10 Reasons why I love mySewnet Embroidery 2021

December 29, 2021January 5, 2022 softwareanna3 Comments

Can you believe it’s already been over six months since mySewnet Embroidery 2021 was launched? Whether you haven’t had chance to explore this brilliant new embroidery software from Husqvarna Viking yet, or you’ve taken the plunge but haven’t got to grips with everything it has to offer, take a look at my 10 reasons why I absolutely love it!

1. So quick to install. It has never been quicker to install onto your PC or Mac! It no longer takes hours to install and get creating, I was highly impressed with how quick it was.

2. Change Hoop appears automatically. I always change my hoop before I begin a project and with mySewnet the Change Hoop option appears automatically at start. A great time saver for me.

3. The new film strip in mySewnet Embroidery. Like the Film Strip in the Create / Digitizing Module, you can move elements of your embroidery in the film strip to stitch in the order you prefer. It’s fantastic to be able to see the order of your whole embroidery, which you can change around with ease: just click and hold, then drag and drop into position! No more watching the design player and using the Order Layout tools to move things backwards and forwards!

4. I LOVE SuperDesigns! I am a SuperDesign geek, I can’t get enough of them. As always with new software, we get even more SuperDesigns and as always, I love the new collections. My favourites are Tea Time 1 and Coffee Time 1 – these will have to be used for jazzing up my kitchen.

New SuperDesigns – Coffee Time and Tea Time

5. Dog fonts. Yes, plural fonts! We’ve been asking for a dog font for years, (we had cats and birds but not dogs) and we have finally been heard – there are two new dog fonts in both colour and line version, aren’t they just adorable?

6. Spiro Wizard. The new Spiro wizard makes me feel like a kid again. Simply adjust the sliding panels to change the final design; I created this one to have a festive feel to stitch out as a tree decoration. Gold and Platinum only.

7. Ribbon attachment SuperDesigns. If you’re looking for projects to try with your ribbon attachment, mySewnet has Ribbon SuperDesigns ready to apply to the hoop and stitch out. You can even create your own designs if you like. Platinum only.

8. New Project-in-the-Hoop projects. More projects have been added to the Project-in-the-Hoop collection, including pouches and Christmas ornaments. The rainbow zippy pouch and gingerbread decoration are a couple of my favourites. Gold and Platinum only.

Images 1 & 2: Rainbow pouch from the Projects-in-the-Hoop Wizard
Images 3: Christmas ornaments from the Projects-in-the-Hoop Wizard

9. Draw & Paint Module. Remember the Paint or Draw window in Create? If not then I’m not surprised, they were not the easiest parts of the software to use, although they had their uses. Now we have a brand new module dedicated to creating your own pictures to take into Digitizing. If creating your own pictures isn’t for you, don’t worry – there are plenty of pre-installed images to play with. My favourite part of this new module is the Multiply tab: you can multiply in different styles, including circle, horizonal, vertical and my favourite, tile. Platinum only.

The Multiply feature in the Draw & Paint module

10. The mySewnet UK YouTube channel. The official mySewnet UK YouTube channel is a great place to check out videos on how to use the software. From installing the software, through the basics like how to Copy, Paste Duplicate and Rotate, all the way to more complex features like Photostitch, it’s a fantastic resource and they add new videos every few weeks. It’s also great for inspiration for your next project.

mySewnet Embroidery 2021 is a fantastic step up from Premier+2 – it’s more intuitive and straightforward to use, and with new features like Spiro and Ribbon embroidery as well as even more fonts and SuperDesigns, it’s well worth the upgrade. There are three levels available in the boxed software: Silver, Gold and Platinum – if you’re not sure which level is for you then take a look at our blog post from October, which explains what they have to offer. If you have any questions then please get in touch or comment below!

Offers · Website

Take a tour of the Coles Sewing Centre website

December 24, 2021December 22, 2021 webmasterellie2 Comments

From 24th December to 3rd January we have a 10% discount store-wide with the discount code SALE10* – read on to learn how to use it!

Those of our regular customers who have shopped with Coles for a while will know that we upgraded our website just over two years ago to a sleeker design that is easier for customers to use. We intend for you to be able to order online anything that you can buy in the shop itself, which is no mean feat as we sell over 7,000 products! This is what you’ll find me doing from day to day – I add new products, update what’s already there and generally do my best to keep things ticking over. So take a tour of the Coles Sewing Centre website with me and you can see everything we have to offer!

