The Sewing Machine Shop

Hi everybody,
We recently wrote an article for our free weekly newsletter about why it's necessary to raise your presser foot before threading the top half of your machine. From our experience troubleshooting and fixing hundreds of machines, if we ever get loops on the underside of your fabric, this is likely where we went wrong. We hope you find it helpful.

Why It's Necessary to Raise Your Presser Foot Prior to Threading the Top Half of your Sewing Machine When threading a sewing machine, a non-negotiable rule is that you must thread the machine with the presser foot in the raised position.

Did you see our April Fools email from earlier this year? Check it out!

"Sewing Machine" from Comme des Garçons An Unexpected Foray into the Parfums Business

Right now our repair department is light on repairs. Turn-around time estimate is 5-7 days. If your machine needs a service, now is a great time to bring it in. And, if you want to know what we do when we give your machine our standard COA service, feel free to read the article linked below where we go into detail about exactly what our technicians do when they service your machine:

The Sewing Machine Technician's Checklist a comprehensive list of the things a sewing machine technician does when he services your machine

We've updated our website!
Take a look at our upcoming classes!

Class Calendar - The Sewing Machine Shop Get more in-depth information, supply lists, or register for a class by calling us. 925-937-7575 Click a Class for more information! Getting Started- Get started with your new machine purchase! In this class you will learn the ins and outs of your machine. This is a free class to customers that purc...

Split the cases on a Bernina 7 series Machine today. Beautiful example of Swiss engineering. And look at that circuit board— sewing machine are truly complex pieces of technology.

We split the cases whenever we service a machine because it is the only way to access all the oiling points and clean out all the lint.

Want to better understand your needle threader? Take a look at this article we wrote that takes a deep dive into needle threaders:

Needle Threaders, Part 1 How Needle Threaders Work & How To Make Them Work For You

Take a look at our recent article about troubleshooting skipped stitches and the reasons why a bent needle can be your worst enemy!

The Sewing Machine Newsletter | Cale Schoenberg | Substack Step into the niche world of sewing machines. It's bigger than you think. Quilting, garment making, crafting, sewing machine mechanics and philosophy-- we got you covered. Click to read The Sewing Machine Newsletter, by Cale Schoenberg, a Substack publication. Launched 16 days ago.

Look at the feed dogs— does something look wrong here? The right row of gripped feed teeth completely snapped off this poor lady’s machine, rendering in unusable. Occasionally we’ll see small chunks of feed dogs break off, but the majority of an entire row is rare. Fortunately the fix is relatively easy. We had an extra set of feed dogs in stock, so we were able to replace it.

Dan split the cases on this Juki Longarm quilting machine. Beautiful piece of Japanese engineering. Notice that there is no motor belt. That’s because this machine uses direct drive technology. You can see it best in the third picture: the upper shaft is attached directly to the motor, rather than traditional machine designs where the upper shaft and motor are connected by a motor belt. What are the benefits of direct drive? A more efficient and powerful system, with less energy lost than the tradition belt designs.

Love to sew? If you have time, please take a look at our newsletter!

Food for Thought: Quilting in America The other day I was online looking at photographs from the 2021 Met Gala. For those unfamiliar, the Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It has become known as an occasion where celebrities dress themselves in ostentatious...

Family History

The Sewing Machine Shop was started over 40 years ago by brothers Dan and Marty Schoenberg, but the family's connection to sewing machines goes back well before the birth of the shop, and well before the birth of Dan and Marty.

Up until the N**i invasion during World War II, Dan and Marty's great-grandparents owned and operated a well known store on Grodzka Street in modern-day Krakow. The shop sold fabric for suits and shipped these fine fabrics all over the world. Stypik Schoenberg, Dan and Marty's grandfather, worked for the family business until an arranged marriage had him move across the Atlantic Ocean to Argentina. Why Argentina? His father-in-law owned a factory there that manufactured sewing machine components for Husqvarna AB of Sweden, one of the largest sewing machine manufacturers in the world.

Stypik had three children. The eldest was Ramon, who grew up in Buenos Aires before moving to Switzerland where he was educated as a mechanical design engineer. After his education, Ramon returned to Argentina and took over the factory. In addition to manufacturing sewing machine parts for Husqvarna, the factory also began manufacturing a sewing machine called MADEX.

