Targeted at beginners, but great for anyone looking for fun quick-to-make projects:

• Sew Easy by Linda Lee - plus her Sew Easy: Scarves and Sew Easy: Bags - simple but fun & fashionable projects, good instructions, plus a brief but comprehensive booklet of general sewing terms and techniques.
• Sew What! Skirts by Francesca Denhartog & Carole Ann Camp and Sew What! Fleece by Carol Jessop & Chaila Sekora. Great information on sewing terms, techniques, materials, notions, as well as drafting your own patterns.
• Amy Butler's In Stitches - a beautiful book with projects for every room in your home, plus extras to wear and carry. Patterns included.
• Sew Subversive by Melissa Rannels, Melissa Alvarado, and Hope Meng. Great garment recycling and restyling projects; lots of sewing information, including a section on getting to know your sewing machine.

Useful resources for anyone's sewing library; I've been referring to these books for years and years:

• Anything by Sandra Betzina, including Power Sewing Step by Step, Fabric Savvy, More Fabric Savvy, No Time to Sew (includes patterns), and Sandra Betzina Sews for Your Home.
• Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide - everything you ever wanted or needed to know about sewing different types of fabric, including detailed instructions for all of the recommended techniques.
• The Vogue Sewing Book - there have been several editions; the one I have is from 1975. Especially useful for traditional techniques such as tailoring.
• Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing - another book that has been reprinted several times; I have the 1980 version. Good basic sewing information.
• The Ultimate Serger Answer Guide by Naomi Baker, Gail Brown, and Cindy Kacynski - excellent trouble-shooting guide for any type of serger, with lots of great techniques.

Especially for BERNINA owners:

• Feetures Volumes 1-3 - instructions for hundreds of sewing techniques, grouped by presser foot (click here for an alphabetical listing by technique).
• Serger Technique Reference Book - instructions for dozens of serger techniques, arranged by stitch formation.

Don't forget your sewing machine manual - not only does it have instructions for using your sewing machine, it probably includes directions for several sewing techniques as well (check the index or look in the back of the book).

Calling all 8 Series owners! Don't miss the chance to learn about yourBERNINA 820 or 830 with our Virtual 8 Series Mastery Classes, taught exclusively at participating BERNINA stores. We got off to a great start this week, and hope you can join us for the rest of the series! Check to see if a BERNINA store in your area is hosting this live series in their store. Presented by BERNINA Educators, the virtual classes will walk you through the basics as well as the new features of these great machines. Tuesdays at 1:00 pm, CDT - May 4, 11, 18, 25, June 1, 8 and 15.

8 Series Machine Mastery Live Topics:

• May 4 - Meet the Machines
• May 11 - Care & Feeding for Precision Preformance (presented by Hans Herzog)
• May 18 - In Stitches
• May 25 - Smooth Operations - BERNINA Stitch Regulator, BERNINA Dual Feed, and More
• June 1 - Not Directionally Challenged (BERNINA 830 Only)
• June 8 - Intro to Embroidery (BERNINA 830 Only)
• June 15 - Endless Love and More (BERNINA 830 Only)

WARNING: These photos may frighten your sewing machine!

One very simple thing machine owners can do is keep the area under the stitch plate and around the bobbin clean. Lint and thread fragments tend to collect in these areas, causing a variety of stitching problems. Here, so much lint accumulated around the feed dogs that the stitch plate was actually raised and lowered when the machine was run. Generally just taking off the stitch plate will expose lots of lint - this is easily removed by gently brushing the lint out of the machine.

This picture shows lint in the hook race - the part that circles the bobbin case. Lint in this area tends to be oily, and gets packed into the hook race, especially in the narrow groove. To clean this area, remove the hook race (this can only be done on CB hook machines) and clean away the lint with a wooden toothpick. While you're there, put a drop of sewing machine oil on the hook race to keep it running smoothly.

A needle fragment jammed in the hook race can be removed by taking out the bobbin case and gently brushing the broken part out of the machine. Whenever a needle breaks, be sure to remove ALL of the pieces to ensure that they won't get between moving parts and cause problems.

Lint and thread in the top tension discs can sometimes be removed by "flossing" the discs with a heavy thread - such as gimp or topstitching thread - dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Lint can also collect in other parts of the machine that aren't easily accessed. That's why it's important to have your machine cleaned regularly. Vacations are a great time to take your machine to the BERNINA technician for a yearly clean/oil/adjust - you won't miss your machine if you aren't at home!

Broken threads can wind around machine parts and prevent parts from moving. Thread wound around the needle linkage can cause the machine to bind and stop running. To help prevent this from happening, stop sewing immediately and remove the thread before it has a chance to begin wrapping around any parts. Once the machine is jammed, you'll need to have a machine technician take your machine apart and remove the thread, then reset any parts that might have been pulled out of place.

