OK, Russell...Compose Yourself...
Hi, folks! Sewing Arts here. Been awhile since I’ve sat still long enough to compose myself let alone one of my epics… Here goes!
First, you might receive this twice… I most often send this off through our in-house system, but we’re in the process of finally setting up to send through the website. After this email, if you’d like to receive my missives, go to our website, www.SewingArtsCenter.com. On the right side of the Home Page, enter your email address and click the sign up button for “Russell’s Ruminations”. Then, crossing fingers and toes, next time I send this out, if you signed up through the home page, you’ll be first to know what’s up and what’s new at Sewing Arts.
A quick caveat: If you’ve already signed up on our home page to receive our communiqués, cool beans – nothing else you need to do!
On to classes: Just in case I forgot to tell you earlier, the newsletter/class schedule is available as a download from the Home Page, too. The current schedule takes us through April 2009. I want to bring your attention to a couple of classes for which folks have been asking: Becky’s WhackWorks WW1C (March 11 and April 1 – 2 Wednesdays, 6:30-9PM), utilizing Robin Gallagher’s “Magical Slice and Dice” pattern – an extraordinary pattern that you make square, but with two strategic cuts, you sew back together to result in a quilt set on point! (I have no idea how she figured it out -- it hurts my head, but it is amazing!) Becky will also be teaching her new “Shadow Dance” technique class on Wednesday, April 15 & 22 and ThreadWorks TW1C for 3 Thursdays, April 16, 23 & 30 A few slots are still available for all 3.
There are a couple of class additions don’t appear on the schedule: two series’ of Sewing 1B: 4 Thursdays, March 5-26 and April 2-23, both series scheduled from 10:30-1 PM. We’ve changed the class up a bit allowing you to do either the skirt or a shirt. Just let us know when you enroll which you’d like to do so that we prepare appropriately.
We’ve also added in a 4-week session for…get this…ROMAN SHADES… oooh, very fancy-butt… It’ll go 4 for sessions over four weeks, commencing on Tuesday, March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day…yes, I’m wearing a kilt… you know how I am…any excuse to wear a skirt…) and concluding on Tuesday, April 14th (oops, we’ll skip March 31st – It’s mine and Stanley’s 15th anniversary – I’m certain he’s going to take me somewhere fabulous…I better remind him…according to “tradition”, it’s a crystal anniversary, and I do love sparkly…watch as this train of thought simply derails…) I’ll get a supply list up on line by Tuesday (don’t ask which Tuesday, though…) I can accommodate 6 students – we need room to spread, so first come, first served…
That almost covers classes. We’re plotting our summer session which includes our Rock/Paper/Scissors summer camps, May through August. If there’s something you’d like to see, now’s the time to put in your bids. I’ll be offering up a new class to teach a really swell LEATHER bag, as well as some new classes to indulge your stretchy fabric fantasies. I’m also interviewing instructors for pattern drafting and draping, so, though I can’t promise anything just yet, we just might be able to pull that out of our hat this summer, in addition to a class on how to draft patterns from clothing you already own. It’s another finger crossing moment, but I’m hopeful!
On to fabrics and notions and books, oh my… New Hoffman batiks have started to arrive, as well as we just received 25 bolts of tone on tone blacks and whites from Robert Kaufman. They are really stellar. We’ve also received a smattering of goods from Alexander Henry (I call this line our “brown bag” collection – you’ll need to come by for a peek…), and our P&B solids have been restocked to include the entire line. (New Phillip Jacobs and Kaffe Fabric goods from Westminster should start arriving shortly, too!) We also have a slew of new notions, sewing baskets and books (Somerset’s “Apprentice”, Phylippa Naylor’s breathtaking “Quilting in the Limelight”, and Claire Shaeffer’s updated “Fabric Sewing Guide”). And we’ve restored our stock of Hobbs batting, too, including their new Tuscany wool and Tuscany polyester (it’s a really nice polyester with a little higher loft – for that extra little bit of fluff).
And, our on line store is finally being “stocked”. It’s going to take me a bit of time to get it completely stocked, but it’s coming along – fabrics first (batiks, solids and Westminster goods), then threads, then… If you want to take a gander, again, from our home page, www.SewingArtsCenter.com, click the store link to be taken right to it!
I think that covers the “front of house” of the business. (Oh…news flash…just got a shipment from Viking of felting machines...mmm hmmm… to the first 12 of you who call, you’ll save 50% off the suggested retail price!)
And finally, relevant to one of my prior emails, some of you may be wondering how we are fairing financially. First, I want to thank all of you for your kindness and show of support, and for putting out the word. It’s been remarkable to have so many of you take up the charge, as it were, to come to our assistance. You ROCK! Every purchase you’ve made and continue to make at Sewing Arts, from spools of thread to sewing machines, from repairs to cabinets, from buttons to books, is helping us to keep the lights on and the doors open. As you can see above, we’re plugging away, restocking shelves and planning ahead, but to be frank, we’re not yet out of the woods by a bit of a stretch, and have a few more significant obligations that weigh upon us currently that we need to retire and get behind us before we can truly be comfortable thinking too far in to the future.
All that to say I’m hopeful -- we’re hopeful, and still need your help, and grateful for your continuing support. I know there’s lots of choices out there, but I want you to know how meaningful it is to all of us at Sewing Arts that you have chosen us. Really and truly, thanks.
That does me in! (Probably you, too!) I hope the day smiles brightly upon you and yours, and see you soon!
xoxo Russell and the Sewing Arts Gang
---keeping you in stitches---
Russell Scott
Sewing Arts Center
3330 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310.450.4300
Russell@SewingArtsCenter.com
www.SewingArtsCenter.com