The new DesignSkins for the activa 210-240 and artista 635 are so cool! I could spend all day gussying up my sewing machine. There are all sorts of photos and graphics and shapes and things in the DesignSkins library, but what's really fun is loading your own images -- but be careful! It's addictive! Some of us in the Education Department have been playing at the DesignSkins website; you can see our creations below.

Want to guess whose is whose? It's not very difficult if you know a little about us. I'll narrow down the choices: These were designed by -- in no particular order -- Jeanne Delpit, Nina McVeigh, me, Linda Wenturine, and Kay Hickman.

To create your own DesignSkin, click HERE.

Yes, she took this photo herself, during a scuba-diving trip. Isn't it awesome?!

Tip: To use just part of an image and place it in front of a new background -- like this Plott Hound in the mountains -- remove the unwanted parts and save the image as a GIF file. Load both images and send the background to the back. Hmmm... maybe we could do a series of "Where's the puppy this time?" DesignSkins? Bonus points if you can identify the mountains she's in. And if you'd ever heard of a Plott Hound before today ;)

Miss Turtle Head is a scuba-diver and an over-achiever; she sent ELEVEN photos. Here are a few more:

I wanna go to the beach!

Have you opened the case of sewing machine feet that came with your machine yet? After learning to use them and seeing how they simplify your sewing tasks, you will wonder how you ever sewed without them.

My fascination with sewing machine feet began many years ago when I first used the ruffler. It took no time at all to ruffle the yards needed for a purse. Then I took the ruffler to the next step and learned how to ruffle while sewing on a base fabric -- at the same time! I was hooked and wanted to learn more. I began to think of all the attachments as tools of my craft. Each one for a specific purpose, and each one making my sewing more enjoyable. Be careful, though, as collecting sewing machine feet and accessories is very addictive!

I had many trials and errors with each new foot I learned to use. For some, instructions were unclear or not available. I kept a journal noting tips for each one. As my collection grew, so did my journal. I began sharing what I had learned with others. Always hoping to entice them to pull out all their attachments and sewing feet. Soon, I had a large compilation of instructions for sewing machine attachments and feet.

I love learning from those who have purchased my book, The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook (Krause Publications, 2009). Whether they have more questions or simply share their new lover for sewing, I am glad they are opening that case of sewing machine feet, dusting them off, and putting them to work!

In early August, the new and imprved Through the Needle ONLINE magazine launched to more than 20,000 e-mail subscribers. Based on the hundreds of comments we received, our new "page flip" magazine is off to a great start!

A few readers wanted to know a little more about the interface to our digital magazine. Several shortcut controls are very useful. Once the full file is downloaded into the browsing window, and the front cover is showing, you can press the left or right keys on the keyboard to flip to another page. (Be sure the Num Lock key is toggled off.)

By simply pressing the Z key, you will zoom in on the page you are viewing. Once you are zoomed in, move to other areas of the page by moving your mouse cursor. If you find that the magazine tends to jump around on the screen, take your hand off the mouse and the screen will stop moving. Use the mouse to move around the page as desired to read the content when zoomed in. Press Z again to zoom back out to full page mode.

To navigate through the magazine easily, click on Contents in the upper left corner of the menu bar and simply click on the page you wish to view. Use the handy Search box in the upper right corner of the screen to search the entire contents of the issue for a specific word. To turn off 3-D animation, page turn animation, and flip sound, select More from the menu bar and click on Settings.

Printing is very easy! You may print a single page, selected pages, an entire article, or up to 10 pages at a time. Click on Print in the upper left corner of the menu bar, and select 1 or more pages by clicking on the page images. A red outline will appear around the page and it will have a red check mark on it. When finished selecting pages, click on Print in the lower right corner and then select the desired printer.

To save one or more pages to your computer as a PDF file, click Save on the top menu bag, and then select the pages you would like to download. You save up to 20 pages at a time, so our first issue needs to be downloaded and saved in two parts. Adobe Acrobat software can be used to combine the two files into one on your computer.

