JUKI Posts

The Comfort of Sewing

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Sewing and quilting have long been a hobby for many people. Some turn to it to let their creative minds be free. Some find comfort in creating things for a family. Some enjoy it because it brings in extra income. Whatever your reason, you turned to sewing. As society has grown and changed, sewing and quilting have stuck around for ages!

A woman machine quilting/sewing three layers to create a grid pattern on a patriotic quilt.

At JUKI, we’ve been around for decades and have seen the changes in the sewing community. Still, one thing has stayed consistent, people’s happiness when they get their new machine and start working on new projects. The heart of sewing is often found in family hobbies being passed down, finding a pastime that brings tranquility and satisfaction in getting something done right.

Sewing in history was a meaning of expression during hard times. Whether used as a tool to bring privacy and comfort or sewing and quilting parties, sewing throughout time has brought the community together. As social media has grown, we’ve been able to find history through fabric and threads from around the world. From being hung in museums to art showcases, this channel of communicating with others is universal.

The therapeutic sense of sewing and quilting is a significant factor in many people’s days. Through non-profit organizations, systems like our prisons have created a safe space for those transitioning back into the outside world. As a way of offering a new art form and sense of expression, many of those incarcerated find this therapeutic. Some programs even allow them to sell their work and create savings when it’s time to go.

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels.com

Also, sewing is a channel of occupational therapy for our veterans. The ability to learn sewing and quilting allows veterans to communicate through their work and even make a living. This has helped many veterans handle their mental scars. The self-confidence that grows when learning a new trade and completing a project can work wonders for anyone!

The relationship between creativity and well-being is a common subject. Whether it is found in sports, painting, or quilting, concentrating on a project has proved to assist in inner turmoil and relax one’s mind. At JUKI, we love that so many people find comfort when sewing on our machines. We know the importance of having a machine that will keep you going and excited to work!

Learn more about the programs and their stories that assist those who turn to sewing for therapy below!

Click here to learn more about Sewing Therapy for Veterans!

Click here to learn more about Sewing Therapy in institutions!

JUKI Posts, JUKI Spotlight

Business Spotlight: The “Go-To” with The Quilt Peddler

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Celebrating National Small Business Month with JUKI Dealers

Here at JUKI we appreciate and support our vendors who get to work with you JUKI lovers! That’s why we’re taking today to tell you about Marianne, owner and shop runner for ‘The Quilt Peddler’ in Tallahassee, Florida.

Starting when she was a teen, Marianne found herself in an economics course learning about sewing. Move forward to high school and she’s begun making a little side business helping other students alter their blue jeans to the current trends. Continuing on Marianne found that sewing was a great way to make income, and it was something she enjoyed. From reupholstering furniture to hemming pants, she found use in anything she could fix.

After changes in her life, Marianne turned to sewing as an idea to help her family, but instead, she found it to be her calling. Starting at Bernia Connections, she found herself enjoying her work, and learning more about the industry each day. With the encouragement of her boss who was about to retire and her family, she decided to open up shop, introducing ‘The Quilt Peddler’ to Tallahassee! Around now for two years, the shop has grown into a holder for everything sewing; from fabric to machines and accessories, ‘The Quilt Peddler’ has become a ‘go to’ for many.

“Guiding the customer through the process to determine the best machine for them is one thing that keeps people coming back. Understanding and being able to explain solutions for a customer’s concerns, even if they only need to know how the blind hem foot works, has made us the ‘go to’ for information.”

Visit Marianne and her shop today to learn more about what sewing machines work best for you, whatever project you may have. When asked what sets them apart from other shops Marianne had one thing to say, “The competition for my shop does not have the same level of expertise that we offer at The Quilt Peddler,” and after hearing her story we see why!

*Photo Credit: The Quilt Peddler Team

If you’re interested in The Quilt Peddler check them out today and follow their information below!

Phone: 608-822-6822
Email: quiltpeddlerllc@gmail.com
4420 US Highway 18 East
Fennimore WI 53809

JUKI Posts, JUKI Spotlight

JUKI Spotlight: The Little Green Bean

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Credit: The Little Green Official Site

Located in Minnesota, you can find Missy Luukkonen, owner of the Little Green Bean! Born and raised in Duluth, Missy fell in love with sewing in high school and has been sewing crafts, quilts, and many other projects for over 20 years. This is all thanks to an extraordinary teacher.

Starting as a hobby, Missy was working full time in a profession she loved and coming home to sewing projects as a way to relax. What began as something to do in her free time slowly grew with each new project. Missy was making burlap tote bags when she started an Etsy shop for the fun of it, not realizing how well it would grow! After saving up her Etsy shop money and taking her husband and two sons on vacation, she thought the shop would be a great side business, but it continued to evolve.

Credit: The Little Green Bean – Instagram

As time went on, she found that her side gig was becoming a full-time job. Once she realized her small business continued growing, Missy decided to take a chance on her dream. Thus The Little Green Bean was here to stay! The products on her online store are constantly changing by customers’ suggestions. Missy makes these suggestions come to life with the help of her husband, who now happily works and runs the shop as well.  After her husband, Chris, joined, they settled on a great dynamic, Missy handles most of the designing, and Chris does the production. With both partners jumping back and forth with ideas, they make an accomplished team.

One project they’re very proud of is the “Monthly Gnome“! Each month, Missy and her husband create a sweet gnome, that is new, and original in design. These little gnomes can be a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription if you’re a collector.

Credit: The Little Green Bean – Missy

Missy’s shop has continued to evolve as she’s always working on different ideas. Ever since Missy was a child, she was always making something. Not being afraid to try new things, Missy goes for it when a new idea pops up. While getting the perfect pattern may take several attempts to perfect, she’s always ready to learn along the way. One type of project she tends to stay away from is clothing, “I have never liked sewing clothes though, I’ll make PJ pants for my kids, but that’s about as far as I go with clothing!”

