Pre-Loved Baby Locks Need New Homes!

We’ve gotten a rush of trade-ins lately here at Zede’s, and we’re excited to pass on some awesome savings to you!

In case you didn’t know, we will always take your trade-in machine here at Zede’s, no matter what brand.  We’ll try our best to give you the most for your pre-loved machine.  If you’re interested in “trading up”, come in the shop any time.

Of course since we take trade-ins, that can create a lot of opportunities for you deal-seekers out there!  Here’s what we have available in our “pre-loved” department.  Read more about the support we give on used machines below.

All machines are serviced by our certified technician before sale.  We cannot list prices online, since we are a Baby Lock dealer.  We also cannot sell long-distance.  You must walk in our store to purchase the machine, but call or email us for pricing any time!

Baby Lock Ellure Plus

This sewing and Embroidery Machine has a 5×7 embroidery area and comes with a larger multi-positional hoop as well.  This machine is very attractively priced for a beginning embroiderer!  Read more here.

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Baby Lock Enlighten

This particular serger has a Gold Standard that runs out in September of 2014- so time is running out!  It includes a 6 presser foot package, clear foot, Inspirational Guide and lifelong support from Zede’s.  Call today 573-874-2500 for pricing.  Read more about the Enlighten here.

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Baby Lock Ellegante3

This machine was Baby Lock’s top-of-the-line before the Ellisimo came on the market.  Come take a look at the automatic needle threader and expansive embroidery hoop (7″x11″) today!  Read more here.

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Used vs. New

What’s the benefit of buying used?  Great pricing of course.  What’s the benefit of buying new?  A warranty, of course.  So, what do we do at Zede’s to take the “scary” out of buying a pre-owned machine?

We give Guide Classes free for life with all of our pre-loved machines, just like our new ones!  You’ll receive the same support as a customer who purchases a new machine in terms of education and sewing help.

You receive all of the machine’s included accessories.  We look through the owner’s manual to see what originally came with the machine, and we make sure it’s all there- if it’s not, we order you a new one.

We give our used machines a 30 day warranty- unless there is an existing Gold Standard that can be transferred.

Owners of our pre-loved machine are very happy- would you like to become one today?

If you know someone looking for a great deal on a Baby Lock, share this post with them.  Tell them to mention your name, and you’ll receive a “thank you” gift from Zede’s.

Give us a call 573-874-2500

What is a Baby Lock Gold Standard?

We announced earlier this year that Zede’s Sewing Studio is a Baby Lock Exclusive Dealer- and we are happy to report that it’s going very well! We are selling more machines, teaching more classes, and serving more stitchers than ever with these quality products.

We also announced that we’d be including the Baby Lock Gold Standard with all qualifying machines without raising our prices- but what does that mean?

The Baby Lock Gold Standard is truly unique in the sewing machine world. It is an extended 3-year warranty. For 3 years, your machine is completely covered- labor, parts, everything. What about yearly maintenance?  That’s covered too!

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Normally this program costs about 10% of the purchase price of the machine. So, if you bought a $2000 machine, the price for the Gold Standard would be about $200. Some dealers offer the Gold Standard as an optional add-on, but we’re including it with our qualifying machines for free.

What does the Gold Standard look like? You get a pretty envelope with a certificate and a card that has all of your warranty info. We register that all online, so if you lose it- no big deal. But you also get some coupons for free or discounted sewing goodies- so don’t lose those!

So why all the cards and certificates?  Well, we make sure to give you all of that, because the Gold Standard is honored at any Baby Lock Dealer in the country!  That’s right.  So, if you move, you’re covered.  If you split your time between two locations throughout the year- you’re covered.

When I say this is unique in the sewing machine world- I mean it.  All brands have some kind of warranty on their machines, whether it’s 90 days or 1 year on labor and 5 years on parts, etc. But Baby Lock is the only company that offers this kind of support- 3 years of unconditional coverage.  They stand behind us as a dealer and behind you as a customer.

Interested in a Baby Lock?  Call us 573-874-2500.

Read. Bag Designs- Plus MORE Free Designs!

Woops! I forgot to upload the files for embroidering the “Read.” bags, and we’ve had such an awesome response so far! Don’t know what I’m talking about?  Read this post!

Go to the bottom of this blog post to find the files you need to create the “Read.” bags.  I have them in .pes file format.  If you need any other format and you don’t have software to convert the files- just email us at ZedesSewingStudio@gmail.com

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Examples of Jo Connolly’s embroidery designs!