For more photos and machine maintenance tips, visit the Machine Service area of Sandi's Sewing Connection website.

One of the classes I'm teaching this year is partly about teaching sewing classes, so while I'm gone I thought I'd give you a peek at some of the projects I've been working on to show in class. This one is the Messenger Bag from Cassie Barden's book, The New Handmade: Simple Sewing for Contemporary Style. I made mine almost exactly like she did hers, but before I sewed it together I added covered cord around the edges of the front flap.

To cover the cord I first cut 2" wide bias strips and pieced them to form one long strip. Be sure to cut them on the diagonal so you have true bias strips - if you cut them on the straight of the grain they won't curve around the corners. I wrapped the strips around my filler cord (about 3/32 diameter) and stitched them with Bulky Overlock Foot #12. This foot has a channel in the sole that's just the right size to accommodate the bulk of the cord, so with the needle moved to the right it's simple to stitch right next to the cord. If you don't have this foot you could use a zipper foot - you just have to make sure you're stitching next to the cord. I used the same foot to stitch the covered cord to the right side of the flap - the only difference was that I moved my needle position one step closer to the cord for a snugger fit.

When you realize that your Buttonhole Foot with Slide #3A/3B/3C will not create a buttonhole large enough for your oversize button - that is when you need to take out Buttonhole Foot #3/3C. The two grooves underneath the foot allow the fabric to feed smoothly over the zigzag columns on either side of the buttonhole. These grooves also keep the columns parallel as the buttonhole is stitched. There are so many large buttons that can be added as the finishing embellishment of your project.

The instructions on how to complete a manual buttonhole can be found in your sewing machine instruction manual or, on some BERNINA models, right on the sewing machine screen. In general terms, you control each step of the buttonhole as it is stitched.

• Mark the buttonhole on the fabric:

• Align the marked line with the center of Buttonhole Foot #3/3C and stitch the buttonhole following the steps shown in your machine manual:

• The finished buttonhole:

You can even use this foot to make corded buttonholes when added support and strength is desired. Try using a decorative cord and a buttonhole stitch with less fill when you desire a snazzy jazzy buttonhole.

Now - what am I going to do with the sample swatch that I made for these instructions? I think it will make a perfect dog dress for my new Snorkie puppy - 'lil Minnie - but first I have to find where she hid the sample!

Here are some tips that will ensure successful threading every time:

• Be sure to floss the thread into the machine at the first guide and wait. When the thread hits the sensor on the right side of the machine it signals other threading parts to get ready. If you wait until the automatic threader button illuminates, you'll know that all of the parts are in the right places to receive the thread.
• Follow the animations on the screen to complete the threading sequence. Be sure to cut the thread from back to front, and pull the thread down rather than towards you.
• When the button is pushed, the needle is threaded and a loop of thread remains behind the needle. Leave this loop where it is, because that is the length the thread should be so the thread tail will be buried in the fabric. This is especially helpful when embroidering as there will often be no thread tail to cut - you'll just be able to continue embroidering.

As you begin the threading process and the animations appear on-screen, there is an option to manually thread the machine. You will need to use the manual threading option any time you are using Double and Triple needles, Wing needles, size 60/8 needles, and also with some presser feet (Leather Roller Foot #55, Dual Sole Walking Foot #50, Ruffler #86, Bias Binder #85, and Cut 'n' Sew Attachment #90).

In the situations described above you must select the manual threading icon and then press the illuminated button to place the thread in the take-up lever. Because the manual threading icon was pressed, the machine does not let the automatic threader swing toward the needle.

Use the manual threader (included with the machine) to insert the thread into the eye of the needle, following the steps shown in the animations.

Some of us - especially me - have gotten Spring Fever so bad that on my days off I am going through 27 years of sewing samples and clothes to get rid of. My middle sister came over to help me, and - as she says - to slap my hands whenever I try to keep something that she thinks should go. She loves it every time she gets to slap my hands! As of this weekend we have gotten rid of six heaping full shopping carts (the big ones, not the little ones). And I now have a very smug big sister!

This is also the perfect week to clean and oil your sewing machines. Especially your serger! For some reason we tend to forget to clean our sergers and replace the needles. How long have those needles been in there??? You will be amazed at how much better your serger with stitch. It will just purr after getting new needles, a dusting, some swipes with a brush, and a few drops of oil.

Most sergers take just a drop of oil at the places indicated here by the red arrows. Check your serger owner's manual to see where your serger should be oiled.

My first attempt with the CutWork Tool was a bit shakeeee! But I had success after Amanda Whitlatch gave me some pointers; I watched the CutWork Webinar and that was a big help also. I have experience with embroidery of all kinds.

