Tales Of A Fourth Generation Textile Executive: Patience My Friends, Always!
I have been having a lot of crazy dreams lately and I think it is because the horrible shooting that occurred in Parkland Florida. God bless all those that were murdered. The most recent dream really blew my mind and freaked me out. Ready? Here goes. Let me reiterate: This is a dream.
As you hopefully know by now, I am giving away sewing machines to people down on their luck or struggling in life (broadly defined by me). As I write this post, I probably have a pile of around 50-60 new requests for machines waiting to be reviewed and addressed. I continue to work through the pile when I can, but this is a marathon and not a race.
So I am in my bed sleeping and dreaming. Makes sense, right? The setting of the dream is the Quilt Market in Portland. By the way, please book your tickets for Quilt Market ASAP. I digress. So we are in the convention hall and everyone is doing their usual fabric selling stuff. You know, a lot of touching and fondling of fabric.
Me personally, I am at the FreeSpirit booth with all my newest designer bffs. I mean, Kaffe is there, Tula, Amy, AnnaMaria, Brandon and the rest of the dream team. Crazy that I met them in my dream before I met them in real life. How ironic?
As we chat along, I am approached by a young woman who I didn’t know and had never seen before. That woman asked if she could have a minute of my time. I realized quickly that she didn’t realize I was talking to the royal family of FreeSpirit because she didn’t even look at them or acknowledge them. How dare she? LOL. She was honed in on me. I was thinking that it was probably just another one of my crazy superfans who wanted an autograph or selfie. LOL AGAIN.
We step to the side and this young lady starts chatting me up about my sewing machine giveaway. She was very familiar with it. Out of nowhere the tone of the conversation dramatically changed and quickly. The girl became enraged and I couldn’t figure out what got in to her. She starts to flail her arms around in anger. This is when the dream took a turn for the worse. You may want to sit down.
She reaches in to her waistband in a very rapid movement. Holy crapamole! She’s got a freakin’ gun……at quilt market nonetheless. Then she blows me away with one shot to the heart. Blood is gushing all over the beautiful and plush quilt market carpet and all the booths. Here’s the best part, someone is working hard with her team to clean up the mess. I wonder what the dream interpreters would make of that. Anyhow, love you. You rock! I digress again.
It turns out that this young woman’s grandmother submitted a request to me for a free sewing machine. In an email I wrote to her grandmother, the grandmother thought I was blowing off her request and I wouldn’t grant her a sewing machine for some reason….omg a total misunderstanding? She misinterpreted an email that I wrote to her and thought she was out of the running and was super upset. Hence the shooting. The truth was, that in the email, I was just asking her for patience as I worked through the huge pile of requests. It turned out that her grandmother was next in line to get a machine. How ironic!
The moral of the story is don’t bring guns to quilt market. But seriously, don’t shoot me because then I can’t give away anymore machines. No, no, no! The real moral of the story is that after you submit a request for a sewing machine in the comments section of any of my blog posts, you need to be very patient with me. A sign that you will likely get a machine or at least a call to discuss with me your predicament is when I ask you for your email and phone number. That’s the tell. Watch for it and wait. No need to keep checking in with me as I have a great system to run the giveaway and it’s been working great.
With that, I thank you all for your support of the free sewing machine giveaway and my self proclaimed sewing revolution #sewrevolution. Please keep spreading the word about my giveaway as we are surrounded by tragedy and struggles. I plan to give machines away indefinitely as I am now totally committed.
Special thanks to Olfa for partnering with me and sending products to sewing machine recipients. I am proud to announce that they just extended their offer to supply notions to machine winners beyond the originally 50 that were promised. Way to get involved Olfa! Thank you for joining me to push the #sewrevolution agenda and truly stepping up. With that, aren’t there other companies out there that want to get involved with this novel idea? My door is open and I welcome discussions. I would love to have more partners to try to help to prop up our industry and those suffering in life.
In closing, please don’t get freaked out because this was just a dream. A DREAM! Yes, a dream. D—R—E—A—M! Don’t start spreading rumors that I got shot. And finally, I end with a question that I must keep repeating to my sewing revolutionaries…..what are you doing to support the sewing revolution and the downturn in the number of people quilting & sewing?
Have an amazing week.
This is Scott “I was NOT really shot” Fortunoff
P.S. I think I am losing it lately.
P.S.S.…Here is where you can find my Executive Facebook page.
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995 words including these.
This is the sewing machine I give away for free. Please feel free to purchase one, and give it away too! Or Recommend it! Or love it!
18 Comments
Cynthia
You are doing a wonderful thing. Sewing is what keeps me alive. I started giving away machine on a much smaller scale. I have an old Kenmore just waiting for its next mom.
I wish you much luck with your newest acquisition. Kaffe fabric makes me want to sob, it is SO beautiful.
Linda Sward
I have started my first quilt with my new machine. So far I have completed 6 blocks. I love sewing and hope to get this one completed in a reasonable amount of time. When I sew, I am happy. Takes me to another dimension just like reading a great novel. Thanks!
Scott Fortunoff
Awesome! Can’t wait to see it Linda.
