JUKI Posts, JUKI Spotlight

National Account Spotlight: Come Down To The Sewing Machine Shop

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Join us in meeting Dan Schoenberg, one of the owners of The Sewing Machine Shop located in the greater bay area of California!

Offering creators like you the full JUKI Line, sewing accessories, notions, and more, The Sewing Machine Shop is ready to help you find the right machine for your next dream project.

Follow along below for the transcript version of our interview with Dan Schoenberg, one of the owners of The Sewing Machine Shop.

Hi, my name is Daniel Schoenberg I’m the owner of the sewing machine shop here in Walnut Creek California. We’ve been in business for 35 years and we specialize in the sales and service of household and Industrial sewing machines. We carry a lot of related accessories and supplies like thread and needles presser feet scissors etc. and yeah that’s about it. That’s what we do; we don’t do vacuum cleaners, we don’t do alternative appliances, we’re just sewing machines only.

What Inspired You To Open The Sewing Machine Shop?

I actually started out of college; my older brother was a commercial sewing machine technician and he wanted to start a shop when I finished College. He gave me a job offer and the rest is history. We started in 1987 and have been growing ever since.

Why Do Customers Love Visiting The Sewing Machine Shop?

We have a very good reputation now built up over many years. We carry a variety of sewing machines, different brands, models, types; so everyone can come and sew on these machines and compare models with a fairly unbiased view of what we like.

What Machines Can A Customer Find At Your Shop?

When customers come here, first they’ll see that big selection of machines. We carry four different brands, and they can get machines from as little as 200 going all the way up to our top-of-the-line machines in excess of fifteen thousand dollars. We carry a lot of specialty machines; we carry long arm quilting machines like you see here on the right, and we carry embroidery machines, multi-needle, for commercial and semi-commercial use. We have a very very good staff here that are all accomplished sewers themselves so when you get a demonstration on machines you’ll be able to get a professional opinion and you’ll be able to ask all your questions that you have, all your concerns should be answered very honestly and straightforward.

What Are The Benefits Of Being A Customer?

So once a person purchases a machine from us they’ll get great service beyond the sale. We have extensive classes, usage classes to learn how to use the machine, all the way up to more advanced classes to learn how to create garments, create quilts. We have three full-time technicians here so we do a lot of servicing and repair work, including any warranty work that our customers might need, and customers can just drop in sometimes anytime for minor things like fixing a needle threader. We can diagnose the machine in front of them many times, we can get them going right away, we don’t need them to leave their machine if it’s something simple that we can fix on the spot and many times we don’t even charge any money for that

Why Did You Start Carrying JUKI Machines?

Yeah, we started carrying JUKI machines many years ago. We started even before they introduced a full domestic multi-stitch machine. So the machines we focused on with JUKI were the machines that bridge the gap between household sewing and Commercial sewing. Our most popular JUKI machine is their TL series, which they’ve had for many years, and that is a semi-industrial straight stitch only machine that can sew quite high speeds up to 15 – 1600 stitches per minute. It can take all standard, common industrial sewing machine accessories and it’s a huge seller among not only our quilting Quilters who like speed and a larger throat area, but our garment sewers, and tailors, and dressmakers, and designers as well.

What Makes The Sewing Machine Shop Unique?

I think what makes The Sewing Machine Shop unique is our staff and our people and the vast knowledge that we combine as a group. So between me and the rest of our technicians from the technical side, we’re talking about about a 100 years combined of experience working on machines, and our staff we have another, I would say another 100 years of combined sewing experience. Whether it’s quilting or garment making, or embroidery which is a big aspect of what we do, so I think the selection of the machines having five different brands that you can compare side by side combined with our staff with a vast experience is what sets us apart from other sewing machine dealers.

Having a place where you can actually try the machines before you buy the machines in a no-pressure environment is a very important thing, especially now with the internet and being able to buy so many things online and not getting to touch it, to try it, to listen to the sound of the machine, to ask all your questions in real time; I think that is what I would like to express my customers.

Come into the shop and just take a look around. Talk to our staff, just browse, sew on the machines if you want; if you don’t want to that’s okay too, see what supplies and accessories and notions we have here so the next time you’re in need of anything that has to do with sewing or sewing machines you’ll know what we offer.

