By Susan Beck, Executive Editor, BERNINA of America, Inc.

September is National Sewing Month and we should all make an effort to sew something for ourselves for the really want to sew. Not something practical, not something for a gift, but a project that really speaks to us, drawing us in for all the reasons we like to sew in the first place -- fabric, color, texture, etc. I'm not sure what I will sew yet but I know where I'll go to get inspired. I have a book on my shelf that just came out last year -- FABRiCATE by Susan Wasinger. Published by Interweave Books, it has 17 projects, each one more fabulous that the last! Fabric manipulations such as ruffling, crinkling, tucking, couching, fraying, and fusing are just a few of the techniques used to add appeal to the simple and very doable projects. So if you are stuck for an idea, check out FABRiCATE and get inspired!

A note from Nancy Kazlauckas, BERNINA National Artisan, fiber and thread artist, author, and teacher:

I was playing with a fusible organza applique and wanted to do a satin stitch around the edge of the organza. I love the control and the choices I have for various ways to do the satin stitch on my aurora 440. I have the control to narrow or widen the zigzag stitch as I am doing the outline around the applique and control the gradual increase or decrease to have the smooth movement I am looking for. An elegant, artful look to the applique can be achieved very easily with the control I have using my BERNINA aurora 440.

I used Wonder-Under fusible web on the organza and tried a variety of different backgrounds (raw edge woven strips, piece, whole cloth, etc.). The background fabric can filter through the organza and gives another dimension to my piece. The satin stitch around the applique adds another point of interest, especially when it flows from a wider to a narrower width around an abstract leaf shape.

Here's a note from Kim Thomas, The Quilt Sampler, Inc.

I recently enjoyed seeing some darling nieces at a family gathering whose ages ranged from infant to pre-teen. Kay Hickman's Sewing Room blog using the Zenspirations embroidery collection proved to be the perfect idea for my next project. My BERNINA Embroidery Software 6 easily took me from "idea" to "stitch-ready" in about 30 minutes. Starting with a new page in the software, I inserted each letter in my quilt, enlarging the large 6" L by 20% using the Rescale tool. The remaining letters were the smaller 3" letters in the collection, and I reduced ROOM to 70% in the Object Properties box.

With just a couple of clicks of the Open Objects tool, I quickly digitized the apostrophe for Lilly's name. All I had to do was recolor it and move it into position.

I wanted to stitch the large design in the new BERNINA 830 Jumbo Hoop, and I used the Multi-Hooping feature of the software to split the design into two pieces and add registration points for a precise stitch-out of my embroidery.

I consider myself a beginner when it comes to machine quilting. The BERNINA Stitch Regulator kept my stitch length consistent for my free-motion quilting between the letters. The ever-practical Triple Straight and Triple Zigzag stitches frame the quilt with a simple but pronounced border.

With creative embroidery collections, and fantastic BERNINA software and embroidery machines, it's never been easier to create beautiful, personal gifts for family and friends.

By Susan Beck, Executive Editor, BERNINA of America, Inc.

There's a new sewing reference book from Leisure Arts that I am especially attached to. Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Sewing covers everything from the history of sewing to the basics and then on to more advanced techniques.

As part of the team that worked on this book (it takes a village...), I am biased but I think that it has some great information for almost every stitcher from beginning to advanced. Whether you are looking for information about specific sewing tools, garment constructions steps, new embellishement techniques, or selecting a sewing machine, you'll find what you need here. The twelve projects are varied and fun -- you'll want to try them all. Take a look and see for yourself -- I hope you find it interesting and useful!

Let It Rain Slicker

Garden Pary Lap Quilt

Gypsy Shrug

Bugs in the Garden Book

A note from Meryl Ann Butler, BERNINA National Artisan, author, teacher:

My tablecloth project - "Sunny Side Up" - with instructions is in the Summer edition of Quilts & More magazine, page 90. I made the quilt on my BERNINA using my 90-Minute quilt methods.

PS - My "Sgt. Pepper" quilt is on pages 100-103 of the May/June 2009 issue of Fons and Porter's "Love of Quilting" magazine.