Regards,
Scott
Barbara Esposito, The Quilted B
Well, I for one am happy you were not shot! I think there are may ways to support your Sewing Revolution if we really want to help. I think one of the best ways to fuel the Revolution is to teach a young person to sew. I have sewn with kids as young as 3 (sitting on my lap while at the machine), 5 (yes on a sewing machine she worked by herself with me beside her), and I work with a teen every other week. It gets their faces out of their technology, inspires creativity, and can lead to a life long love of sewing. And I have as much fun teaching as they have doing. Keep doing what you do Scott, and we can keep fanning the flames!
Scott Fortunoff
Thanks as always Barb!
xxoo
Scott
Pat Dittfurth
That was not a dream….more like a nightmare! . Keep up your good work Scott and don’t let that ‘boogie-man’ slip in any more baaaaad dreams…….
Pat at Midway
Scott Fortunoff
Thanks Pat at Midway!
Regards,
Scott
Kim Carron
I don’t remember if sent a reply or email about sewing machine or not but I’ll state my case. My sister in law is new to quilting and bought a used machine. Well needless to say that didn’t last to long it fell apart. She uses fabric given to her and can’t afford to fix or replace machine. I would like to gift this to her if I am chosen. Thank you.
Cynthia Palmer
HI Kim, I came across Scotts blog, page, or whatever this is because he is somehow on my Facebook now. I think I “liked” him. Reading here I see I do like him. LOL. A new machine would be great but look on Craigslist and/or ebay for old Kenmore from the 50”s to 80’s. They are usually all metal and almost impossible to destroy. I buy them, clean them up then give them away too.
Sherry Bodkins
Scott, a huge thank you to you and OLFA for the new sewing machine and accessories you guys gifted to my grand daughter. She’s 7 and just finished her first quilt…. With lost of help from me. I learned to sew years ago in highschool home economics class. Do they even have that anymore? I am also a textile art leader for 4-H. I am not a quilter by any means and have only done simple block quilts but I think I’ll have to expand my skills to keep up with these kids! I am so excited and happy to be able to help the next generation develope a passion and skill for this art form.
Scott Fortunoff
You are very welcome Sherry. Thanks for the awesome photo of Arti.
Love it!
Scott
Joanne Hubbard
I think dreams are so interesting and sometimes so stinking crazy that they either make me laugh out loud or shutter in fear. I don’t love those fearful ones, but admit that they are interesting. I think perhaps the real problem here is that you are having an identity crisis. Are you Scott Fortunoff, President of some pretty darn awesome fabric companies, Free Sewing Machine Scott, or #sewrevolution Scott? Whoever or whatever you are, you are doing a fine job. Thank you! 🙂
That is great news about Olfa! I certainly hope others jump on the #sewrevolution bandwagon and experience the joy associated with it. I’m teaching two quilting classes this week to a total of 22 students and I’m excited to meet them all. Have a great week!
Scott Fortunoff
Morning Joanne,
Thanks for your kind words as always. I will have to look into that identity crisis thing.
Have a good weekend.
Scott
Denise Wilcox
Hi Scott, I’m writing to express what a wonderful thing you are doing by giving away the sewing machines. I have a new perspective since our house flooded last Thursday from flash floods. We were so unprepared as to what to do, But we were blessed that most of our furniture is ok. I’ll spare you the details but our house is a total mess and were in a forced whole house remodel. So all that to explain how it made me feel, in that I can’t get away to my room and sew. I miss the “hum” of my sewing machine and the giddy feeling I get picking out and cutting fabric for my next quilt. I didn’t loose my machine in the flood just the ability to find a place to dissolve into my quilty state of mind. Sorry for the long text but I understand now how much your gift of a machine means to those who have gone through a tragedy (much worse than mine) is giving them hope and showing them you care. And so THANK you for your giving heart.
Shirley Clark
Oh Scott! I feel your pain about the shootings. I’ve gotten so paranoid that everywhere I go, I wonder if a shooter could come in, or what I’d do if they did. We live in a small town, and our church has a security team, and has had for a couple of years.
Hopefully, a quilt market would be the last place anyone would want to bring a gun to shoot people.
Thanks again for all you do for the sewing world, and thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. That makes you a real person, and not just a company.
Kaholly
That was more than a dream, it was a nightmare! Glad you awoke unscathed, Scott! I try to involve more people, young and old, by teaching, as much as I can, as often as I can, and whenever I’m asked. I don’t charge, I just love to share with anyone that wants to learn. It’s even more fun if I’m working with the much younger generation.
Carla J
As a person who was a recipient of quilt making items after a natural disaster I have to say bravo to you, and thank you for helping others.
Yes, I was able to selvage and use my machine, took my current project with me when I left my home in evacuation mode but I couldn’t selvage my stash. This was many years ago but thru quilters networking for others I received fabrics of which some are in my favorite quilts that still grace my home.
Generosity is the name of game, and treating others better is the way to go thru life.
May your dreams be pleasant tonight.
libby mcdonald
Heather Gadd/Libby McDonald. Just sent a broadcast email to 4H Clubs sewing members to read your blog. And yes, when I sent you pix you can use them, as all of the kids families have 4H signed releases. Hope that helps you and your project. Libby