Tales Of A Fourth Generation Textile Executive: Free Yom Kippur Sewing Machines

September 29, 2017 /

Good Day To You My Dear Friend,

Today, Friday September 29 at sundown is when Yom Kippur begins.  As most of my avid readers know, I am of the Jewish faith and proud of it.  I am not an overly religious person though, but Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) are the few times that I do attend temple.  For those that do not know, Yom Kippur is a Day of Atonement.  It is considered to be the most important Jewish holiday.  This day marks the 10 Days of Awe, a period of repentance and introspection, that follows Rosh Hashanah.  This is also a time when we fast.  The fast begins tonight at sundown and ends tomorrow (Saturday) at sunset.  Then we break fast (no, not breakfast) and stuff our faces with anything and everything we can get our hands on.

Enough with the religious lesson though.  In honor of this special day, I would like to announce a couple more winners of Scott’s Free Sewing Machines.  Winner winner Yom Kippur dinner, here we go:

  1. Mary Behnke thanks to her friend Donna Lynn Gerhard who sent in a request on her behalf.
  2. Julie Ann thanks to her great aunt Kathy Combs.
  3. Bennie Brookshire of Orange, Texas.  This is the second one going to Orange, Texas so I guess they all got hit pretty hard.  Big shout out to everyone in Orange, Texas.  Good luck getting your lives back in order.  I am thinking and praying for all of you…or should I say, “Y’all!”

All the other machines have shipped this week, so previous winners should be expecting machines next week.  And you know what that means?  Yes, I am waiting for happy pictures of people using their new sewing machines and photos of all the great things they are making using their new machines.

Thanks for your time.  Have a blessed weekend and wish me luck with the fast.  I will pray for you all.  Amen!

Free Sewing Machine Scott

 

21 Comments

  • Cathy Clifton

    October 5, 2017 at 4:06 pm

    I LOVE that you are inspiring young people to sew! My daughter caroline is 14 and has always expressed the desire to be creative with learning to sew. We have not accomplished the purchase of a machine. I myself do NOT sew. Right now we are living with and caregiving for my parents as Dad has Alzheimer’s. I know it would be so encouraging to her to be able to receive a machine and design and sew some of her own creations. We also began homeschooling so this would fit right in her days! I look forward to learning more!

  • BEVERLY SVETLIK

    October 2, 2017 at 1:12 pm

    I was at my sister-n-laws house this weekend in Katy TX. to help them clean up and clear out after the flood. She sent her sewing machine home with me to see if we could possibly clean it up oil it and get it working. She in just now learning to sew and quilt small objects. Her first attempt was a baby quilt for her first grandchild it turned out beautiful. I would like to apply for a free sewing machine for her. I am not sure I will ever get all the gunk out of her machine. I am not sure how to go about doing this. Do I need to ship her machine to you. Please let me know how to proceed. This would be such a ray of sunshine and hope at this devastating time in their lives.

    • Scott Fortunoff

      October 5, 2017 at 3:32 pm

      Hi Beverly,
      I am not in the sewing machine business so you have to find someone else for that. In the meantime, after you find out whether the machine works or not, please let me know b/c I am trying to focus on giving away machines to those who have no machine or access to a machine at all. Good luck.
      Keep me posted.
      Scott

  • Cathey Self

    September 30, 2017 at 8:16 am

    This is wonderful news! Mary Behnke is a sweetheart! She and her husband worked for many years through Habitat for Humanity to help others. Now that their home was flooded it is ideal to replace her machine. Yes, Orange, Tx was hard hit along with many other areas along the Texas coast. The water inside my house was not as deep as in Mary’s and my machine is safe. Thank you for your generous gift to this lovely lady.

  • Barbara Esposito, The Quilted B

    September 30, 2017 at 7:50 am

    While I am not of the Jewish faith, I love the to study the holy days. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all celebrated Yom Kippur daily, if we all had a bit of introspection and atonement every day? Hoping your dinner fills you and your faith and family sustain you!

  • Lynn Gerhard

    September 30, 2017 at 7:42 am

    Dear Scott,
    Thank you so much for what you are doing for quilters in our area. Your generosity is amazing, and so uplifting. The bright spot in an otherwise very gloomy part of our country right now. Mary was so delighted when she talked to you. I am going to go over today and take a photo of her for you – and then another after she gets her machine. Where can I upload it to you?
    Also – since the machine brand is Unique? is that correct? I thought you might be interested in an old machine I have, in my living room. It is an Unique treadle machine. It is missing a part that makes the treadle work, but must be at least 100 years old. I rescued it from a relative’s garage in Houston several years ago. If you have use for this machine I would be glad to find a way to ship it to you. (I don’t use it – I just enjoy looking at it and use it for decor.) I will upload a photo of it to my Facebook page for you.
    Again, thanks so much for what you are doing. Truly a good Yom Kippur for you.
    Lynn Gerhard

    • Scott Fortunoff

      September 30, 2017 at 11:41 am

      I am glad that Mary is happy. That is the goal of course so it is a good thing. You can upload the pictures on facebook and tag any or all of our companies or you can email them to me at scott@jaftex.com
      The machine brand is called EverSewn.
      As for your old machine, that is super kind and thoughtful of you. However, it is your machine and you should give it to someone who you select or just keep it in your house to enjoy.
      Scott

  • Tracie

    September 29, 2017 at 4:00 pm

    Thanks for sharing about Yom Kippur, I didn’t know the meaning of it. A wonderful holiday, it’s good to reflect, we should all do this. I believe you’ll have great success with your fast. I just found your page today, I saw the honeybee line of fabric and did a search for it, that’s how I found you. My grandma taught me to quilt, (she passed in 2016 at 98 yrs old and I miss her dearly!) and I’m a new bee keeper, 1st year with so much to learn. Just wanted to let you know I enjoyed reading your post.

    • Scott Fortunoff

      September 30, 2017 at 11:30 am

      Why thank you Tracie. It is 1230 and so far the fast is going well. We will see what the rest of the day brings. Bee keeping sounds very cool. Good luck with that. Are you inquiring about the free sewing machines? Or do you already have one of your own?
      Sorry about your grandma. 98 is pretty amazing. Glad you enjoyed my blog. You have a great day.
      Scott