While in Europe, Ramon met the fiance of a poor British sailor and stole her heart. He took Doreen back to Argentina and together they had 5 children: Adriana, Martin, Tomas, Guillermo, and baby Daniel. However, when Marty was 7 and Dan was 2, political instability in Argentina forced the family to move. They relocated to Richmond, California in 1963, only a few months before JFK was assassinated. Ramon was hired as an engineer for a company in Berkeley that designed pumps and Doreen worked as a school teacher.

To make extra money, Ramon had a side hustle where he worked two nights a week fixing sewing machines. Many times he would take Marty along with him. Marty remembers that Ramon would put an old junker machine in front of him and hand him a set of screwdrivers. "Take apart everything you can," Ramon would say. Marty did as he was told, disassembling machines into hundreds of little parts. So began the foundation of a skill set that would serve Marty well for the next 50 years.

After high school, Marty began fixing sewing machines for the Berkeley Sewing Machine Company. Several years later he invested in a van and some tools and started a one-man business that did travelling sewing machine repair, called Sewing Machine Engineering. Meanwhile, Dan had recently earned his degree in Aeronautical Engineering and was selling Kawasaki motorcycles in Richmond. Marty recognized that his youngest brother was a natural salesman, so he recruited Dan to join Sewing Machine Engineering and expand. They rented a storefront in El Sobrante and changed the name of the store to The Sewing Machine Shop.

In the early days they primarily sold industrial machines. Although they no longer had a connection to their father's old Husqvarna factory in Argentina, they managed to sell a few Viking home machines as well. Over the years Marty taught Dan how to fix machines and they soon developed into quite the dynamic duo. Marty was an expert on the older machines he first started tinkering with as a child, and Dan an expert on machines with newer technology. On several occasions they have made the following claim with complete earnestness: there might be a technician who works at Bernina who has more experience with Bernina machines, or a guy at Janome who is more familiar on Janome machines, but if we are talking about overall skill as a technician-- meaning, if there was a repair contest where we pick a random machine anywhere on earth, no matter the brand, no matter the problem, no matter if it's a serger or industrial or embroidery-- Marty and Dan are the best in the world.

We are planning to be much more active here on Facebook! Stay tuned!

We have a couple pre-owned Juki Longarm quilting machines that will be an awesome score for the right quilter.

We have a sit-down version longarm in a table for $3,499.

We have frame version longarm for $5,999.

If you are interested in either of these machines or have any questions, please give us a call at (925)937-7575.

Who makes the best high-speed sewing machines in the world?

In the wide world of sewing machines, Juki stands out as an unique company in the sense that they began primarily as a manufacturer of industrial machines. Because of their origin, a lot of people are not fully aware that Juki has made a concerted effort to break into the home sewing machine market as well. In doing so, they have created some products that we absolutely love and want to share with you.

If you look at all the different machines we sell, you'll notice that we don't carry every machine that the manufacturer has to offer. Why? Because each manufacturer has both their strengths and their weaknesses. Our philosophy is to lean into the manufacturer's strengths.

In this particular case, Juki specializes in high-speed sewing machines. Dan Schoenberg, our owner and head technician, believes that Juki makes the best high-speed sewing machines in the world. In turn, their home sewing products that feature high-speed sewing are some of the best in the world. In addition, because Juki tends to fly under the radar of the home sewing community, we are able to offer Juki's finest products at a low price.
I am going to highlight several home sewing products made by Juki that we are big fans of. One thing that all of these products have in common: they are high-speed sewing machines whose design contains Juki's industrial DNA.

(1) Juki TL-18
Being the world's leading manufacturer of industrial sewing machines, it comes as no surprise that Juki makes an excellent portable semi-industrial machine. Simply put, the Juki TL-18 is an incredible tool to add to your sewing arsenal, whether you are quilting, crafting, or making garments. Because of its semi-industrial design, the TL-18 is sturdier and more powerful than your average machine, offering exceptional performance on difficult fabrics like faux-leather, denim, and quilt batting. No matter if you sew on a high-end or entry-level machine, having the TL-18 at hand is useful because you can save your current machine from the most difficult work in any given project. In addition, for all the free-motion quilting enthusiasts out there, the TL-18 is equipped with Juki's float feature, making the TL-18 the best machine for free-motion under $1,200.