How Can We Contact The Sewing Machine Shop?

thanks for listening to this video and I just invite everyone to come on down to the sewing machine shop the best way to really stay in touch with us is to go to our website sewing machine shop.com and you can sign up for our newsletter and our email on our email list um you can also follow us on Facebook but I think we’re sending out weekly informational articles promotions future classes and events so uh go to sewing machineshop.com sign up for our email list and you’ll be able to stay in touch with us

To learn more about The Sewing Machine Shop, visit their website here! Thank you for joining us today in getting to know RDan Schoenberg, one of the owners of The Sewing Machine Shop. We hope you get a chance to visit the next time you’re in the area!

JUKI Posts, Tips, Triple T: Tips, Tricks, and Training

JUKI Tip: Changing Your Foot Control Function Settings

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on JUKI Tip: Changing Your Foot Control Function Settings

Have you learned all the different ways you can use your foot controller on your computerized sewing machine? Check out our tips today to learn all 7 ways you can enjoy sewing with just the tap of your foot!

Follow along below for a rundown of what Alba covers on today’s JUKI Tip!

Today we’re going over the foot pedal and the foot switch function on the foot pedal for your machine. It has two sections to step on, the blue section for sewing, and the heel section or the white section, which on many of our machines can be programmed to do different functions.

The DX-2000 offers options to change the settings on your foot control functions for example as you’ll see demonstrated in this video. This function is normally found on our full-size machines!

To best follow along with today’s video, please refer to the section of the manual where all of this is laid out and that is on page 93! Now, the heel function of the foot pedal has six different parts we’re going to show you, and we’re going to cover what those functions are and how to get them going.

First, tap on the icon that looks like a wrench and a screwdriver; this is where we go into settings to change features on our machine. When you press that your screen comes up with different functions and we are going to tap the arrow until you reach the heel function icon. Next, press OK, and let’s start choosing our functions.

The first function is a feature already placed as a button on your machine, it is the same icon on the machine for reverse; if you select this, it will do reverse stitch. Now, when you press forward on this foot it will always sew as normal, as you tap and press on the back of the foot pedal, you’ll see your reverse stitch begin.

The second function option is a lock stitch. A lock stitch is completed when that needle goes up and down in place locking your stitch so that it doesn’t unravel. This is useful for locking in your projects and securing a quality finish.

The third function is a half stitch. The icon for this function shows as a needle with arrows up and down, and what this will do is it will take a half stitch as you come to the end of your thread. This feature is useful to secure your seam but not lock it if you do not want any build-up of threads you’re going to sew.

The fourth function will have the presser foot lifting and lowering. As you start sewing and touch that heel portion of your foot control it will leave you with the foot up and the needle down and this is really helpful if you were going to do continuous sewing or chain piecing!

The fifth function is the cutting function. The cutting function can be very helpful! When your stitch is done this function will trim your top thread and bottom thread at the same time, saving you the trouble of finding your thread scissors.

The last function is the ability to turn off all extra functions when tapping the back of your foot controller. You can turn them on and off as needed helping you create your projects with ease. Remember, the details of this are on page 93 of the instruction book for the DX series, and offer images you can follow to learn more!

Thank you for joining today’s tip, we hope this helps you create easier the next time you’re working on your machine!

JUKI Posts

Different Ways You Can Learn How to Sew!

by sewinwithjuki1 Comment on Different Ways You Can Learn How to Sew!

Have you been looking to pick up sewing but need help figuring out where to start? Then join us as we’ve gathered four different ways you can begin learning today! From in-person classes to self-study, the world of sewing is now at the touch of our fingers, and we will share how you can access this information.

Passed Down Knowledge

If you have a family member, or friend, who loves the hobby and may even be the reason you’re interested in learning, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for some lessons! Having a connection in the sewing and quilting world will help you learn techniques, allowing you to practice on their machines before purchasing your own, and a lesson on what features they commonly use that you can practice using.

Choosing your first sewing machine can be intimidating if you need to become more familiar with what machine features you’ll need or what stitches you’ll use. Practicing with a family member’s or friend’s machine will make you get comfortable with the options available and help you understand what you need to create your projects. If you’re interested in learning more about beginner sewing machines that JUKI offers, you can learn more here.