Before we begin, I should note that I am using a web browser on a PC, so the layout will be a little different on mobiles and tablets. If you are using these devices and have any questions, please comment below and I’ll do my best to help!

The homepage

The website homepage has a lot of useful information but you do have to scroll down to see some of it. Right at the top you can see a red bar with several links: click on these for more information. Contact/Find Us will give you our opening hours and how to find the shop or where to park when you get here. Service & Repairs tells you more about what happens when you bring your macine in to us, while FAQ gives a list of frequently asked questions on issues with machines. This page will be updated in 2022 to be more comprehensive and user friendly, and will be a useful first port of call when you have a problem with your machine.

Below this bar and to the right of the logo you will see a search bar with a little magnifying glass icon in it – if you’re not sure where to find what you’re looking for then simply type in here and hit enter!

Next we have a bar with the various categories of products we have on offer at Coles Sewing Centre. There’s a lot to say about this, so I’ll come back to it in a moment. Underneath this bar you can see a banner – this is where we update you about upcoming events, special offers and news. In the previous picture you can see we have a banner about the upoming Coles Live online event in January and if you click on the banner on the website it will take you to the page to book. We always have several banners going round the carousel and we change them regularly, so it’s always worth having a quick look at these!

Keep going down and you’ll see the New Products carousel – the ten most recenly added products appear here so you can aways find the newest additions to the website. As you can see from the image below, I have added a pre-owned S25 overlocker, a brand new ovelocker accessory and a new range of fabric this week.

Scroll right down to the bottom of the homepage and you’ll find a number of quick links, including the Advanced Search and information about Shipping and Returns. This information is at the bottom of every page, so you can always find it.

Categories menu

As I mentioned earlier, you can browse everything we sell online through the red categories menu:

Machines & Overlockers – all of our new, pre-owned and ex-demonstration machines and overlockers, as well as embroidery software
Machine Products & Accessories – all products related to your sewing/embroidery machine or overlocker are here, from needles to feet, hoops and spare parts, through to Horn furniture and machine storage.
Fabric – whether you’re a dressmaker, quilter or crafter, we have something for everyone!
Courses – you can book all of our courses online here. You can find them grouped by month or by type, as well as one day workshops, weekly classes, monthly classes and owners’ classes
Sewing Notions – threads, interfacing, bag accessories, haberdashery – you’ll find all of your sewing notions here. I am still updating the haberdashery section so you will see a few more items here in the new year.
Sewing Tools – general sewing tools e.g., pins, scissors, pattern paper, glue
Patchwork & Quilting – tools specifically for patchwork and quilting, such as templates rulers and rotary cutters
Books & Patterns – books by subject and patterns by company or pattern type
Subscriptions & Gifts – extended warranties, Gold Thread membership, gift cards and gift ideas

Click on the first picture and then scroll through to see examples of all the different menus

Fabrics

All of the fabrics that are in the shop are available to order online. Quilting and craft fabrics can be ordered in increments of 25cm and if you order just 25cm then we will send you a fat quarter. Dressmaking fabrics can be ordered in increments of 10cm and with a minimum order of 10cm then you can order the exact amount you need, or even just a sample. The minimum order and the increments the fabric can be ordered in are explained on every page.

Patterns

We now have the whole Simplicity range, as well as selected Poppy & Jazz, Tilly & the Buttons and The Avid Seamstress patterns available to order online. We have our patterns organised by type, so you can narrow down your search easily, just select from the menu to find (for example) Dresses, Craft and Home Decor, or Vintage patterns. We also have a section devoted to Beginners and Easy-To-Sew patterns so that even inexperienced stitchers can be confident that they can tackle any of the patterns in that section.

When you have found a pattern that you like the look of and clicked on it, make sure to look through all of the pictures. In there you will always find images of the front and back of the pattern envelope and if you click on the picture you can zoom in so you can clearly read all of the information, even the tiniest text. All you need to do to order is select the size you want from the drop-down list and click the red Add to Basket button!

Placing an order

I’m going to take you through the steps of placing an order for 260cm of Christmas jersey – just click through the screenshots below. I will also add the discount code for the holiday sale, SALE10, to get 10% off!