(2) Juki MO-114D & Juki MO-1000
Originally, sergers were only used solely in an industrial setting, where they were known as "industrial overlock machines." A serger is essentially a home overlock machine-- a smaller, lighter, more user-friendly versions of the industrial overlock machines. Who is the leading manufacturer of industrial machines around the world? Juki. Therefore, it is no surprise that Juki manufactures high-performance sergers. In fact, we'd go as far as to say that Juki makes the best serger money can buy for under $500 (MO-114D), as well as the best serger money can buy for under $1,000 (MO-1000).

(3) Juki Miyabi J-350
People ask us all the time why we carry Juki Longarm Quilting machines instead of other manufacturers like Handy Quilter, Bernina, and Baby Lock. Three reasons:
(a) Long-arm machines are high-speed sewing machines. And who makes the best high-speed sewing machines in the world? Juki.
(b) Whether you choose to set your longarm up on a frame or on a sit-down table, the Miyabi J-350 comes equipped with a stitch regulator that is second to none.
(c) We have done our research regarding other long-arm quilting machines from other manufacturers. Those that cost the same price as Juki are of a lower quality than the Juki. On the other hand, those that are of equal quality cost nearly twice the price as Juki. In the end, Juki makes the best quality longarm quilting machine, and offers it at the lowest price.

We hope this email was informative about Juki and their specialty high-speed sewing machines. All of the aforementioned machines are threaded up in our showroom and ready to sew on, including both the sit-down long-arm and the long-arm on a frame. Please feel free to stop by the shop for a demonstration and feel how it is to sew on one of these machines for yourself.

Call (925)-937-7575 for more information.

Our hours are 9 AM-5 PM
Tuesday-Saturday

And don't forget to tell your friends!

Christmas Special !!!

Vintage Singer Featherweight from 1951 - $799
Vintage Singer Model 95 from 1949 - $249

Both machines are in incredible condition. They still run well and the paint is in great shape, especially on the featherweight.

We only have one of each, so call us quick to secure the perfect Christmas gift for a loved one (or for yourself).

Another Open-Box Deal!
We have a single Janome Memory Craft 9450 Open-Box Machine in stock at an unbelievable price. The MSRP for the MC9450 is $5,499. This open box machine is nearly half the price.

This machine has never had an owner. It was pulled out of the box once for an event, sewn on for 30 minutes, and that's it. Our head technician Dan took a look at it and gave it his stamp of approval. It comes with a full warranty.

The 9450 boasts a humongous throat space, fantastic lighting, AcuFlex Dual Feed, automatic presser foot lifting, and much more. It is a great machine for garment sewers and quilters alike. At this price, the open-box MC9450 will not last long, so first come, first serve!

RARE OPPORTUNITY:

We have 2 pre-owned vintage Bernina's in stock-- a Bernina Matic 803 Electronic and a Bernina Sport. Each have recently been serviced by our technicians and are in good working condition. They come with an acrylic SewSteady Extension Table, plus 1st year parts and labor warranty.

These machines are one of one, so first come, first serve!

OPEN-BOX M7 - ONLY 3 LEFT

Last week we received a pallet of 8 Open-Box M7's. Dan got a great deal from Janome on these machines, so we are able to offer them at nearly HALF the price of MSRP. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to own one of the best quilting machines in the world, and get it at an unbelievable price.

Needless to say, people jumped on this opportunity. As of today we only have 3 left in stock. If you are interested, please give us a call before we run out.

(925)937-7575

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
We are getting ready to have a pre-owned machine sale in the next couple weeks, but we wanted to share a select few machines currently available for all the early birds out there who might be looking to take advantage of a great opportunity.

First up, we have a sweet pre-owned Janome Memory Craft 6600. Our technicians just gave it a full tune-up and it is in fantastic condition. It comes with a table, an acrylic insert, an extension table, built-in dual feed, a plethora of feet, and much more.

