May 2024 Newsletter

April was fun and we were SEW excited to see so many of you at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo in Cleveland and at the Gathering Stitches Mini Shop Hop. We want to thank our friends John Carr, Betsy Carlson and Sandra Swick of BERNINA for all their help in our classroom.  This was the first year we had a Longarm Classroom and it was very memorable.   We are looking forward to returning in 2025. 

Our classroom will be busy this month! Betty is back with more of the V9 Classes and you don’t want to miss these.  On May 10th, Betty began her series of classes for Practical Digitizing.  In this series, students will learn techniques they will need to be able to accomplish everyday digitizing projects. You will learn the proper alignment of designs and focus primarily on manual digitizing. By the end of class students should be able to digitize logos and drawings.

On May 13th Betty is offering an Introductory Session on V9 Software for those who are new to software, considering purchasing it, or need a refresher. We'll concentrate on lettering during this class. If you don't have the software, you can get a trial version from the BERNINA website. If you can’t make the class on Monday the 13th, Betty is offering the class again on Thursday, May 23rd. This class is a great way to start your V9 software journey!

Elisa is always coming up with new and fun classes and we just adore this new bag, Dancing Diamonds Gem Bag. If you have a stash of fabric and like to make bags, this class is for you!!! Join Elisa on Monday, May 13th to create a bag that features a diamond pattern and is easy and fun to make. It is guaranteed to be addicting and you will be making many others as a result. The process is simple and allows you to let your creativity flow. Bring strips from your stash that range from 1-3” wide and you will arrange them in a way that is unique and pleasing. The result will be a one-of-a-kind pattern made by YOU!!!  Techniques used include sewing basic strip sets, cutting the strip sets into 60 degree diamonds and rearranging them onto an interfaced piece.  You will also be quilting and attaching binding to your pieces and finishing by adding attractive grommets to attach carrying straps. 

Carol is adding more card classes! These cards are so wonderful and the classes have been very popular. Check out The Smaller Embroidery Card Class, May 14th, 2024. Sometimes you just need a small card to accompany a gift. This is the perfect card for that! It measures 4”x 5½” and will use smaller embroidery designs (approximately 2”x 3½”) and therefore, it will take less time to stitch! With Donna Rauff’s techniques and designs, and your embroidery machine, you can make beautiful, smaller, one-of-a-kind personalized cards. 

Carol is also offering the Sentimentally Yours Embroidery Card Class on Wednesday, May 15th. The Sentimentally Yours Card Class is all about the written sentiments on the front of all-occasion greeting cards! Donna Rauff has digitized 90 plus words that you can choose to make over 180 sentiments for your cards. You can arrange them where you have the space on your card. In class, we are going to let the words be the focal point of our cards, but you certainly can use them on any kind of card with an embroidered picture design as well. In addition to the 90 plus words, you will receive 3 new template borders, 3 new quilt fills, and 3 applique shapes.

Carol has some great bag classes on the schedule! Are you looking for a quick and trendy bag?  If so, here is the class for you! The Zippy Bag by Sallie Tomato  class will be held Tuesday, May 21st and we know you will love it. This trendy cross body bag comes in two sizes and features a zippered top closure and 3 additional zippered pockets. The exterior can be made with quilting cotton, denim, linen, lightweight canvas or pro light cork. The full size bag measures 8 inches wide by 8 inches high while the mini measures 8 inches wide by 6 inches high.

The Aunties Two Little Poppins Bag Class is back on Wednesday, May 22nd!  This is a wonderful zippered tote that is great for all your stuff. There are 2 outside pockets and 2 inside pockets to keep your things organized.

Also on May 22nd, Susan is back with her Sewing Savvy Block of the Month. This is an awesome class that will help you master your sewing machine’s features and functions.  Each month, you will learn multiple uses for featured sewing machine feet, decorative stitches, needles, specialty threads, and more!  You can create a fun nine-block wall quilt or use your blocks as stand-alone mini-quilts, decorator pillows, tote bags, etc.  This month, while learning about bobbinwork and foundation paper piecing, you will create a custom paper pieced pattern, and learn about quilting with specialty threads. You can join this series at any time and all makes and models of machines are welcome!

We have just a few spots left in our Barn Quilt Painting classes May 28th, 29th, or May 30th. Join Deborah from Barn Quilter Express and create a beautiful, hand-crafted barn quilt that can be displayed inside or out. Choose between 26 patterns and 3 sizes! Call the store to register for one of the classes.

