{"id":1122,"date":"2019-11-11T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-11T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/?p=1122"},"modified":"2023-02-03T12:00:12","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T17:00:12","slug":"sewing-ultrafeed-ls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/sewing-ultrafeed-ls\/","title":{"rendered":"Five-Star Sewing With Steve Bugg"},"content":{"rendered":"

While the term \u201cdo-it-yourself\u201d is often associated with creativity, there\u2019s another important aspect to the DIY culture: the ability to be both resourceful and self-sufficient. When Steve Bugg was laid off from his job in 2016, he decided to take matters into his own hands and embark on a career journey that involved learning new tricks and the Ultrafeed\u00ae LS. This is a story of ingenuity and hard work \u2014 one that proves that it\u2019s never too late to learn a new trade and explore the world outside of your comfort zone.<\/span><\/p>\n

The beginning of Steve\u2019s story starts with the end. \u201cI was a land manager for a small oil and gas exploration company. I\u2019d been with the company for 20 years. In 2016, the company went under and everyone was let go. \u2026 It was then that I realized if I could bust my butt for someone else\u2019s company, I certainly could work even harder for myself. I found a franchise that repaired and restored leather, plastic and vinyl.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Steve’s diverse customer base can be found almost anywhere \u2014\u00a0land, air and sea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While this type of business was an entirely new realm of his career experience, Steve realized that the business was unique in that it fulfilled a common need but had little competition. The market for repair was everywhere, as leather, plastic and vinyl are found in nearly every industry. You\u2019ll find these materials in automobiles, boats, furniture, restaurants, medical offices, hospitals, planes and more. The job involved redying, cleaning, conditioning and repairing various types of leather, plastic and vinyl.<\/p>\n

After purchasing the franchise, Steve found he was often renovating restaurant seating, but kept running into the same problems again and again. \u201cI was doing a lot of restaurant work but was spending a lot of money hiring other people to sew for me so I could go out and re-cover the restaurant booths. These guys were making a lot of money off me. \u2026 That\u2019s when I decided that I needed to learn how to sew. I was missing out on way too much money.\u201d<\/p>\n

After doing extensive research on a number of different sewing machine brands, there were a few contenders in mind. But once Steve stumbled upon the Sailrite website, that all changed. \u201cI was taken in by all the videos, all the support products that just fit right into what I was doing, what I wanted to learn how to do, and other supplies I didn\u2019t know I needed until I saw them on the website.\u201d While Steve initially was fond of the Fabricator\u00ae, the need for portability was at the forefront of his budding business, as some sewing jobs would have to be done on-site. That led him to the Ultrafeed LS. With its straight stitch capability, the LS is portable and powerful enough to tackle the heavy materials encountered on the job.<\/p>\n

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Steve getting the hang of his new Ultrafeed LS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After purchasing his new machine, the next step was for Steve to learn how to sew. While the Ultrafeed glided through the heavy vinyl material he was sewing, it was a more difficult material for a novice sewist to learn the tools of the trade. He\u2019d never sewn before and the challenge seemed daunting at first. In situations like this, Steve\u2019s perseverance and \u201ccan-do\u201d attitude made all the difference, and Sailrite\u2019s instructional videos helped too.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was struggling with the whole concept, but I kept moving forward and watched a ton of videos. Then I saw a video on how to sew piping<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. I knew I could do that. Plus, the standard foot on the Ultrafeed has a groove that guides piping. After I learned how to make the piping, it hit me that I was going to get better.\u201d Steve continued to watch videos and began trying out his new skills on a few restaurant booths. After making adjustment after adjustment to his sewing technique, he finally managed to become proficient in the trade. Now he can visit the job site in need of repairs, take measurements and patterns, and have the repairs sewn by the next day. And the best part is he can save money that he had previously spent outsourcing his sewing jobs.<\/p>\n