Click on the first picture and then scroll through to read how to place an order from beginning to end, including adding a discount code

The holiday sale is on from 24th December to 3rd January – just enter the discount code SALE10 at checkout to get 10% off storewide (*excluding items already on offer, the Epic 2, special offer machines, courses, Horn Cabinets, software, extended warranties, Gold Thread membership & patterns).

As Rose mentioned in her post last week, the shop will be shut from 2pm on Christmas Eve until 4th January. We’re looking forward to welcoming you all back in store next year, but in the meantime then have a browse through the website and grab yourself a bargain with that SALE10 discount code!

Christmas · Staff

Coles Review of the Year 2021

December 17, 2021December 15, 2021 stitchingroseLeave a comment

Oh what a year! A year we may all want to forget but one we probably won’t for so many reasons.

We started the year in lockdown, so once again our doors were shut. All the staff were again at home and Neil and I were busy keeping the ship rolling, answering the phones, picking, packing and dispatching orders. Towards the end of January Ellie started working from home, updating and improving the website. George, our apprentice engineer, returned to the shop to continue his training and to help with the many machines that started to come in for servicing. Due to a high demand the service department was once again fully operational by February, with both Lee and George back at work.

Along with all the other retailers across the country we reopened our doors on 12^th April, and weren’t we glad to do so! Initially we were only working a 4 day week – people were nervous about coming back into town and who wanted to use public transport?! Gradually more customers came to see us and we were able to gradually bring our staff back into the workplace.

We were in a conundrum, did we reopen our classroom? Would people want to come to classes? A decision was made: the classroom would stay closed for the summer with a plan to restart classes in September. We purchased screens and rearranged the tables so that people attending classes would be socially distanced and would feel safe. Finally in September we restarted our classes and we were delighted to welcome people back!

For the foreseeable future the screens and our covid classroom guidelines will remain in place. We will be adding new workshops in 2022, so do keep your eye on the website.

Another challenge we have had to overcome was stock, or more to the point the lack of it. Early on in the year it became apparent that sewing machines were in short supply due to a shortage of parts, but also a shortage of containers to move them around the world. Although this remains an issue, it has much improved.

A few staff changes have occurred during the year…

We have taken on a customer service apprentice. Interviewed initially on zoom due to Covid isolation, Carys joined our team in August.
Anna and Debbie have started supervisor apprenticeships, a steep learning curve!
Jackie has become a grandma (congratulations Jackie!) so has reduced her hours and now works two days a week.
Catherine is covering maternity leave at our alterations shop but will continue to teach overlocker classes in the New Year.

As the year draws to an end we would like to say a big THANK YOU to you all for your support (without it I might not be here writing this), and we very much look forward to seeing you next year!

Christmas Opening Hours

To give our staff a well-deserved break we will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve and reopen on Tuesday 4^th January. Although the shop will be closed the webshop will remain open, any orders place will be processed as soon as we return.

Your Christmas Makes

We know you will all have been busy stitching your Christmas gifts – we’d love to see what you have been making, do send us your pics and we’ll share them in a future Blog!

So from everyone at Coles we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year! We look forward to seeing you all again in 2022.

Haberdashery · New in · Sewing

Gutermann Maraflex – a game changer for stretch sewing

December 10, 2021 webmasterellie5 Comments

Gutermann have recently released Maraflex, an elastic thread with high stretch that gives amazing results. So what’s special about Maraflex and why should you use it?

Ordinarily, when you sew a garment with a stretchy fabric then you need to either use an overlocker or an overlock stitch on your sewing machine. Either way, you will use some form of zigzag stitch to allow your fabric to stretch. If you were to use a straight stitch with a sew-all thread on a stretch fabric then your thread would most likely snap when the fabric was stretched. Maraflex lets you sew with a straight stitch on a stretch fabric and will stretch right along with it, up to 80% on top of its original length!

The amount of stretch you can get from a straight stitch sewn with Maraflex is incredible!

Maraflex can be used for any number of applications, but is particularly useful for sewing with jersey, activewear, swimwear and underwear. With 80 colours to choose from, there is a shade for every project!