Going forward in the planning process for Issue 2 and beyond, we are implementing a few changes that will make it easier to view, print, and save the document for more of our subscribers. As each issue is digitally published we will also make a PDF file available for download at www.throughtheneedle.com when the site is launched in mid-September. We are limiting the publication to 20 pages in the future, and keeping a strict watch over the size of the file, so that viewers using the page-flip technology link may download and save the publication in a single file.

Once you receive the link to the digital Through the Needle ONLINE you may view it as many times as you wish! If you are having trouble accessing the publication, or your computer stalls during the download, you may want to try re-starting your computer, limiting the number of other programs running on your computer, and turning off any pop-up blockers. Also make sure that your Internet Service Provider allows large file downloads in excess of 10MB.

The page-flip interface works great for both PC and Macintosh users. iPhone and iPad users will want to visit www.throughtheneedle.com (after mid-September) to download the straight PDF file, as these devices do not support the Flash Player Reader needed for page flipping.

Take a look at our first issue of Through the Needle ONLINE by clicking HERE.

To subscribe to future issues of Through the Needle ONLINE, click HERE.

I'm pleased to say that I have a new book! Eye Candy Quilts: Super-fast fun with beads, baubles, buttons, and more!

In this fast, fun quilting guide for anyone who loves to embellish with beads, buttons, and baubles, more than 150 color photos showcase a huge variety of techniques, using everything from conventional beads to shi-sha mirrors, dangles, jewelry, ribbons, lace, and rickrack.

Quilters will enjoy crafting an assortment of postcard-sized mini-quilts -- perfect for trying out new embellishment techniques and making quick, inexpensive gifts that display artistic skills.

Some projects feature lovely found objects that gain new life on quilts. A chapter on design helps beginners plan their projects with everything from design basics to knowing when to stop.

September is National Sewing Month and we should all make an effort to sew something for ourselves that we 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!

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."

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?

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!

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!

This week I needed a quick bridal shower gift. After researching the traditions of the bridal handkerchief I fired up my BERNINA Embroidery Software 6 and got to work. The OESD Platinum Design Collection #61001, Love and Lace, was perfect! I brought in multiple designs from the collection and combined them with lettering from the software to create a one-of-a-kind heirloom keepsake.

The scallop border was created using Pattern Run for a perfect finish. Then I stitched out the handkerchief in the Jumbo Hoop on the BERNINA 830.

I printed the History of Bridal Handkerchiefs, adding embroidered embellishment to my document -- all in v6 Art Canvas -- to complete the gift.

As satisfying and fun as sewing is, keeping the supplies, notions, and leftovers organized so you can find them to use can be frustrating and annoying at times. I'm always looking for ways and trying new things to control my sewing space and put some order to it. I had an idea a few months ago and it has turned out to be one of those "bright ideas" that actually works! Find a 3-tier candy dish (you may have one in the back of your cupboard) and put it to use. It can be made of glass, plastic, metal, or wood, like my inexpensive one made of bamboo.

I designated my dish as a "bobbin station." It holds bobbins, bobbin threads, and related notions. I use the top tier to hold filled bobbins using round, rubber Bobbin Savers. If you have several machines like I do, you may have several different types of bobbins. I use different color Bobbin Savers for different types of bobbins: red for "regular" bobbins for BERNINA models that have a CB hook, purple for artista 730 rotary hook bobbins, and blue for Deco and bernette bobbins. (Keep reading if you want to know where I keep the jumbo bobbins for the BERNINA 820 and 830.)

The middle tier of the dish is for a variety of bobbin threads: The Bottom Line by Superior Threads, Lingerie and Bobbin Thread by YLI, and 60 weight cotton by Mettler.

The bottom tier of the dish is perfect for larger notions related to bobbins. I have my SideWinder for winding bobbins without the machine, a small basket that holds extra bobbin cases, the AC adapter for my SideWinder, and (here it is!) my jumbo bobbins for the BERNINA 8 Series machines. I also have a few packaged bobbins and cones of OESD bobbin thread that fit behind the basket.

