not only do we have to wait for the machine to be repaired, in most cases the repair COULD have been done easily and simply by YOU or me at our own home or shop, which would have resulted in almost no down time.

I learned a long time ago that unless you have a totally honest repair shop, and an efficient repair shop, you can look for long delays in getting the machine back, and THEN within a few days or weeks the same (or different) problem pops back up. Interesting how “new” problems seem to happen so quickly after a visit to the repair shop.

For those of you who are like me and NEVER want to see my sewing machine leave my sewing room again, I would highly recommend a couple of repair books that are written in simple language, with diagrams and illustrations, that will allow you to repair your own machine, and get right back to work on those projects.

Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer is probably the most helpful repair book you can find - it tackles the timing problems (have you hit a pin or heavy thick jeans seam and thrown it out of time?), shows how to take a tension apart and put it back together and gives great information on how to adjust the tensions (upper and lower). And, oh those pesky problems with the needle and bobbin - thread breaking, knotting in the bobbin area, etc. This book covers all of these problems.

And, for those Spanish speaking sewers, there is also the Sewing Machine Repair for the Home Sewer written in Spanish (Reparación de Maquinas de Coser en el Hogar that is also available.

Serger Repair for the Home Sewer is written in the same manner that the sewing machine repair book is, except that it tackles the problems and issues that you’d have with your 3-thread, 4-thread and 5-thread sergers.

And for those of you who are lucky enough to have a treadle sewing machine, don’t forget to keep them in tip top shape as well.

By doing “regular” preventative maintenance on our precious sewing equipment will mean fewer breakdowns and fewer headaches while we’re doing what we love to do — sewing!