But there’s more good news!  If you help out with the Read. bag effort, there are some serious rewards for you!  If you donate fabric, make a bag, or come to a sew day at Zede’s, post a picture to the Garden of Daisies Facebook wall and Jo will let you choose one embroidery design pack for free off of her website.  See the available designs here.

So, let’s get stitchin’!  And if you need help posting a photo to her page, come to the shop, and I’d be happy to help!

 

For 4×4 Hoops- download this file

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For 5×7 Hoops- download this fule

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Do you plan on making “Read.” bags?  How many?

 

 

 

Where did “Read.” bags Come From?

Our store and our online community has been growing by leaps and bounds each year.  So, I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce or re-introduce you to our main community service project at Zede’s and also to one of our good friends- the two go hand-in-hand, so read on!

A few years ago, Linda T made a “Read.” bag for my niece (Zede’s granddaughter) Kathryn for her birthday.  It was a hit.  Kathryn loves to read and she loves bags.  She filled up the bag with her other birthday presents and slept with it.

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“A Little Light Reading” from Designs in Machine Embroidery Magazine

Linda got the idea from an article in Designs in Machine Embroidery by Jo Connolly (here’s her site, go there after you finish reading).  The article was appropriately called “A Little Light Reading”.  Fast forward a few months and I turned the unassuming little read bag into a community service project with a big goal- 250 “Read.” bags for at-risk preschoolers in our area (we’re doing it again this year if you’d like to help out!).

I think it was during our second year of sewing “Read.” bags that Jo Connolly got in contact with us.  She was thrilled we were using her design to do some good.  Now, keep in mind, she could have acted much differently.  We had not up to this point given her any credit for her work- which was due to oversight on my part completely!  She could have (justifiably) been very angry with us for our use of her work.  But was she?  No!

She was and continues to be supportive of our store’s efforts to promote literacy using her original idea.  

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The  story really does come full circle.

Jo Connolly and Linda T were both recently published side-by-side in the Nancy Zieman 30th anniversary edition of Designs in Machine Embroidery Magazine.  We could not be more proud of both of them.

In the years since we started sewing “Read.” bags, Linda T has welcomed a beautiful granddaughter named Avery into her family.  She has been sewing up a storm for her since before she was born.  Jo also recently published “Sweet Stitches”, a book and embroidery design collection for little girls.  Linda T and Jane are currently teaching a series of classes based on Jo’s book in our store in Columbia, MO.

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Students at Zede’s working on a project from “Sweet Stitches”

 

Thanks Jo!  Thanks Linda!  And thanks to everyone who has visited our store and our blog.  The people in our lives are what makes sewing so much fun!

Who do you sew for?

“Read.” bags- Will You Help Us Out?

Last year, hundreds of people from the Zede’s Sewing Studio community both near and far helped us to create 250 “Read.” bags for Jumpstart in Columbia, MO.

Jumpstart helps at-risk pre-schoolers become ready for kindergarten by giving them tools to lead them to literacy.  Reading is one of the best tools we have in terms of learning and communication.  If you know how to read, chances are you may take it for granted more often than not.  Just think of all the things you’d be cut off from if you couldn’t read; this blog, election ballots, history books, instructions on how to make new things, etc.  The “Read.” bags give these children a sense of ownership over the books they receive at the end of the year- and those may be some of the only books they have in their home.

Want to help?  Here’s what you can do!

-Donate fabric.  Our wonderful property managers provide the canvas panels for the “Read.” bags, but we’re asking you to provide us with leftover fabrics that we can use for linings, accent panels and straps.  Just drop off the fabric at Zede’s any time we’re open.

-Come to Zede’s for “Read.” bag sew days- we’ll let you know in our newsletter and on Facebook when we’ve got the days scheduled.

-Embroider “Read.” panels.  Come by Zede’s and pick up some panels to embroider.

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-Sew “Read.” bags at home.  We’ve a got a video to show you how!

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We need the bags by May 1st!  Thanks in advance for your help!

Mallory

New USB Sticks at Zede’s- Aren’t They Cute?

Want to carry around your designs in style?  We’ve just started carrying some new USB sticks that we know you’ll love to have in your sewing room.

They have a capacity of 2GB.  That’s plenty of room to carry around 100 designs or more.  Plus, they’re adorable!