Organizing this way lets your put more notions into a space, going up instead of out. And the best thing is that you always know where to go when your bobbin needs filling!

If you follow a few simple rules, you can combine patterns in BERNINA's My Label 3D Fashion Pattern Software to expand your pattern possibilities. When combinging tops and skirts or dresses and skirts, be sure to align both the grainlines and the waistlines of your pattern pieces. Next, use a curved ruler to blend the differences at the waistline. It is that simple!

To make a flared princess dress using the Flared Skirt and Princess Dress patterns:

• Make the desired property changes to the skirt for a finished length, hem opening (circumference at the hemline), and waist to hip measurement (to change the starting point of the flare).
• Print the upper portion of the Princess Dress just below the waistline of each pattern pieces. )The pattern pieces have notches at the waistline.)
• Trim the seam allowance from the upper skirt. Add a seam allowance to the center front pieces.

• Align the grainline of the skirt with the grainline of the appropriate skirt pattern pieces.
• Place the waistline of the skirt at the notches of the princess bodice. Tape in place.

• Blend the pattern pieces at the waistline to smooth the transition.

• Cut the pieces out and sew together following the directions included with the Princess Dress.

My sewing news is the release of my new Vogue Pattern #8652. It's a great pants pattern with a faced waist and fly placket.

I'm working on two book revisions: Couture Sewing Techniques and Sewing for the Apparel Industry. The couture book will include many new photographs and some new techniques. Sewing for the Apparel Industry will have four new chapters on sewing knits.

A new Taunton DVD - Couture Basics - will be available in the fall. The focus is primarily on hand-sewing, but there's also machine stitching - on my BERNINA sewing machine, of course!

My Tailoring Details Workshop begins June 3, and Couture Techniques is scheduled for January 2011. For details, e-mail sewfari@earthlink.net

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.

My quilt iCandy 3.0 won a second prize award at the World of Beauty contest at the quilt show in Houston last fall. The quilt was in the Large Art / Abstract category. I've been sewing my bindings on lately, instead of fusing them, and this was the first one. The artista 730 has such a good set of feed dogs that I don't bother with the walking foot!

On another front, I'm going back to college this fall, in the Fiber and Materials department of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I applied for grad school there but didn't get in. My undergraduate degree is in Engineering. Not art. But, my portfolio of quilts impressed them enough that I was invited to take a semester's worth of classes: Contemporary Art History (art from the 80s on), Sustainable Forms (taught by a professor who sells purses fitted with solar panels that wil charge your iPod!), and an advanced Studio. I am assuming that we'll be spending a lot of time making fiber art in the Studio and I think it will be fun and very enlightening to be around other fiber artists all day. AND to have my quilts critiqued as art. Of course, having the Museum of the Art Institute available as a resource is very exciting too! I'm sure that the quilts I end up making after this will be very interesting.

I got an iPad when they first came out and am busy trying to design both a new case for it and a bag that will allow me to carry it around everywhere, along with the wireless keyboard I use with it. One really nice thing about the iPad is that I can bring it up to my studio and watch YouTube videos about sewing techniques and then follow along on my machine. I don't have to have a computer in my studio.

My latest book is Goddess of the Last Minute: Laughter and Lessons from an Uncommon Quilter. If you'd like a signed copy, visit www.robbieklow.com/books-patterns.asp

Ed: iCandy 3.0 is on the cover of the 2011 Award-Winning Quilts Calendar!

Wow! It's hard to believe that it's been eight years and 34 issues since we first printed Through the Needle magazine! During that time, the magazine offered fun sewing projects and informative articles for all types of stitches: quilters, crafters, garment makers, embroiderers, virtual stitchers, etc. The next issue of Through the Needle continues this tradition but the format is very different. It is the first issue of our Through the Needle ONLINE and it debuts today! Three things are changing about the magazine: how you receive it, when you receive it, and what you pay for it. Also, there will be six issues instead of four and you'll read it online -- FREE!

