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 Elaine Emmons, blogger, BERNINA owner:

The other day I had the privilege of leading a service club of at-rish youth. With a couple of BERNINA sewing machines and a bolt of fabric in tow, I arrived to find the school group and their counselors mildly curious about what I had to share. We worked together cutting, serging, sewing, and ironing to make pillows for cancer patients. Though some of the teenagers were reluctant at first, by the end of our work session all were involved, teaching each other to operate the machines, even using the decorative stitches and adding creative touches to their gifts for others. Their support and compassion for each other as they accomplished these new tasks was an inspiration! "At New Hope, lives are reborn every day."

A note from Linda Flynn, BERNINA Freelance Resource:

Last month I went to BERNINA University -- the annual meeting when dealers, store employees, and teachers get together with BERNINA of America and BERNINA International staff to have classes on great topics, share ideas, and learn about the latest things in the sewing world. Once again, this year was another great opportunity to chat with people from all over the US to see what's happening with sewing in their areas.

One subject kept coming up: how to introduce our passion for sewing to the future generations of sewers. Overwhelmingly, we all were interested in getting young (or not so young) people in our areas introduced to sewing and the gratification and delight that our own creations can bring. My efforts began at home years ago and continue with the technology talented generation, my children and their peers.

After my flight home I had an all-to-brief overnight stay in the home of my oldest daughter (one of my SewingKin v.1 sewers). There on her dining room table were two BERNINA sewing machines with projects that my two oldest granddaughters (the first two of my SewingKin v.2 sewers) were working on. Each girl was creating a new dress for herself. Now aged 16 and 14, these girls have been sewing for a number of years. The oldest, Katia, began when she was just shy of her 8th birthday, creating a "prairie girl" dress for herself as her first project. As she was just a little too short to reach the foot pedal, my brother Steve made a great wooden block with a fitted platform to keep the pedal from sliding off. Her sister, Natasha, got to share the block soon after, making a doll quilt. In these recent pictures, they were visiting me and each worked on a "re-purposing" project, refashioning old tee shirts and a stained nightgown into a new embellished tee shirt and a dress.

This summer, Joli (the oldest of my second daughter and third of my SewingKin v.2 sewers) is just shy of her 8th birthday. We have passed the "Uncle Steve block" along -- much to her delight, as you can see. Her sister Madi, two years younger, is impatiently awaiting her turn to use the block and create something wonderful.

Nine years ago my husband's dowry included another daughter for me... who now with her husbands wants to learn to sew. And there are two daughters in their house to watch us with anticipation of their debut in 3-4 years!

Lucky? You betcha!! I wish everyone could learn to sew on a BERNINA sewing machine. Even with my ready-made set of SewingKin I continue to find people who just don't know yet how much they love to sew! They need our help -- are you a helper?

By Bunny Gates, Educator for BERNINA of America, Inc.

Ny 10-year-old granddaughter wanted a bank to save her money in, so I made her this little bank from a plastic peanut butter jar. The finished rectangle is the same height as the can, and overlaps about 1" when wrapped around the can. Hook-and-loop tape is used to fasten the ends together.

Kayleigh loves bunny rabbits and the color yellow. The cut baby bunny design is from OESD Signature Collection #12241, Springtime 5. I added her name in OESD's Explorations Embroidery Software, then embellished it with decorative stitches from my BERNINA 830.

Kayleigh loves her new bank! And she loved putting in the coins Grandma gave her, and then shaking her bank to hear them rattle around inside!

A note from Gail Garber, quilt designer, author, teacher, and BERNINA National Artisan:

I was thrilled earlier this summer to open a package and find the first copy of my new book, Flying Colors, hot off the press! It will be widely available in August 2010, published by C&T Publications. Featuring my work and that of my students, it moves beyong Flying Geese and into a whole new world of design. Now those long curvy shapes can shine with 14 new shapes to fill them, including mountains and valleys, pointing dudes, spirals, and more. All of my quilts were stitch on freezer paper foundations on my BERNINA artista 730. It sews like a dream!