Our new thread stand with the whole Maraflex colour range

Benefits to sewing with Maraflex

You don’t need to use an overlocker. Not all of us are lucky enough to have an overlocker as well as a sewing machine! And even if you do have one, it can be a hassle to have to keep swapping machines depending on the type of sewing you are doing. With Maraflex then you can stitch your stretch fabric on an ordinary sewing machine with a straightforward straight stitch.
You use less thread. Maraflex lets you optimise your thread consmption – sewing with a straight stitch instead of a zigzag stitch uses far less thread.
Stretches along with necklines and cuffs. Small openings such as necks and cuffs have more give when sewn with Maraflex.
Helps make your seams pucker-free. The elasticity of Maraflex gives beautifully smooth seams, preventing unsightly puckering.
Easy to care for. You can wash at 60°C, use a hot iron, tumble dry, dry clean (any solvent except trichloroethylene) and use chorine/oxygen bleach – Maraflex can take it all.

Maraflex is ideal for high stress areas such as necklines and cuffs

Tips for sewing with Maraflex

Use a jersey/ballpoint or stretch needle in size 70-80. The correct needle is always important, whatever you are sewing. A jersey/ballpoint needle has a rounded end to prevent fibre breakage, while a stretch needle also has a special eye that helps to prevent skipped stitches, and is especially useful for very high stretch fabrics.
Works best with knits and stretch fabrics. Gutermann recommend that you use Maraflex with light to medium-weight knit fabrics such as jersey, or light to medium-weight elastic woven fabrics, such as fabrics that contain elastane.
Use as both needle and bobbin thread. For best results you should sew with as little thread tension as possible and use the Maraflex as both your top and bottom threads. You will get optimal seam elasticity with 4 stitches per centimetre.

Optimal seam elasticity is achieved with 4 stitches per centimetre

Where can you get Maraflex?

We have a brand new thread stand in the shop with every available shade of Maraflex – you will find it above the Gutermann Sew-All threads. Of course, you can also order the whole range online by clicking here. A reel is 150m long and costs £3.40, although of course Red Thread customers will get 10% off when shopping in store!

What is Red Thread? Customers who join our Red Thread Club receive a 10% discount on a huge number of items when shopping in store, including threads! It costs nothing to join - simply provide your contact details and your discount will automatically be applied to eligible items when you shop in store (does not apply online). Eligible items include threads, fabric, haberdashery, quilting and embroidery accessories, stabilisers and sewing notions, as well as the majority of Husqvarna Viking feet and accessories (exclusions apply). The savings can be huge!

Rose has already given Maraflex a try and she says that it is ever so easy to use and sews beautifully. She used it to shorten a stretch skirt and the stitches stretched perfectly along with the fabric, without snapping. I have recently bought some of our leaf print ponte roma that I plan to make a Tilly & the Buttons Coco dress from and I will definitely be getting some Maraflex to stitch it with. You can expect an update from me in 2022 letting you know how I get on!

Christmas · Inspiration · Staff recommendations

Gift ideas this Christmas

December 3, 2021December 3, 2021 webmasterellie1 Comment

Are you looking for some Christmas inspiration? We can help! We have a wide variety of gifts to suit all budgets, so read on for our gift suggestions to make this Christmas a sewing wonderland!

Machines and bags

If you really want to push the boat out this year, then we have some great offers on machines that would make wonderful gifts. The Huskylock ™ S15 is a great starter overlocker and comes with a free carry bag as well as a free course to teach you the basics. If you want to give a sewing machine then you can’t beat the H|CLASS™ E10, which comes with a free book packed full of patterns as well a free tuition, or the H|CLASS™ E20, which comes with a free Prym Love Starter Set and free tuition. Alternatively, we have a great selection of machine bags and trolleys, which are perfect for storage as well as carrying your machine to classes.

Image 1: Teal Spot Sewing Machine Bag
Image 2: Hemline Overlocker Bag
Image 3: Notions Sewing Machine Bag

Gift boxes

Have you seen our latest selection of fabric gift boxes and sewing bundles? It’s worth having a browse through them because each one comes with something different. The Windy Days Gift Box, for example, comes with four fat quarters, two matching Sew-All threads and a pack of Magic Clips to make sewing a breeze, and all of this is packed up in a recyclable Kraft box and tied with a ribbon so you don’t even need to wrap it!

