Blog #8
After hauling my mother’s old sewing machine out of storage,
the first thing I do is call around to local quilt shops
to ask if they know where I can get my sewing machine repaired.
Yes, I am that clueless, I have no idea who to turn to
- this is a whole new world to me.
They refer me to a Mennonite man, Leroy,
who owns the Sewing Machine Shop in Penn Yan, NY.
He’s so popular he's booked up for the next SIX weeks - WHAT?!
I don’t want to wait six weeks. I want to start sewing NOW!
I reach out to Sew Green in Ithaca, NY.
Sew Green was where I took my first sewing lessons in February, 2020.
Yep, squeezed those group lessons in
before the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s a wonderful establishment in the heart of Ithaca, NY owned by the generous Wendy Skinner.
Wendy said she would be happy to look at my “vintage” sewing machine.
She only services sewing machines on Sundays.
Just drop it off and come back to pick it up in about an hour.
I book an appointment for mid- September, 2020.
After I drop off the machine I have time to reflect.
I grab a cup of coffee and wander through the Commons,
Ithaca’s downtown pedestrian walkway, through eclectic shops and cafes.
I realize that it’s been a year since we arrived in the states, with a far-fetched dream to start our own business.
Well, it got a little interrupted by a global pandemic, but still.
Wow.
It really is a marathon, not a race.
I’m even more determined to bring ShimaShima Bags to life.
After hauling my mother’s old sewing machine out of storage,
the first thing I do is call around to local quilt shops
to ask if they know where I can get my sewing machine repaired.
Yes, I am that clueless, I have no idea who to turn to
- this is a whole new world to me.
They refer me to a Mennonite man, Leroy,
who owns the Sewing Machine Shop in Penn Yan, NY.
He’s so popular he's booked up for the next SIX weeks - WHAT?!
I don’t want to wait six weeks. I want to start sewing NOW!
I reach out to Sew Green in Ithaca, NY.
Sew Green was where I took my first sewing lessons in February, 2020.
Yep, squeezed those group lessons in
before the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s a wonderful establishment in the heart of Ithaca, NY owned by the generous Wendy Skinner.
Wendy said she would be happy to look at my “vintage” sewing machine.
She only services sewing machines on Sundays.
Just drop it off and come back to pick it up in about an hour.
I book an appointment for mid- September, 2020.
After I drop off the machine I have time to reflect.
I grab a cup of coffee and wander through the Commons,
Ithaca’s downtown pedestrian walkway, through eclectic shops and cafes.
I realize that it’s been a year since we arrived in the states, with a far-fetched dream to start our own business.
Well, it got a little interrupted by a global pandemic, but still.
Wow.
It really is a marathon, not a race.
I’m even more determined to bring ShimaShima Bags to life.
Also in ShimaShima Bags Blog
Blog #6 The beginnings of our Tote Bags
"I knew it wasn’t going to work unless I made the bags myself."
Blog #5 Tatami Mat Borders Repurposed - Our Dream in a Nutshell
Creating sustainable bags with Super High Quality and Drability. Using colors that express the individuality and diversity of the world with the attention of detail from Japan.
This is our dream in a nutshell.