Sarah J. Doyle | October 19, 2009
Our town used to have five fabric shops, and now we only have Joann’s and a sewing/craft/pharmacy/snacks (jack of all trades) store that has been around forever (actually is just now celebrating their 50th anniversary). Many of our readers don’t have the option of even one fabric store in their town, and we’ve been told [...]
Sarah J. Doyle | September 28, 2009
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 [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | August 27, 2009
In early 2005 Margaret Jankowski read an article about a woman who had lost her sewing machine in the devastating tsunami that had recently hit Southeast Asia. The woman had saved for years to buy that sewing machine and had also lost her sole means of earning an income when she lost her machine. Margaret [...]
Sarah J. Doyle | May 7, 2009
The bobbin winder unit may be located on the side of the sewing machine or on top of the machine or some types have the rewind right in the machine. Regardless of “where” you wind the bobbin, there are some general rules that apply to every bobbin on every machine.** Always start with an empty [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | April 28, 2009
Elias Howe grew up in poverty in Spencer, Massachusetts on his parents’ farm. Born in 1819, he was sickly as a child and had difficulty performing chores around the farm, but he did them anyway. He later got rich from his invention and patent of the lock-stitch sewing machine, considered one of the great breakthroughs [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | February 6, 2009
The March issue of Consumer Reports says that while no sewing machine does it all, they have identified seven standout sewing machines. Consumer Reports says that “sewing machines” is one of the most frequently searched terms on its website as the hobby grows in response to such primetime television shows as “Trading Spaces” and “Project Runway”. [...]
Sarah J. Doyle | February 2, 2009
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 [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | December 16, 2008
Edwin Pacheco’s new sewing machine repair shop is already filled with dusty old machines and dozens of well used metal shelves and drawers. The Elliot Sewing Machine Company was started by Pacheco’s uncle over 50 years ago, but moved this week from south Boston to its new location in Quincy, Massachusetts.Pacheco was working as a medical [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | November 20, 2008
Singer Sewing Company has announced that it will sponsor the “Best Handmade Handbag Category”, one of the most popular categories in the competition for the 2009 Independent Handbag Designer Awards (IHDA). Gary Jones, President of the US Singer Sewing Company says that “downloadable patterns for totes and handbags are one of the most visited categories at Singer.com. Our [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | October 23, 2008
SVP Worldwide, the parent company of Singer, Pfaff and Husqvarna Viking, along with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, have announced their GIFTS BY YOU contest where lucky contestants have the opportunity to win a sewing, embroidery or quilting machine PLUS a $1,000 shopping spree. Sew a gift this holiday season for a friend or family member and upload [...]