Much to my surprise, the Cutwork Tool likes crisp stabilizer instead of soft. I usually pick soft. I ironed Trans-Web fusible web to the back of my applique fabric - Trans-Web has a removeable paper backing. Before taking off the backing I hooped the stabilized fabric - fabric side up and paper side down - much as I would hoop for regular machine embroidery.

After I followed the directions on the CutWork Webinar and in the manual, I used the CutWork tool to cut the applique shape. Then I peeled the paper off - the applique fabric now had the iron-on material on the back.

I followed the instructions and created the embroidery applique stitches. I hooped the fabric that the applique was to be placed on. Since the applique stitch was a blanket stitch, not a dense satin stitch, I used no stabilizer under the fabric and batting. I put thread in the machine to match the fabric and stitched the applique placement lines.

When I placed the applique shape inside the placement lines, the Trans-Web was already in place on the back. I took the hoop off the machine and to the ironing board where I pressed the applique to fuse it in place. Then I put the hoop back on the machine and finished stitching the tack-down and applique stitches.

I trimmed the appliqued piece to 9.5" square and added a 3.5" border around the sides. I used a new product on the borders - Texture Magic - which shrinks the fabric and creates a textured surface.

I layered the pillow front with batting and free-motion quilted the layers with the BERNINA Stitch Regulator.

I cut a 15" square for the pillow back. I cut this in the center and inserted an invisible zipper with Invisible Zipper Foot #35. Open the zipper before you put this square the the pillow front right sides together.

Put the pillow front and back right sides together, then sew them together around the outer edge with a 1/4" to 1/2" seam allowance. Then turn right side out and fill with a 14" pillow form.

Quick and easy - I'm off to my next CutWork project!

Step 1 - Cut fabric into 2 1/2" squares. You will need three squares for each tree.

Step 2 - Fold each square diagonally to form a triangle. Press.

Step 3 - Select a decorative thread such as YLI Monet or YLI Woolly Nylon. Set serger up for a 2-thread or 3-thread rolled hem following the instructions in your serger manual. (Alternatively, set serger for a narrow 3-thread balanced overlock with decorative thread in the loopers.)

• If using a 2-thread rolled hem, use a decorative thread in the lower looper and regular serger thread in the needle. Stitch finger in the rolled hem position.
• If using a 3-thread rolled hem, use decorative thread in the upper and lower loopers and regular serger thread in the needle. Stitch finger in the rolled hem position.
• If you want, you can use a 3-thread balanced overlock stitch with decorative thread in both loopers and regular serger thread in the right needle, with the stitch finder in the regular position.

Stitch along one side of each triangle, making a "chain" of serged triangles.

Step 4 - Fill each triangle with fiberfill or cotton balls. Serge the open sides shut, beginning stitching at the folded end. Dab seam sealant on each corner; after it dries, trim any excess thread.

Step 5 - Cut a piece of felt for the tree trunk.

Step 6 - Hand sew all three triangles together with the points pointing up. Then handstitch the tree trunk in place at the bottom of the tree and stitch a ribbon loop at the top of the tree. Alternatively, join all the pieces using a glue gun.

Step 7 - Stitch a ribbon loop to the top of the tree to use it as an ornament, or attach a paper or cardboard tube to the back to make it into a napkin ring.

Step 8 - Use a Sharpie marker to write the date and/or name on the tree trunk.

2-thread rolled hem using YLI Monet thread.

Balanced narrow 3-thread overlock with YLI Monet.

YLI Woolly Nylon

The journey of a simple idea... I had an idea 3 years ago, after creating a couple of quilts with all-over embroidery. My design niche being "embroidery is the quilt," I had been composing abstract designs out of basic geometric blocks. The next logical step was "what if the whole quilt is one big embroidery mofit?" Since my design philosophy is usually to jump in the deep end (without first looking whether the pool is filled;) I started out digitizing... The basic elements would be concentric circles in multiple sets and colors that would overlap, with one set emanating from the center of the piece. I was looking at a 5 x 5 block span, each 4 x 4 inches. I created a lattice for the block layout and started digitizing circles... lots of circles... I would have to cut and strip away strips between the blocks to create gaps between the blocks (which would be replaced by sashing) so the final design would actually be based on the original placement of stitch lines. By cutting into the original file, I would end up with a ton (and I do mean the 3 zeros ;) of segments... aka tie-ins and tie-offs in my embroidery... with a matching number of manual clippings.