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Steve continued to work arduously sewing and repairing materials for numerous clientele. But one day he noticed the machine wasn\u2019t feeding the vinyl like it normally did. Being in the middle of a huge project for a restaurant, he frantically contacted Matt Borden from Sailrite customer support. Living in Texas, Steve couldn\u2019t make it to the Sailrite facility in Indiana, but that wasn\u2019t an issue \u2014 a simple phone call cleared everything up.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt was cool, calm and collected while I was in a panic. He was extremely patient with me and guided me through the process of finding the problem and the solution. He couldn\u2019t have been nicer and more helpful. \u2026 Before too long I was back up and sewing. I got the job done and the restaurant was thrilled. Matt Borden is my hero!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Matt Borden works closely with Sailrite customers for stress-free machine repairs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From amateur to accomplished professional, Steve Bugg has been through life\u2019s ups and downs and made it out on top. With his Ultrafeed LS and determination, anything is possible. On top of the numerous restaurant booths, he\u2019s sewn a few boat cushions, medical examination tables and cushions for mobility scooters. While Steve\u2019s future may not always be certain, it is always bright, and he looks forward to helping his next customer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not great, but I\u2019m getting better all the time. It\u2019s rewarding to hear my customers say how wonderful everything turns out. I have 100% five-star reviews to date and I don\u2019t want that to change. I love learning. And the more I learn, the more new tools and supplies I need, and Sailrite has almost everything!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who We Are<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Sailrite is your one-stop DIY shop! We are a passionate crew of do-it-yourselfers who strive to equip you with the supplies and how-to knowledge you need to tackle your next project. Do you want to learn upholstery, leatherwork, canvaswork, hobby sewing, bag making or more? We have the fabric, tools, hardware, sewing machines and notions you need to master any DIY. And even if you’ve never sewn before, our tutorials and how-to videos are designed for beginners and experienced crafters alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Start your DIY journey today: www.sailrite.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While the term \u201cdo-it-yourself\u201d is often associated with creativity, there\u2019s another important aspect to the DIY culture: the ability to be both resourceful and self-sufficient. When Steve Bugg was laid off from his job in 2016, he decided to take matters into his own hands and embark on a career journey that involved learning new … Continue reading Five-Star Sewing With Steve Bugg<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[9,2],"tags":[27,14,26,20,37,73,25],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Slide1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/padSoq-i6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":908,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/outdoor-living\/diy-awning\/","url_meta":{"origin":1122,"position":0},"title":"Outdoor Awnings: A Dream Home DIY","date":"August 16, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Debra Brown is well acquainted with the world of sewing, having started her first project as a teenager. 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In addition to the houseboat, they also have a 21-foot runabout powerboat and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marine"","img":{"alt_text":"bimini top","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/bimini-top-installed-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1361,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/sewing-boat-marina-ultrafeed\/","url_meta":{"origin":1122,"position":2},"title":"Marina Hopping With the Ultrafeed\u00ae","date":"March 9, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"If you've ever been dissatisfied working in the corporate world, you're not alone. Susan Oschmann left her job at a stuffy law firm to rediscover a life that she loved and that would bring her joy, fulfillment and a much-needed sense of accomplishment. With ingenuity and great determination, she set\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marine"","img":{"alt_text":"susan on boat at marina","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/susan-bimini.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":713,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/automotive-rv\/driven-to-sew\/","url_meta":{"origin":1122,"position":3},"title":"Driven to Sew: A Lifelong Hobby","date":"May 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The DIY spirit can take any number of forms \u2014 there\u2019s no end to what you can create with the right supplies, a good idea and a little extra time on your hands. That\u2019s exactly the same mindset held by Sailrite\u00ae customer and long-time crafter Louis Cossey. Following his retirement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Automotive\/RV"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/LouisCossey5-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1295,"url":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/marine\/sail-repair-sewing-sail-kit\/","url_meta":{"origin":1122,"position":4},"title":"Hawaii or Bust: Mike Raymond’s Story","date":"January 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"At Sailrite\u00ae, the words sailing and sewing are often grouped together. Our Ultrafeed\u00ae Sewing Machine has a long-standing reputation of helping sailors sew and repair sails no matter where they are around the world. 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