The Aurora Sewing Center Blog

Coming up starting Monday May 16th, our East Aurora store will be hosting a week of free classes. Check out the lineup!

It is always with such great excitement that we announce the completion of another issue of our Sewing Times. Our quarterly class list is above and beyond a simple list of the great classes we offer, its a beautiful compelling book that you enjoy out on the deck with your big glass of iced tea! ( hey…we can dream can’t we? The weather has to turn around sometime..)

We’ve given our Sewing Times a complete overhaul this semester, the format is a bit larger, which allows us to include bigger photos of the amazing projects that you can make in our classes. We’ve also tried to organize it so it’s clearer to you all which classes are for beginners, which classes can help with technique, ect.

The most exciting addition to the Sewing Times is the new Summer School Class Pass. This pass will allow you to take as many of the specially marked summer school classes as you want for only $100! (and there are a LOT of options!) So be sure to click HERE to head to the sewing times, and enjoy!

s your sewing room a whirlwind of creative activity? Then you’re in luck. You could win an Ultimate Sewing Room Makeover from BERNINA of America, Inc. Beginning May 2, all you need to do is upload a picture of your sewing room disaster on the BERNINA USA Facebook page and you could win the tools you need to take your sewing room from drab to fab: a $2,500 BERNINA gift certificate AND a $2,500 gift card to The Home Depot! For contest details, rules and restrictions, please visit https://apps.facebook.com/bernina/rules.

Aurora Sewing Center is having a fabric sale! Going on now through Saturday March 19th all Full Priced Fabric is 35% off. This great deal wont last long, so be sure to stop in to either Aurora Sewing Center location today.

Here at Aurora Sewing Center, we hear it all when it comes to buying a new sewing machine. We came across this great article from Squiggly Twigs design about buying a new machine, and we thought it was great advice! Here is an excerpt from her article.

What so many of us have down in the basement..

“Where to I get a sewing machine?  What kind do I get?  Do I have to spend a lot?  Should I just get the $50 special at the super store?
First I’m going to address the super store question.  Honestly it’s the easiest.  No, No, No.  Do not buy an inexpensive machine from a chain store.  You can do better for the same or less money.  In all of the classes I’ve taught, these are the most problematic machines I’ve seen.  Not to say all of these machines cause problems, but many do.  Also…the higher end machines at the chain store can do a nice job…but I’m talking about spending a few hundred there, not the under $100 special.
Next.  Where do I get a machine?  The best answer, if you have $100 to spend. Is a dealer who will include free lessons.  You can get a nice and great working machine for $100 at a dealer.  The free lessons will be invaluable as you learn.  You should be able to negotiate the free lessons, if they are not already included.  The $100 dealer machine will be a simple mechanical (not computerized) machine.  It should do a zigzag stitch, have an adjustable stitch length, and have a reverse option (used to “knot” the ends of your seams).  This is all you “need” to sew basic things.
If you have an unlimited budget and have never sewn, the dealer is still a great place to go…free lessons.  Be careful that you don’t buy more machine than you can handle.  Don’t get overwhelmed with bells and whistles.  I’ve had my machine for 20 years.  It has a lot of stitches.  Most, I’ve never used.  Extras I like are the button hole stitches, a few small embroidery stitches, the triple zigzag, and the overcast stitch.  I paid a lot, but got a quality machine that has been a workhorse for 20 years.”

A great new option!

Check out her whole article here: http://squigglytwigs.blogspot.com/2011/03/tuesdays-tute-sewing-machineshow-what.html?spref=fb

The Winter/Spring issue of Sewin’ times is now online! The paper copies will be in the store soon, but for now…grab a cup of coffee and browse through the class list online.

As many of you know, our Sewin’ Times Newsletter is a real labor of love for us. Making it perfect for you takes a ton of work and sometimes a bit longer than expected:). It should be appearing in stores in a week or so, but in the meantime here are a few classes coming up soon!

Call the store to sign up!

Aurora: 716.652.2811

Williamsville: 716.204.8350

It’s that time of year…the time when we all feel like cleaning out the old to make room for the new…the time we resolve to finish old projects before we start new ones. Here at the store it’s no different. To make room for new Fabric, Books and Notions we are having a giant winter clearance at both stores. Be sure to stop in today for first pick at these great deals!

One of our favorite blogs Pink Chalk Studio

Ruler Organizing

If that isn’t an excuse to buy more rulers..i don’t know what is!

Check out this really cool promotion! We’re introducing buy ten fat quarters, get ten free every Sunday from now until the end of 2010.

It’s good in our Williamsville location only ( since East Aurora isn’t open on sundays) Hope to see you next sunday!