On filling the pool... Well, I have to say that in this case I ended up watching the pool fill up :) Life happened... parenthood, other quilt ideas (one of which took me to Tokyo for the 9th Quilt Nihon Exhibition), etc. So my Slow Cooker Creative Method (TM) kicked in and the idea simmered on-and-off. I went through 3 design stages, none of which lit the proverbial light bulb. Then I got my 830 and the light bulb did go on... halogen style! With an automatic thread trimmer I no longer had to fear all that thread trimming. And the pool being filled, I did indulge my propensity to the deep end... I determined that a 25 x 25 inch square piece just couldn't render the image I had in my head... of color waves washing over each other from opposing corners, with a center dot (the focal point) creating an all-over ripple-in-the-pond effect. So why not 11 x 11 blocks? each one 5 x 5 inches ;-)

Did you know that a laptop can serve as a waffle iron? When you're churning up 12 million stitches in one embroidery file it can! I had mine running pretty hot for a couple of weekends in the final stage (stage 4) of the design work (btw, I have since acquired a workstation with a 24 inch monitor - more on the monitor later - for my design work... My laptop likes me again ;) I may be a slow cookder creatively by when the idea reaches maturity, I get a creative fever and things start happening fast. Luckily for me, my BERNINA 830 could keep up with my pace. So after a couple of busy weeks in the quilting studio (the master bedroom of my house btw), "Focal Point: A Geometric Stained Glass Window" was well on its way.

Be a good son... call your mother :) I have a little tradition in the making... when the blocks are all embroidered and trimmed to size, I lay them out on my living room floor, climp on the couch and take a picture. That is what I call the proofing stage. As a joke, I call my mother (who has been an inspiration in how to stick with a project to see it through) to let her know that my next piece passed the test. She always asks how many hours have gone in so far... at over 200 hours, it's a good thing that the concept panned out... we have a good laugh.

The best part is... I am very grateful for the scknowledgement this piece just received in the Fall IQF in Houston. While as a quilt artist it's good to get feedback from my peers, the positive encouragement received helps give momentum to my next project. And while "my thing" in quilting (aka "Embroidery IS the Quilt") can be considered a niche, shows like IQF help give exposure to my work. One of my goals is to show how the digital embroidery technology can be used as a design tool. The precision it affords in thread placement on fabric lets me create images in thread that just couldn't be realized with hand-guided free-motion stitching (there is not enough caffeine in the world to make that possible :) My other goal is to get the image out of my head and onto fabric... so I can make room for the next idea. So far, for every quilt I make I get 2 or 3 new ideas... so the more I make, the more I fall behind... As the saying goes ... I can't die - I have too many projects :)

Back to that monitor: If you design large pieces (and especially for large hoops), I highly recommend that you invest in a large monitor that can pivot. I now have a 24 inch monitor, which allows me to work at actual size (ratio 1:1) for my large oval hoop when the monitor is in the regular landscape mode. When I rotate it to portrait (vertical) mode, I can fit my jumbo hoop stitching field at actual size also... so I can preview my work "as is" with less zooming in and out. Since the design phase is where I enjoy the creative fever the most... the monitor has been one of my best investments so far.

What's next? I'm currently working on a wall hanging for a charity fund raiser... then I embark on a project of particular significance for me personally. A photo quilt, life sized, of my best friend whom I lost to breast cancer 9 years ago. It will be done in time for the 10th anniversary of her passing in 2010. I look forward to every moment spent making this next piece.

"My sister, Mary Mashuta, and I attended a Bernina Artisan Retreat in February where we got to learn more about and use the 830. Mary first trained on the simulator and then sat at the machine. I started with the machine and then went to the computer simulator. We decided she felt more at ease on the machine because of first exploring with the simulator.

"I think the simulator is a great tool. I can see setting up my computer, with the simulator loaded, right next to the 830. Ordinarily I would have the manual open and available. That's the way I learn - with the instruction book open beside me. We all learn differently. I need to see the words and diagrams, etc. This is even better!"

Get your copy of the BERNINA 830 Emulator from your local BERNINA dealer!

As the buses rolled into the factory driveway, the attendees were greeted by a huge banner letting them know they had arrived...

The BERNINA factory's Creative Center was decorated, the 830's were set up, and the staff was waiting for the Americans and their enthusiam.

Mr. Hanspeter Ueltschi, BERNINA's fourth generation owner, not only greeted everyone at the factory but also hosted all the attendees at his home.

The attendees made a beautiful portfolio for their 830 manual while discovering the BERNINA 830's charms, in addition to getting better acquainted with the factory employees.

The first "Date with 8" was a huge success and all the attendees can hardly wait for date Number Two!

At the end of the day, the amazed and delighted attendees honored the factory teams that developed and roduced the BERNINA 8 Series machines with a standing ovation.

Be sure to visit your local BERNINA dealer's store to hear all about the "date" and the beautiful Swiss trip. All of us at the factory are still smiling and happy - the Americans can invade any time they want!