Working with family and friends will also give you the feedback you need. While attending classes and using online resources is an option, we’ll cover these options in the following sections of the blog, having a connection that can provide feedback will be extremely useful when you create throughout the day. So take the time to learn from their past projects, follow along as they show you how to use different techniques, and ask those questions you would be embarrassed to ask in front of a class.

In-Person Training Classes

The easiest and most common way of learning to sew is by researching your local area for sewing and quilting classes! Many times you’ll find these programs in your local libraries, your nearest sewing and quilting machine dealers, or at specialized locations that offer crafting classes.

For example, if you’re a new owner of the Miyabi J-350QVP, you might be looking for some training on how to use your longarm quilting machine. At JUKI, we offer the opportunity to attend a longarm training 3-day course that teaches users the basics of the machine and how to use it and shares information on the Quilter’s Creative touch. These classes are offered at select JUKI dealers and can be found here.

You can also attend quilting and sewing tradeshows to find in-person sewing classes! For example, at JUKI, you can commonly find us hosting serger classes at OSQE, with sign-up availability on the OSQE website here. These classes are offered nationwide as the tradeshow travels from coast to coast, helping new sewists hone their skills.

Check out your local community colleges and community centers for sewing class events! These programs are usually offered at low rates and allow you to learn the basics of sewing. The classes also provide an opportunity to receive feedback and ask those questions you’ve been having. Don’t worry if you can’t attend face-to-face classes; thanks to the online world, we have many more options!

Using Your Online Resources

Thanks to the internet, we can now access many videos focusing on sewing skills, projects, tutorials, and so much more. Almost any question you have can now be answered with just one search. Using this, new sewists and quilters can find free or paid online resources to teach you how to complete certain stitches, use presser feet, thread your machines, and more!

These teaching formats can come in videos, PDFs, online books, and online classes, allowing you to find different resources as you learn new skills and techniques. One of the best resources you can find content on is YouTube! On JUKI Home Sewing’s YouTube, you can find out how to operate your machines, set them up for sewing, and check out accessories and what they’re used for. You can also follow along with past projects and lives, where we demonstrate how to create a project from beginning to end.

There are countless online creators out there who are so excited to demonstrate techniques, projects, skills, and machine features for new sewists and quilters like you, and the content can be found for free or at low costs. You can, however, choose to invest in your skills and join online programs with teaching professionals who show you how to build your skills step-by-step and offer constructive feedback and knowledge you can learn from, usually offered at varying prices depending on the skill level of the instructor.

Lastly, take advantage of what influencers in fashion and quilting can teach you on their social media pages! While many creators focus on posting project-based content, many will bring it to their media outlets for learning moments. These quick snippets can explain how to use a presser foot and other accessories to keep on hand, and much more.

Hit the Books!

Let’s go back to the original days of sewing and check out the books available for quilting and sewing! Many of these books will offer resources on beginner basics for using your sewing machine, provide tips and tricks on what tools you’ll need in your studio, what presser feet are and which ones to have on hand to complete specific techniques, and even walk-throughs of a series of projects you can begin creating to start building your skill set.

There are also book resources that explain how to maintain your machines, offer beginner to advanced sewist projects where you build your skill set as you create, and so much more. Check out your local libraries or bookstores to see what’s available, and remember to browse the internet for recommended books!

No matter how you decide to learn, picking up a new hobby is a great adventure! Whether you go online and try it alone or pick up some classes at your local community center, sewing and quilting are great hobbies for letting your creativity flow. We hope today’s blog encourages you to start working on your hobby and learning new skills!

2023 Promotions, JUKI Posts, Save with JUKI

June Promotion 2023: Start Your Business with JUKI!

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on June Promotion 2023: Start Your Business with JUKI!

Join JUKI this month as we share machine options you can choose from when it’s time to start your small business! Whether you’re creating garments, or designing home decor and quilts, the range of these machines is ready to help you get started.

Contact your nearest JUKI dealer here to learn more about our JUKI machines and how to get yours today!