We recommend checking out Missy’s breath-taking workshop on her socials! Wanting her work area to be different from the rest of her home, Missy imagined her space to be bright and happy. Using fun and bright colors, Missy was able to create a space that was inviting and fed her the good energy she likes to work with. Cleanly organized and with perfect space for her JUKI’s the TL-2000Qi and MO-6700, every day Missy spends her time in her cottage and garage making the next big thing.

To learn more about Missy and her family business, check out her website here! Make sure to check into Missy’s socials as well for an inside look into her shop and home life at on Pinterest and Instagram.

JUKI Posts, JUKI Spotlight

Business Spotlight: Enjoy the Ride with French Seam

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Celebrating National Small Business Month with JUKI Dealers

Located in Indianapolis, you’ll find a small business knows as ‘The French Seam.’ Family run by a mother and daughter duo, Linda Compton and Courtney Young, they opened their fabric boutique to make fine fabrics affordable and accessible for the entire sewing community. Attracted to the idea of personalization and growing up around the passion of sewing from her mother, Courtney followed in Linda’s footsteps.

“Sewing garment clothes has always been a passion; to achieve something truly unique and to “not see yourself walking down the street”.”

Built on the need for a “fine” fabric store in Indianapolis, they modeled their store as a go-to for fabric choices in the garment sewing community. Venturing into the retail world, the mother and daughter duo began with intense research and a plan to open up their boutique. Over the last ten years, the boutique has grown from a fine fabric shop, now selling machines, accessories, and more. Finding that the sewing world has only continued to grow more over the years, their most significant change was venturing into quilting cotton and their love of modern quilt fabric, a different speed from the fine fabrics they sold alone in the beginning.

Five years ago, “French Seam’ began carrying JUKI in their shops to customers. Aligning perfectly with the unique fabrics that they sold, JUKI was a top choice for their retail needs. Over the years, they’ve continued to represent JUKI by assisting many customers like you find their very own JUKI machine!

The store’s focus is on curating fine fabrics for the garment sewing community while also providing the most extensive collection of indie patterns in their region, as well as selecting and displaying beautiful modern quilt collections. With this, they’ve continued their quest on being unique and recently added fine yarn and fun embroidery pieces to their array of options.

A team whose focus is on helping the many beautiful people who come through their shop, their favorite part is sharing their fabric finds with the sewing community. Their most extensive advice to those who dream of owning their own shop is this, “We have learned to take everything more lightly; not so personally. This was a difficult segue for us coming out of a business community that analyzed your day-to-day performance. Retail is a very different world, and it took us time to step back and realize we do the best we can every day and enjoy the ride.”

If you’re interested in The French Seam check them out today and follow their information below!

(317) 841-1810

info@thefrenchseam.com

9335 Castlegate Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46256

*Photo Credit: The French Seam Team

JUKI Posts, JUKI Spotlight

Business Spotlight: Always Moving Forward with Country Stitches

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on Business Spotlight: Always Moving Forward with Country Stitches

Celebrating National Small Business Month with JUKI Dealers

Co-owned by Anita and Brian, Country Stitches was founded in 1982 and has continued to be a staple in Michigan. Offering accessories, sewing machines, fabric, and more, the Country Stitches shops focus on the customer and their needs! Focusing not only on their passion for sewing but for people, Brian, Anita, and their team enjoy working with customers and helping them find their perfect sewing machine.

Anita and Ann hired Brian in 1995 as a service technician for the shop. In less than a year, Brian moved his way up to sales and customer service. After only a few years, Brian realized this was his true calling and made it into a career. In 1999, after being with the company for four years, Brian became a new business partner!

Inspired by a desire to provide the best possible customer service to their clients, Country Stitches began providing sewing and quilting classes. These classes inspire customers to sew while offering them the opportunity to use the best quality machines. With a focus on creating a relaxing and enjoyable experience, they teach new tricks and provide their experienced services to those getting into the world of sewing.

Over the years, Country Stitches has undergone many changes. From training staff to advertising to customers, they embrace change that benefits the customer. In March 2020, when COVID-19 first began to affect many of us, ‘Country Stitches’ pushed forward with new initiatives to stay in the game and offer their services to those who needed an escape during these times. They began offering curb-side sales and pick-up. Additionally, they revamped their website and included functions for online shopping for customers who weren’t able to visit their shop, and they began virtual classes.

JUKI is never far from your beloved sewing and quilting shops! The much-loved TL-98 served as a gateway for Country Stitches to become familiar with the JUKI name and quality. Starting in June 2013, Country Stitches, officially began carrying JUKI in their shops after attending one of the many tradeshows JUKI attends. Knowing the quality of our machines and the need for fulfilling customers’ wants, they became JUKI vendors. Today, they continue to help people find their perfect JUKI!

Different from many companies, Country Stitches finds change exciting and suitable for their business! Not shy from an ever-evolving world, they’ve stuck to their core values of treating everyone with kindness and respect with a focus on excellent customer service. This way has allowed them to evolve and prosper.

Their most extensive advice when owning a business is to listen and communicate with other dealers.

“-listen to every dealer that is in this industry and find the things they do great and try to add these things to our company. Also, to listen to their struggles so we can be better equipped to handle these same struggles. And last, to share our ideas, our struggles, and our wins with other dealers, new and old, that want to listen.”

If you’re interested in Country Stitches check them out today and follow their information below!

East Lansing
2200 Coolidge Road
East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 816-0383

Jackson
1965 Boardman Road
Jackson, Michigan 49202
(517) 782-7100

*Photo Credit: The Country Stitches Team