We want to move this machine quickly, so we have put the entire package on sale for $999.

This is a one-of-one type situation, so call us at (925)937-7575 to claim the Janome MC6600 and Table before it is too late!

Stay tuned for more exclusives on pre-owned machine.

When assessing the value of a sewing machine, a big mistake I see people make is that they will overvalue certain features and undervalue others. For example, having a large number of stitches programmed into a machine is nice, but how often are you really going to use decorative stitch #396? Once a year, maybe? Instead, I want to focus on bedrock features that you will benefit from every time you sit down to sew. Specifically for this email, I am going to highlight something I think is the most overlooked feature on a sewing machine: throat space.

Throat space is the open window of space to the right of your needle where a quilter will place their quilt, and a sewer could place their fabric if they are sewing something substantial like a costume. Size of throat space will vary depending on the machine. For example, a premium sewing and quilting machine will have a larger throat than a lightweight mechanical machine. A long arm quilting machine will have the largest throat space of all. When purchasing a new machine, we generally recommend that people strongly consider something that offers larger throat space. Why? Because it makes sewing more fun.

There are three dimensions to your machine's throat space: (1) the dimension from left to right, along the x-axis; (2) the dimension from the bottom of your machine to the top of your machine, along the y-axis; and (3) the dimension surrounding the needle bar. These three dimensions exist on all sewing machines. Depending on your machine, that means three potential advantages or disadvantages.

Dimension #1
The first dimension to throat space is the x-axis. On the picture of the M7 attached to this post, the x-axis is the 13.5 inches of space from left to right. Having more space along the x-axis gives you more physical room to operate and maneuver fabric, whether it be a jacket you have designed or a queen-sized quilt. This makes a world of difference in regards to how comfortable you are when sewing/quilting and how easy it is to maneuver fabric. In addition, machines with longer throats tend to place LED lights along the ceiling of the throat itself, which improves your ability to see your project.

Dimension #2
Speaking of vision, we would be remiss if we failed to mention that larger throat space on a machine increases the user's field of vision. Having more physical room to operate along the x-axis tends to go hand-in-hand with having more space along the y-axis. In the same picture of the M7 above, the 5.5 inches of space from the machine's floor to its ceiling is the y-axis. Naturally, having more space along the y-axis will allow you to fit more fabric in the throat (all you quilters rolling up your quilts, I'm talking to you!). That said, more important than the increased space is the improved field of vision. With more space along the y-axis, there is less machine impeding your vision of the fabric. In the pictures below, you can see the larger visual field Jackie has when she is sitting at the M7 (left) compared to a machine with a smaller throat space (right).

Dimension #3
The third dimension of throat space I want to highlight is the space around the needle bar. Sewing should be fun, but one potential source of frustration is operating around the needle and needle bar, where space is at a premium. Changing your needle, switching presser feet, and threading your needle-- all of these essential sewing tasks can be difficult in small, tight areas. Increased throat space tends to correlate with increased space in the sphere around the needle. If you look at the pictures below you can see that the machine on the right has much more space around the needle than the machine on the left. The machine on the right is the M7, which has the largest throat space in the sewing machine industry. With all that space it is much easier to successfully complete those aforementioned tasks because your hands are less cramped.

I hope this write-up has shed light on the importance of large throat space. If you would like to see the benefits firsthand, please stop by the shop to sew on one for yourself!

BERNINA SUPER SATURDAY: 72 MONTH INTEREST FREE FINANCING
Hello all! Bernina is offering a one-day promotion that we wanted to tell you about.
This Saturday October 16th, Bernina is giving you the opportunity for 72 month interest-free financing when you make a purchase of $4,000 or more. This opportunity applies to some of the best sewing and embroidery machines on the planet-- the B570, B590, B740, B770, B770+, and the B790+. On approval of credit, your payments could be as low as $57/month. We have supplied a breakdown in pricing below:
B570:
MSRP: $5,399
Our Price: $4,299
72-Month Financing: $70/month
B590e:
MSRP: $8,199
Our Price: $6,499
72-Month Financing: $91/month
B740:
MSRP: $5,999
Our Price: $4,399
72-Month Financing: $70/month
B770:
MSRP: $6,599
Our Price: $5,299
72-Month Financing: $84/month
B770 plus:
MSRP: $7,499
Our Price:$5,799
72-Month Financing: $91/month
B790 plus:
MSRP: $12,999
Our Price: $9,999
72-Month Financing: $139/month
Call (925)-937-7575 for more information.
Our hours are 9 AM-5 PM
Tuesday-Saturday
And don't forget to tell your friends!