We have a lot happening in June too!

We are thrilled to welcome BERNINA of America Educator Sylvain Bergeron back to the store June 3rd - 6th  for the BERNINA Bootcamp. Sylvain will be helping BERNINA machine owners master their machine in this 4-day workshop that will go beyond the basics for an in-depth training on how to get the most out of their machines.   There are a very limited number of spots open for this event. 

Susan will be offering the next Sewing Savvy Block of the Month class on Friday, June 7th. During this class you will learn all about Pintucks, Twin Needle Pintucks, Twin Needle Reverse Appliqué, and Sewing On Buttons. This is an awesome series that will help you master your sewing machine’s features and functions.  Each month, you will learn multiple uses for featured sewing machine feet, decorative stitches, needles, specialty threads, and more!  You can create a fun nine-block wall quilt or use your blocks as stand-alone mini-quilts, decorator pillows, tote bags, etc.  You can join this series at any time and all makes and models of machines are welcome!

Betty will be back on June 10th with another Practical Digitizing Class. It’s time to learn sketch style digitizing, and in this class you will discuss starts and stops and finding a continuous line. You will digitize at a 6:1 ratio and learn to add shadows to your design. Plus, you will discuss the branching feature of Embroidery Software 9.

Join Carol for A Place for Everything 2.0 class on June 10th and 11th. In this two-session class, you will create this spacious organizer that stores and carries tools and supplies and provides visibility and easy access to all. The bag features handles and an adjustable/detachable carrying strap along with two removable pocket pages with mesh or vinyl pockets in a variety of styles. Abundant pockets in a variety of styles are the key to ensuring that there is a place for everything … and that everything is in its place!

Joanne’s Binding Boot Camp classes have been very popular and have filled up so quickly that she’s adding another set of them in August. Do you struggle with quilt bindings?  Joanne will shape you up with her Binding Boot Camp class on Monday, August 12th. Binding is made easy in this class in which you’ll receive a kit that includes two small quilts and the binding fabric for them. You will use these quilts to learn the process so you don’t have to worry about messing up one of your own projects. In the first half of the class, we’ll go through all the steps of trimming and squaring the quilt and adding traditional binding. In the second half, you’ll learn how to attach binding completely by machine and add a splash of color at the same time. Join this fun and productive class so you can become a binding pro!

Now that you’ve mastered the basic binding technique, it’s time to get serious and join the elite group of quilters who effortlessly bind projects with irregular angles, scallops, and even circles. Join Joanne on Tuesday, August 13th for Binding Boot Camp 2 - Beyond Basic Training in which you will learn how to add binding to quilt edges that have irregular angles. We will also take the mystery out of bias binding and learn two methods of making bias binding - continuous and traditional, and when to use each one. So you don’t have to worry about messing up one of your own projects, you’ll receive two kits to learn these techniques. Join this fun and productive class so you can take your binding to the next level and add that extra punch of spectacular to your quilts.

We are excited for some of our upcoming Summer and Fall events! 

July 18-20, we will be at the NE Ohio Quilt Show in Wooster. We will be a vendor as well as providing machines for all of the classes. Speaking of classes, there are some awesome ones being offered. Our own Joanne Hubbard is teaching four classes as well as giving a lecture. Check out all the class offerings HERE.  

July always brings our Anniversary Sale and this year, it will be held July 26th and 27th. Stay tuned for more information on the great savings and specials.

The All Ohio Shop Hop will take place August 1st through September 30th and we can’t wait! It was SEW fun meeting new people last year and with more than 80 shops participating, we know it will be even better. Call the store to pre-order your magazine.

Have you registered for the Runway at the Ridge yet?  It’s not too late. We can’t wait to see what our contestants will create! Call the store to register! 330-893-3359

Check out the website for more class information. 

We are hiring! We are growing and are currently accepting applications for full and part-time positions in ALL departments. Join the amazing team at Chestnut Ridge Sewing. Apply in person, by phone (330-893-3359 ext. 101), or online. 

                             Reminder:  We will be closed May 27th for Memorial Day

Enjoy these beautiful spring days. 

We hope to see you in the shop for Customer Appreciation Week.

Dawn, Mike, and the CRS Gang!