Windy Days Gift Box
Windy Days Gift Box
Safari Plants Gift Box
Petal & Pip Gift Box
Our Planet Gift Box
Our Planet Gift Box

Thread boxes

We’ve recently expanded our selection of thread sets and there’s something for every stitcher’s needs. If you’re buying for a dressmaker, Gütermann have a thread set that comes with 12 reels of Sew-All thread in a rainbow of colours as well as a pack of Prym pearl-headed pins and a mixed pack of Schmetz universal machine needles. For an embroiderer then you can’t go wrong with Mettler’s 28 thread set of Silk-Finish Cotton 50 – their colours are exceptional and there is the whole spectrum in the pack. Quilters can make good use of this set of Gütermann cottons, while Gütermann’s Nostalgic range gives you a choice of 8, 30 or 48 reels of Sew-All thread in a presentation tin, perfect for storage and useful even after you’ve used up all of the thread!

Gutermann 12 Thread Set: Sew-All with Pins & Machine Needles

Stocking fillers

Who doesn’t like a stocking full of little gifts? We have a whole section dedicated to items under £5 – a personal favourite is the Prym Love Birdy Needle Threader. This cute little pink bird lets you thread a sewing needle with ease and even has a built in thread cutter, so you don’t even need scissors handy!

Christmas makes and fabric

Speaking of stockings, a home made stocking is always a lovely gift. There’s still time to get 15% off Christmas fabric (just add discount code XMAS15 at checkout) but you’ll have to be quick because the offer ends at midnight on Sunday 5th December! If you need a pattern then Simplicity have a few holiday patterns that you can put together in no time, or why not try your hand at a June Tailor Quilt As You Go Stocking – with the pattern printed on the included wadding then it’s perfect even for beginners, all you need is the fabric and thread!

Image 1: Simplicity Pattern S9428 Holiday Decorating Accessories
Image 2: Simplicity Pattern S9038 Holiday Countdown Calendar & Accessories
Image 3: June Tailor Quilt As You Go Holiday Stocking

Gift wrapping

As we all try to make our lives more eco-friendly, then the trend for gift wrapping this year is to use fabric that can be endlessly reused. You can find some ingenious wrapping methods online, but as you can see from the gifts that Carys has wrapped for the shop, just some fabric tied with a ribbon looks amazing!

Gifts wrapped with fabric and ribbon look so festive, and eco-friendly too!

Staff picks

As you can imagine, working at Coles is like being a kid in a sweetie shop and we always have our eye on something! Deborah has added the Rose Gold Milward Scissor Gift Set to her Christmas list as it’s just so pretty and it has everything you need for most dressmaking projects. Anna has asked Santa for a Ruby 90 but in case it won’t fit down the chimney then she also fancies some of our William Morris fabrics to make a sofa throw and some cushions for her living room. Catherine loves Mettler’s variegated threads because of the amazing effects it can give to your sewing, she says they make each stitch stand out, giving it that extra decorative touch, so this Mettler Poly Sheen Neutral Collection would be ideal. Jackie finds her sewing room a little gloomy in the evening, and thinks that this adjustable lamp would be perfect for her – it is poseable and the light level is adjustable so that you can get the light exactly where you need it. Personally, I absolutely love a presentation tin (not only do they look lovely, but they’re so handy for storage) so I would be over the moon with one of the Gutermann Sew-All thread sets in a nostalgic tin that I mentioned earlier.

Milward Scissor Gift Set: Rose Gold
William Morris: Clover Mural (25253)
Mettler | 8 Thread Set: Poly Sheen Neutral Collection
Keqids COB-LED Flex Clamp Mount Light
Gutermann 48 Thread Set: Sew-All in Nostalgic Box

Gift cards

I don’t think I’m alone in struggling to choose a present sometimes – you can have a great idea but not be sure if someone already has it. Well we’ve got you covered because a Coles gift card can get you anything in the shop! We have them online in amounts of £5, £10, £20, £25, £50 and £100 but if you would like to give a different amount then just give us a call or drop us an email and we can can help you out.

Well I hope we have given you a few ideas for your gifts this Christmas. As always, if you have any questions then please get in touch. Now I’m going to send this post to my family Secret Santa group and hope that someone gets the hint! Merry Christmas!

Month: December 2021

10 Reasons why I love mySewnet Embroidery 2021

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Take a tour of the Coles Sewing Centre website