Hi everyone! Just wanted to give an update with COVID-19 and how that is affecting our store opening plans: 

As most of you know, we have been closed for in-person shopping, classes, and machine repair since March 13th. We followed the Los Angeles “Safer at Home” order and assumed that we would be able to reopen after a month. Obviously, that was not the case. 

Even though California started allowing businesses to resume in-person shopping, I have been a bit more cautious than most. My philosophy, as we’ve watched this pandemic grow out of control in the US, has been to wait two weeks after we’re allowed to reopen, and see if relaxed restrictions cause an increase in cases. Julie said I was being paranoid; unfortunately, I have not been too far off what is happening [fun fact: in another life, I would totally be a disease detective for the CDC or WHO‼]. 

When California announced their Tier-System for individual counties, Julie and I decided that we would implement limited machine repair and service when we reached Tier 2—this was two months ago and we're drifting farther from Tier 2 every day. 

Basically, I do not know when we will possibly be opening for in-person shopping, classes, or machine service. We are averaging more than 70,000 new cases per day; hospitalizations are increasing, positivity rates are climbing, and we’re looking at a worrisome winter. We are not rounding a corner. And I refuse to contribute to this problem by gathering people in a small store without the proper ventilation needed to safely reopen. 

We miss everyone SO much. We want everyone back in the store, teaching classes, catching up. I miss going to movie theatres. The Dodgers are in the World Series and we’re so mad that we can’t be at the games‼ I want to open up and get back to “normal” as much as the next person, but it is not possible right now. 

This has been a rough year for everyone and we’re so grateful to all of our customers who have continued to support us through these unprecedented times. We have NO plans of permanently closing the store and will continue to ship orders out every weekday. We are getting new fabric, patterns, and notions almost daily so keep checking the website for a bunch of amazing new stuff coming out soon! We promise to give you an update on machine repair and curbside pickup once we reach Tier 2. 

We really want to open! So, we ask all of you to please act responsibly in these coming months. Wear a mask whenever you leave the house AND stay 6+ feet away from people who are not in your household. Please no indoor dining. The CDC reported that 50% of all new cases in August could be traced back to eating at restaurants. Any indoor activity with people who are not in your immediate household is risky. 

And you might think, “I’m young and healthy, this won’t kill me!” I’m personally more terrified of what COVID-19 is doing to people in the long term (e.g. irreversible heart muscle damage, lung damage, etc.) even if they have mild to no symptoms. I haven’t seen friends, grandparents, or relatives (other than Julie) in 8 months and I’m going stir crazy. I’m tired and I’m frustrated and I get it; however, Julie and I have decided that we would rather err on the side of caution. There is so much we don’t know about what the coronavirus and the long-term effects that it will have on our bodies; what we do know, is that it is highly contagious, airborne, and spreading out of control across the country. We want to keep EVERYONE SAFE. Julie only has one fully functioning kidney, and this virus attacks the renal system, and I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to her. I want to be able to see all of your beautiful faces soon. I want every one of you to be careful, safe, and stay well. 

MORE IMPORTANTLY: make sure you vote. Vote early! We need a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Vote like your life depends on it. We are already seeing record-breaking voter turnout! Let’s get to a place in our country where we actually DO something about affordable healthcare for everyone, addressing climate change ASAP, upholding a woman’s right to choose, and equality for EVERYONE! 

Wear a mask. Black Lives Matter. Everyone deserves affordable healthcare. Climate change is real and is happening and needs to be addressed immediately. QAnon is dangerous and very antisemitic*.

If you want any primary sources, articles, or evidence for the many statements that I’ve made, please feel free to email me at rachel@sewingarts.com and I will be more than happy to share my sources, answer questions, or share more of my opinions.

*Our last name might throw you off, but Julie and I are Jewish. The QAnon rhetoric and conspiracy theories, rise in antisemitic hate crimes, and incidents like Charlottesville and Temple of Life are setting off alarm bells and a deep, gut-wrenching fear that has grown in the past four years. We need government officials who will condemn this rhetoric.*