E-newsletter

August 2010 Consumer E-newsletter

LEARN TO SEW THIS SUMMER!

Sewing Classes-A great way to create and have fun! August is wonderful month, enjoying the last bit of summer and getting ready to go back to school. It is a time to sew a new wardrobe, lunch bags and a chance to take some sewing classes. Sewing is a never ending opportunity to learn. There are new fabrics, new tools to make your projects easier and new techniques to explore. Take a sewing course this fall to expand your knowledge and increase your creativity.

Where do you go to find sewing courses? Your local sewing machine dealer, continuous education classes at your local high school or college, and sewing clubs. Learn to make slip covers, quilt, a down duvet, sew your own kite or just the basics! The list is endless.

Today we have computerized sewing and embroidery machines that make sewing easy and fun at a wide variety of prices. The advantage of a computerized sewing machine is that they offer the user many choices in terms of design or pattern and generally sew much faster than mechanical sewing machines. You can automatically set the stitch length and width, adjust the tension, making your stitching more consistent instead guessing the approximate length and width by moving dials as found in the mechanical machine. It will even tell you what presser foot to use for best results!

Don’t worry about transporting your machine to class. Most sewing machines are easily transportable with a built-in handle and cover. So start surfing the web and scanning the newspaper to find the right sewing class for you to increase your sewing knowledge and creativity! Have fun!

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TIP OF THE MONTH

Choose the Right Design for the Fabric and Project. Some embroidery designs work better than others on certain types of fabric. Choosing a suitable design for the fabric and application can make a huge difference in the quality of your finished project. As a general rule, fabrics that need to drape and lightweight, delicate fabrics such as organza or batiste, require lighter, more open design detailing outlines and pattern accents.

For example, if your embroidery is a flower, embroider the outline, inner flower details, leaf lines and stem. High nap fabrics, like thick towels, require more dense designs so that the stitches don’t get lost in the fabric. You can embroider most patterns on fabrics such as denim or twill as they are not expected to drape. Don’t forget to choose the appropriate stabilizer and needle for your project too!

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MACHINE OF THE MONTH

NV-950D
Innov-is NV950D Sewing/Embroidery Machine
Luxury Features without the Luxury Price Tag!

The Innov-is 950D compact, computerized combination sewing and embroidery machine offers all the standard features you’d expect, plus advanced extras like drop feed dogs and needle threader, that make it the ideal machine for hobbyists of all skill levels. A built-in USB port allows you to easily import digitized designs from a USB memory stick, expanding your design capabilities beyond the generous 105 built-in embroidery designs (35 of which feature Disney® characters).

Take advantage of the 129 built-in sewing stitches, or make your own with the Brother exclusive My Custom Stitch™ feature! Whether monogramming specialty items with the built-in monogramming font, or embellishing crafts with the six builtin embroidery lettering fonts, your creativity has no limits when you use the affordable, easy-to-use NV-950D!

Learn more

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ACCESSORY OF THE MONTH

Walking Foot (SA140)
Open Toe Walking Foot (SA188)
This foot is a “must have” for quilters (multi-layers of fabric) and hobbyists that use difficult to sew fabrics such as vinyl, leather and velvet.

The feed dogs on the walking foot moves in unison with the machine’s lower feed dogs to feed the fabric consistently. The action of this special sewing machine foot helps keep the layers from shifting apart as they move through the sewing machine.

Use the walking foot with the closed front for thick layers of fabric and the open front style when greater visibility is needed.

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PROJECT OF THE MONTH

Disney Lamp
Create a beautiful lamp using Donald Duck characters. It is fast and easy to make. Children will be delighted to have it!

Learn more