My name is Marsha McClintock and I am a BERNINA Artisan. I am the owner of SAF-T-POCKETS Patterns and Sew Many Options Tours. I am always making samples for my pattern company and my BERNINA artista 630 makes the process so much easier. My favorite foot is Edgestitch Foot #10 as it helps me to stitch precisely. I absolutely love the Presser Foot Lifter (Free Hand System) on my BERNINA sewing machine. I sew with the needle down so when I need to pivot at a corner it's so easy to lift the presser foot with my leg. It's hard to remember what I did before I had that feature!

Since both of my businesses revolve around travel, I often make travel accessories. I was honored to have my Stitch Sampler Jewelry Roll project featured in the July Through the Needle magazine (Issue #31). I hope some of you made this little project!

A note from Susan Stewart, quilter, author, heirloom stitcher, designer:

In the last few years I've become more and more interested in incorporating machine embroidery in my quilting. I try to make my embroidery an integral part of the design. And because my artista 730E does such exquisite embroidery, I work the poor machine half to death! I also love it for free-motion quilting - nothing else gives me the stitch quality of the Bernina.

Did you know that cats are also very interested in machine embroidery? I'm sure those of you who live with felines know how much they like to "help"! Here is a picture of little Fluff supervising the process...

...while Stella checks out the fit in the case for the embroidery module. Even the kitties appreciate a great machine!

The BERNINA Corporate Show Team has just returned from Summer Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA - July 24-26. It was a HOT ONE! Not only weather wise but our machines were pretty HOT, too! We had the wonderful 8 Series pair - the 830 and 820 - right up front so our guests could experience the excitement and power of these incredible machines. We also displayed our artista, aurora, and activa lines of machines along with our sergers and embroidery software to complete any sewer's wish list. The new v6 BERNINA Embroidery Software is getting a lot of buzz!!

There is never a dull moment in the BERNINA booth and our customers know that! They shop for specials and when they purchase a machine to suit their needs, their new baby gets shipped to their dealer of choice. What could be easier? We extend our congratulations to our new BERNINA family members who now have the best machine for their sewing room!

Next stop for the BERNINA Corporate Show Team is Houston, TX in October for Fall Quilt Festival. We hope to see you there so be sure to stop by our booth and say HI!

Have you seen the new limited edition 730E Crystal Edition? Not only is it embellished with a Swarovski crystal flower, but it comes with a gift package including 33 design collections, an EZ Glitz Pro, three rolls of stabilizer, 12 spools of Isacord embroidery thread, a CRYSTALLIZED Swarovski Elements rhinestone pack, and a stylish polka-dot rolling machine tote.

There's also a new limited edition 630 Platinum Quilter's Edition, adorned with a feathered quilting design. Included is the BERNINA Stitch Regulator and a spring quilt kit.

Both of these machines are available only while supplies last! Visit your local BERNINA store and check them out!

Here's a note from Bonnie Lyn McCaffery:

I have been having a great time experimenting with overlapping some of my DigiBobbE designs. What is DigiBobbE, you ask? It's digitized bobbin embroidery. I have designed 4 collections of designs made especially for bobbin embroidery with an embroidery machine (available at http://BonnieMcCaffery.com). They have been designed as continuous line designs that are done with a heavier thread like YLI Candlelight Yarn in the bobbin. You do have to adjust the bobbin case tension (it should pull smooth with a little resistance) and I highly recommend that you purchase a separate bobbin case just for bobbin embroidery. You don't want to be messing with the tension on your standard bobbin case. I always test on a fabric sample (right side down with stabilizer on top) before stitching on the real item - but I probably didn't have to tell you that. The fabric is loaded into the embroidery hoop with the right side down - remember the pretty stuff is going to happen with the bobbin thread - and a piece of firm tear-away stabilizer on top. Pull the bobbin thread to the top, stitch out the design leaving a 5" tail (you'll need to turn off the automatic thread cutter), and thread the tail through to the back for a nice clean finish.

I was wondering what would happen if after stitching one design (and threading the tail to the back) I moved the design just a couple "notches" to the right and stitched it again. Ooooooooo! (as my grandson would say). That looks pretty cool.

What if I stitched the first one with metallic thread, shifted the design a couple "notches" and then stitched the second one with the YLI Candlelight Yarn. That looks pretty neat.

And one more thought. Maybe I could use 3 different colors of YLI Candlelight Yarn and shift the design a couple "notches" each time. Oooooooooo! This is fun!