BERNINA SUPER SATURDAY: 72 MONTH INTEREST FREE FINANCING

Hello all! Bernina is offering a one-day promotion that we wanted to tell you about.

This Saturday October 16th, Bernina is giving you the opportunity for 72 month interest-free financing when you make a purchase of $4,000 or more. This opportunity applies to some of the best sewing and embroidery machines on the planet-- the B570, B590, B740, B770, B770+, and the B790+. On approval of credit, your payments could be as low as $57/month. We have supplied a breakdown in pricing below:

B570:
MSRP: $5,399
Our Price: $4,299
72-Month Financing: $70/month

B590e:
MSRP: $8,199
Our Price: $6,499
72-Month Financing: $91/month

B740:
MSRP: $5,999
Our Price: $4,399
72-Month Financing: $70/month

B770:
MSRP: $6,599
Our Price: $5,299
72-Month Financing: $84/month

B770 plus:
MSRP: $7,499
Our Price:$5,799
72-Month Financing: $91/month

B790 plus:
MSRP: $12,999
Our Price: $9,999
72-Month Financing: $139/month

Call (925)-937-7575 for more information.

Our hours are 9 AM-5 PM
Tuesday-Saturday

And don't forget to tell your friends!

Our Philosophy: Beyond the Machine

Here at The Sewing Machine Shop, our philosophy is that when you purchase a new machine, you are getting more than just the machine. Primarily, you are getting tangible support from our staff: both our team of expert sewists at the front of the store and the world-class technicians in our repair department. Beyond that, we believe you are getting more in a metaphysical sense as well. We will expand on these three points in further detail below.

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(1) Expert Sewists
Your purchase of a machine from The Sewing Machine Shop comes with the opportunity to sit down in a 1-on-1 environment with one of our expert sewists to get you started with your machine. After you purchase your new machine, we recommend you take it home, take it out of the box, read the instruction manual, and play around a little bit. All the while, write down any questions that pop up or any points of confusion. When you are ready to come back in for your 1-on-1, give us call and we can schedule a time when one of us can give you our full attention and answer all your questions. Our team is extremely knowledgeable, with have decades of experience in garment-making, quilting, embroidery, serging, and more

Why do we offer this 1-on-1? To get you over the proverbial "hump" and to help you traverse the initial learning curve that comes with owning a new, modern sewing machine. If you never get past that learning curve, sewing will surely be a frustrating experience. We don't want you to be frustrated. We want sewing to be fun. Things like properly winding a bobbin, threading your machine, changing your needle, swapping presser feet, adjusting presser foot pressure-- once you are comfortable doing these basic things, you surpass that initial learning curve and can finally go on to sew the things you really want to sew. We want you to get there, and we want you to be happy-- that is why we offer you the 1-on-1 sit-down opportunity.

In addition, you can always give us a call or stop by the store and ask any sewing-related question you may have. Or, if you are undertaking a new project, tell us about it and we will fit you with the proper equipment to succeed. We've heard all the questions and seen all the projects before. Chances are, one of us has an answer and can help you out. We will also send you emails about in-store classes that apply to your machine. Due to COVID, right now we are limited to "get to know your machine" classes, which are simple yet effective. In the future we plan on holding more advanced classes for our customers on topics like garment-making and serging/coverstitch technique.

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(2) World-Class Technicians
In addition to the support you'll get from our team of expert sewists, your new sewing machine also comes with first year parts and labor warranty from our in-house service department. Any small issue that might pop up, you bring the machine to us and we will take care of it for you. Over the years, as your machine experiences natural wear, you can always bring it to us for service and maintenance. You can count on us to do the job right and within a reasonable turnaround time.