JUKI Posts, JUKI Spotlight

National Account Spotlight: Meet NorCal Sewing and Vacuum

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on National Account Spotlight: Meet NorCal Sewing and Vacuum

On today’s blog, we got to sit down and interview owner Richard Montrouil from JUKI National Account shop NorCal Sewing and Vacuum in California! Learn about how NorCal came to be, and what customers like you can expect when shopping at one of their two locations.

Follow along below for the transcript version of our interview with Richard Montrouil, owner of NorCal Sewing and Vacuum Centers.

Hi, my name is Richard Montrouil and I’m the owner of NorCal sewing and vacuum Centers located in Elk Grove California and we also have a store in Visalia California

What Is The History of NorCal?

Yeah, so I grew up in the industry; my family started in the 60s about 1965 and started as Kirby salesman, went into Singer sewing machines, I came into the business in 1990 when my brother owned a few stores in Elk Grove and Sacramento, and basically I was working through college and I kind of fell in love with the family business and went off to do other things but then came back and this location here my wife and I took over in 2011, and then we got into quilting machines about 2014. So we’ve been doing it for that long.

What Can Customers Expect When Shopping At NorCal?

So when you come into our store, number one the we we treat customers grea,t we treat them like family; you come in we make you feel welcome, we take care of you, we support our customers. If you have any questions we’re always there to help. We always guarantee and warranty all our repairs so if you bring repairs in we we fix them on a timely manner and we take care of you, and then we always give free lessons, free training after purchase. So when you purchase a JUKI from us we’re gonna sit down make sure you know how to use it correctly and we’re always there for you.

Why Did NorCal Choose To Start Carrying The JUKI Brand?

We saw a lot of JUKI sewing machines started coming into our store for repair, and we had a demand; well we were new to quilting in general so we had a lot of people asking about the quilting machines, the sewing machines, and then as soon as I was at VDTA one year and I could get a hold of a JUKI representative I wanted to carry JUKI; just so we could support our local customers because there was no one in the area that took care of JUKI. So we then we were able to get parts and fix long arms and sell long arms and that’s how we did it!

What Classes Can Customers Attend At NorCal?

So we do free one-on-one classes, and then a few times during the year we have these events where you can come. If you purchase from us, it’s free classes; we do hands-on events in our store about three to four times a year teaching you ruler work, different things and then of course you always have free one-on-one support; you just have to call and set up a time and then we’ll we’ll be here for you and do a one-on-one lesson.

What Makes NorCal unique?

You know what, we’re probably the only dealer in probably all of California, at least Northern California, that will actually go to the customer’s house and fix their machines there. So that’s really unique, I don’t think too many other dealers do tha,t they don’t have the staffing. I have seven technicians and we travel all around California and Nevada and fix long arms. We also, when you purchase machines from us, we do free setup and delivery; so that’s unique too. A lot a lot of guys will charge you twelve hundred dollars to deliver a long arm we do it for free.

What Do You See For The Future Of NorCal?

You know, I have three young daughters, well not young; I have a 15 year old, a 21 year old, and a 27 year old daughter. The future of NorCal is we’re a family business and I dream and pray that someday my girls take over but we’re going to be around for a very long time and you know we’re here for you guys.

How Can Customers Contact NorCal?

We have two locations to serve California; we have our main store is Elk Grove California, it is 8705 Elk Grove Boulevard, Elk Grove, California 95624 and our telephone number there is 916-714-0904.

We also have a store in Visalia California, the address is 3340 South Mooney Boulevard, Visalia, California 93277 phone number is 559-372-7200

Our website if you want to go and look at products or email us through there is norcalsovac.com.

How Can Customers Find NorCal?

Whoever wants to come, if you can’t make it to the stores in Elk Grove and Visalia to try out the JUKI quilt machines, commercial quilter here or the SAI 8 needles multi-needle, you can come and see us a few times during the year at quilt shows.Ssome of the big ones are Cal Expo in Sacramento in March, we’ll be in Roseville in August, and then in October we do the Pacific International quilt festival and you can come and try out JUKI longarms, come and meet us. So come and see us at quilt shows, come and try JUKI’s we’re ready for you!

To learn more about NorCal Sewing and Vacuum Centers, visit their website here! Thank you for joining us today in getting to know Richard Montrouil, owner of NorCal Sewing and Vacuum Centers. We hope you get a chance to visit the next time you’re in the area!