The new online version of Through the Needle is similar to the print version, right down to your ability to "turn" the pages. In addition, the new online version takes up less space (none!) than the paper version and is available anywhere you have a computer with Internet access. Plus, it has features the print version could never have: searchable content (enter a keyword and be taken to every occurance of that word in the issue) and live links that take you to related websites. Going online opens up loads of options that make it easier for you to use and enjoy every issue of Through the Needle ONLINE. In addition, think about the amount of paper and ink that will be saved by not printing a paper magazine.

The first issue of Through the Needle ONLINE is full of imaginative projects: from two versions of an imaginative bag -- one cool and one hot, to a simple, flowing, pull-over shirt and a fun, quilted bag with a funky metal frame. That's just the beginning of what you'll find in the first issue, but you need to let us know that you want to subscribe. So, sign up at www.berninausa.com click HERE, and you'll receive e-mail notifictaion and links to each new issue as they become available. Whether you are a loyal reader or a new fan, I'm sure you'll love expanding your sewing horizons and pushing your creative limits with Through the Needle ONLINE. After all, the next best thing to sewing is reading about it!

Everything is a little better with a cherry on top! With my BERNINA Embroidery Software 6 I embroidered the cherry outlines, the chocolate chips, the modern flowers (even the stitching designs on some of the flowers!) for that extra touch on these Ice Cream Cone Purses! There is NO END to what you can create with V6!

I recently finished a garment that I hope is juried into the Houston Quilt Show wearable division.

The motifs are a combination of several embroidery designs from OESD. All of the motifs were embroidered on a sandwich of water-soluble stabilizer with illusion (a semi-sheer net-like fabric) in the middle. Afterward I cut them out, dissolved the stabilizer, and machine appliqued each motif to the garment with 0.5 clear monofilament thread. I'm excited about the results!

It is machine quilted using YLI Silk #100 thread and Pellon's wool batting. I used several quilting stencils from Pepper Cory; the rest of the quilting is free-motion.

The jacket is lined in pale pink silk crepe de sheen, and narrow piping using the same fabric finishes off the jacket edge. The dress is a simple sheath, also lined with the same pale pink silk.

Click HERE to see what I learned about the BERNINA CutWork Tool and Software!

Every Tuesday at Children's Corner in Nashville a wonderful group of grandmothers meets with their fearless leader and teacher, Betty Little, age 84, for a "sit and sew" gathering. Mrs. Little owned her own shop in Nashville until her "retirement." This is a PARTY group. These 10-12 ladies love to eat and sew on BERNINA sewing machines. This ageless group has been sewing all day every Tuesday for years.

This week's reason for a "potluck party" was "Bring a Baby Picture of Yourself." Clipped to a clothesline were baby, wedding, graduation, and prom photos. What a fun day of BERNINA stitching, story-telling, and eating fabulous food. Try this with your own sewing group!

By the way, have you checked out my new bi-monthly ideas at www.childrenscornerinc.com? I've come up with some easy revisions for your Children's Corner patterns. If you like this new feature, I'd love to hear from you at lezette(at)nashville.net. (To protect my address from spamers I've used "(at)" here instead of "@".)

My inspiration for this wrap was from an article in the Fall 2009 issue of Stitch magazine, a Quilting Arts publication. I wanted to find an elegant wrap to wear to the closing banquet at BERNINA University in Orlando. You just never know if the room is going to be too hot or cold!

Instead of making the wrap following the instructions in the article (the rebel in me coming out again), I chose to use my serger.

I used a 2-thread rolled hem with YLI's new Designer 7 thread in the looper to finish all the edges.

Then, instead of sewing the elastic by sewing machine, I used a serger chain stitch and changed to a 90/14 Topstitch needle for the chain stitch. I threaded the needle with Designer 7 and put Gutermann elastic thread in the chain stitch looper.

This elastic thread is super! I tried others, but without the same success I had with the Gutermann elastic thread. It comes in four colors: black, white, red, and navy. Check with your local BERNINA store; if they don't have it in stock they can order it for you.