On the technical side of things, the support you receive from us is second to none. Dan Schoenberg, our owner and head technician, has a degree in aeronautical engineering and has been fixing sewing machines for over 30 years. He started the business with his older brother, Marty, who began fixing machines as a teenager. Although Marty is now retired, Dan will frequently call his older brother and tap into his deep well of sewing machine knowledge. We say the following statement with absolute sincerity: between Dan and Marty, there is not a better team of sewing machine technicians in the world.

I have a great story to illustrate this point. One day I received a call from a company in Hawaii that makes sails for sail boats. In a British accent, the man on the phone said, "Hello, I would like to speak to The King."

I was confused. "The King? Sir, this is The Sewing Machine Shop in Walnut Creek, California."

"I know," the man persisted. "I would like to speak to The King."

Still confused, I put the call on hold and approached Dan: "Dan, there is some British guy on the phone asking for The King."

"Oh, yes," said Dan. "Transfer him to me."

I did as I was told and transferred the call. Moments later I hear Dan say: "Hello. The King has retired. This is The Prince."

It turns out that this Hawaiian Sail Company only trusts our repair department to service their machines. They think of us in such high regards that they have come to know Marty as The King and Dan (being the younger brother) as The Prince.

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(3) Sewing Machine Metaphysics
When you buy a machine, you get more than the machine. More in a literal sense with the support you get from our staff, but also more in a metaphysical sense as well. What do I mean by metaphysical? Something that is metaphysical is something that transcends physical matter. Not to be all woo-woo, but we do believe that sewing machines possess metaphysical characteristics, and these characteristics are a huge part of the appeal of owning your own sewing machine.

First and foremost, sewing machines unlock the creative power in an individual. When making garments, a sewing machine gives you the power to create wearable art specifically tailored to your body and your personal style. It is a statement about who you are, what you are like, and how the world sees you. It is something truly special when one of our customers comes into the store wearing an outfit they sewed for themselves.

Secondly, your sewing machine helps you make love into something tangible. We see it all the time when people show us pictures of a quilt they made for a grandchild, or a quilt donated to a charitable organization. On top of that, sewing machines essentially become gift-giving machines during the holidays. The only thing better than receiving a personalized gift from a loved one, is giving one.

Lastly, sewing machines in many ways are our companions, and sometimes even our business partners. I can't tell you how often we heard this sentiment during the pandemic. When people were stuck inside at home all day, the thing they spent the most time with was their sewing machine. Some people made masks, others made hospital gowns, and a lot just sewed for themselves. Many people have told us that they even started their own business during the pandemic, selling home-made goods on sites like Etsy and Poshmark. No matter the path people take, they can always count on their sewing machine as a trusted companion.

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We hope this post shed some light on the support we offer for anyone in the market for a new sewing machine. Sewing should be fun, and we want to do everything we can to make it that way.

Call (925)-937-7575 for more information, or stop by the store to check out our selection of sewing machine, sergers, thread, and needles in person.

Our hours are 9 AM-5 PM
Tuesday-Saturday

And don't forget to tell your friends!

We are looking to hire a Customer Service Associate to join our staff of knowledgeable sewists and technicians!

Job Description:
We are known for our stellar customer service. People can call us with any sewing related questions, and usually someone on our staff can give them an answer. If a customer comes in with a question about their sewing machine or serger, we want to be able to help. If you are knowledgeable about sewing, curious to learn more, and love helping out fellow sewists, we would love to hear from you!

The ideal candidate will have the following skills:
(1) Sewing Experience: Someone with sewing experience will be well-suited for the position because they will be more familiar with the product we carry.

(2) Customer Service Experience: We are known for our stellar customer service. People can call us with any sewing related question, and usually we can give them an answer. In addition, we have a large showroom of machines, thread, and notions. New staff members must be outgoing, willing, and able to help customers locate the products they need. They should also be knowledgeable about our products or willing learn.

(3) Garment-Making/ Quilting Experience: having garment-making experience or quilting experience is a plus.

Other Requirements:
Saturdays required
Creative environment
Team atmosphere
Must be an independent learner and self starter