They are available here for $19.99.  Enter code ‘USBSTICK” when checking out, and you’ll receive $10 off your order, so that you don’t have to pay shipping.

Right now, the “tape measure” is on back order until April 2013, so I don’t have those up for sale yet.  I only have about 20 in stock for now, so if you want one or two or more for gifts, make sure and order soon!

Hurry, before they’re all gone!

Make You Own Custom Sewing Storage!

We’ve got a ton of creative people around here at Zede’s Sewing Studio.  We’re reminded of this every month when we have club and we see all the fabulous show-and-tell that our customers bring.

Last month, our software teacher, Joanne, brought in a picture of her husband Paul’s handiwork in her sewing room- Paul also happens to be our marketing guru, no nepotism here!

Joanne says she loves the plastic drawers from places like Target, but when they get too full, they sag and are difficult to work with.  Paul’s hobby’s are wood-working and off-roading in his Jeep.  I guess Joanne told him to put the keys down and pick up his saw to help out with her problem.  Look what he did!

Instead of conquering the very difficult and time consuming task of making custom drawers, Paul made custom shelves to fit Joannes plastic drawers.  The project went a lot faster than it would have if Paul would have made wooden drawers, and Joanne gets to see all of her pretty fabrics on display.

What creative steps have you taken to organize your sewing room?

 

Man Gifts: My Dad’s 60th Birthday

Do you have trouble finding the right gift for the men in your life?  I do!

Sometimes they make it easy on you by clipping a picture out of a magazine, or whining about how they can’t play the new Mario Brothers game unless they get the new gaming console, et cetera.

I would say my dad is one of the hardest men to shop for, and it’s because he’s such an awesome guy.  He always taught me that if you want what you already have, you’ll never be unsatisfied.  My best memories with my dad include jumping on the trampoline together for hours, camping, learning to water-ski and doing crossword puzzles together.  My dad always gave me excellent quality time- that’s something that’s hard to box up and wrap with ribbon.  And, you know, if I didn’t get my dad anything for his birthday or Christmas, he probably wouldn’t care, as long as we still got to spend time together.

But I love giving gifts!  It makes me feel special when I get a gift, so I want to do the same with the people I love.  Even if it’s something small.

Lately, Jer-Bear (that’s what I call my dad) has been re-organizing our finished attic space to be a gym/lounge.  My niece has been trying to claim it for her clubhouse as well- and I’m sure he’ll be generous with her as he was with me when it comes to space and attention.  But, bottom line- it’s his gym.

So, I thought I’d make it official and embroider some towels for him.  It’s kind of like planting a flag, you know.

The towels are functional and fun.  They’re also a little tongue-and-cheek, since my dad would probably just as soon use an old towel with any one of our names on it in his gym- but I’m making these special for him!

If you want to embroider towels, check out this video- we’ll get you started!

Oh, and I finally found a sweet-treat that my dad will eat.  He loves this Jack Daniel’s Pecan Pie.  I love making everything, including food, decorative- check out the birthday design :) .  Recipe here.

I hope this helps inspire you in your quest to Man-Gift in the New Year.  Share your man-gifting ideas in the comments- we could all use them!

 

Facebook Giveaway!

Just in time for the holidays, we’ve got a giveaway for you on Facebook!

Here’s a link to our Facebook page- get on over there and enter to win by posting your photo!

Classes at Zede’s: You Ask, We Listen!

Every so often, we have to cancel a class due to low enrollment. Maybe it didn’t make it up on the website in time or we scheduled something on the day of some really important MU football game…

Well, it can be disappointing for students and teachers, but we offer a way to make up for it!

If you and two of your friends find a time when you’re available, the studio is free and the class teacher is available, you can schedule a class!  Our minimum enrollment is 3 people- so a lot of times it doesn’t take much to muster up a group.

This class session will also be added to the website, in case anyone else wants to sign up to come.

So…why am I highlighting this practice in a blog post?  Because we recently had to cancel a section of “Quilting Quickies”, and some astute students have found an alternate time!

Linda B.’s Stained Glass Applique class has been rescheduled for Friday, November 2nd from 10am-1pm.  Sign up now, if you are interested!

Here’s what you’ll be making:  A stained glass applique pumpkin!  You’ll achieve the stained glass effect by using pre-folded, fusible quick bias which we will have available in the store for class.

 

Once again, sign up here- and make sure to contact us if you’d like to see anymore classes rescheduled!