Check out the latest Threads magazine cover (August/September 2010)! I wrote this article, called "Gender Bender," about borrowing design cues from high-end men's shirts. So many great ideas, such as using small areas of machine embroidery and little bits of contrasting print fabrics, are showing up as hidden details inside yokes, inner cuffs, and under button plackets. It seems like the more expensive the shirt, the more exotic it is. Designers such as Etro and Robert Graham started this trend, and now other designers are following suit, making them more and more outrageous. I'm not sure why we aren't seeing this in women's wear, but it is sure to come.

The shirt on page 43 of the magazine features machine embroidery from two of OESD's embroidery collections: Paisleys (#12093) and Fashion Petals (#12258).

A kit is available that includes the pattern and all of the fabrics to duplicate this shirt. Plus, it also includes special instructions for making the double cuff and the inverted pleat insets. Visit your local BERNINA store to order the kit, pattern, fabric, embroidery designs, and Threads magazine.

BERNINA University -- Bernina of America's annual dealer meeting -- was July 9-12, and I'm just now catching up! BU is like a huge family reunion -- it was wonderful to see so many of my Bernina friends there -- dealers, teachers, resource people, and vendors, plus special guests from Switzerland, Canada, Russia, and Thailand. Some of the highlights:

• The US introduction of the new 3 Series machines -- the B330, B350, and B380. So sleek! I haven't had a chance to play with one yet, but you can be sure I'll have one here in my studio before long.

• The beautiful new limited-edition artista 635. Sooo pretty! (I'm a sucker for machines with blue trim -- my first BERNINA was the 1030, with a pretty blue faceplate.) Don't you just love the bubbles? There's a matching tote bag, too.

• The Fashion Show -- aren't these garments gorgeous? I love working backstage and seeing all the exquisite details. A digital camera is a great way to capture my favorites, and much faster than taking notes and making a sketch.

• Classes -- I wasn't planning to teach this year, but I stood in for a teacher that had to return home. So I got to teach one of my favorite things: making t-shirts on a serger :) Here are some of the students with their finished shirts.

There will be more blog posts about BERNINA University over the coming weeks -- stay tuned!

I was thinking the other day how fun my job really is! Yes, there are days that can be frustrating, but for the most part my job is a continuation of my hobbies -- sewing and embroidery.

And one of the best parts is being able to see ALL the beautiful designs that are created for the embroidery machine. A new collection that will be available in July at your local BERNINA dealer is "Rose of Sharon" by Sharon Pederson. This collection is a set of blanket stitch applique designs. The patterns for the shapes can be printed out from the files on the USB or CD version of the collection. Perfect every time! Part of the designs are approximately 5-1/2" squares, but the other is approximately 9-1/2" squares, so they are perfect for stitching in the BERNINA Jumbo Hoop! These designs make wonderful quilt blocks -- you just have to see them! Here are a few of the blocks included in the "Rose of Sharon" collection:

Here's a photo of a project that I created using one of the designs. I call it "The Anything Holder" because the elastic will hold virtually anything -- fabric markers, make-up brushes, pens & pencils -- just change the width between the stitching lines to accommodate larger or smaller items.

If you are interested in this project, check with your local BERNINA store to see if they are hosting an All About ME (Machine Embroidery) program. "The Anything Holder" is featured in the August All About ME program, which will show you how to create blanket stitch applique by embroidery machine. Attendees also receive instructions for creating this project, as well as many others.

I received an assignment to create a little girl's sundress incorporating the new Blossoms & Bows OESD Signature Embroidery Collection. Now, this creative thing is not me, but I forged on with help from my "sew" creative peers!

Shirring the bodice with elastic thread was a hoot with the Jumbo Bobbin on the BERNINA 830 - it holds so much more elastic than a normal bobbin.

Speaking of "Jumbo" - embroidering the complete design in ONE hooping using the Jumbo Hoop was the best! Now, if you're so inclined, go ahead and make one for yourself!