Isn't this a great sun hat? Perfect for protecting my neck and face from burning, and a nice one or two evening project. I bought a half yard of this brown & pink batik at the Rosemont Quilt Show a few years ago, and used coordinating batiks from my stash for the lining. The pattern is from Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter, which has lots of other projects I want to stitch this summer!

Ever wonder what to do with all those little bits & pieces of leftover ribbon, trim, buttons, etc. that are just too nice to throw away? Here's a project from Susan Beck, Executive Editor at BERNINA of America, Inc., featuring four different notecard designs that you can stitch on your sewing machine. BERNINA's updated Button Sew-On Foot #18 with its "sticky" rubber sole grips buttons and keeps them from slipping as they're stitched to your project.

BERNINA stores across the USA are collecting used sewing machines to donate to charities such as The Sewing Machine Project and Goodwill Industries. If you've been thinking about buying a BERNINA, now's a good time - take your old sewing machine (any brand) to a participating BERNINA store and you'll get a $100 rebate on a new BERNINA. Click here for details. Your old sewing machine could have a whole new life in store - much better than gathering dust in a closet!

Another first sewing project, this one from Kristie Smith, Educator with BERNINA of America.

"I was thinking about my first project and how far I've come with my sewing. I was 19 years old when I took my first sewing class at Jacksonville State University. Sewing was not remotely related to my major, but I had an internal desire to create and signed up for a basic clothing construction class. I had wanted to sew since I was a little girl and was elated at the prospect of unleashing my creativity.

"Many of us call college the "lean" years. I seldom had extra money for a potato, much less fabric. I remember getting just enough fabric for the project and praying it wouldn't go over budget. The project was a classic button down shirt, topstitched with precision on a Bernina 830 (a machine in the school's sewing lab). Every seam was carefully constructed and finished with an overlock stitch on the serger. An edgestitch foot was used to topstitch around the edges. Wearing the shirt was a huge highlight, especially when someone found out that I made it (what a self-esteem booster!). I keep the shirt in my closet and occasionally slip it on to remember the excitement of my first class and what I learned from a basic shirt. I'm so thankful that my school had Bernina machines because I know the superior machine contributed to my success and promoted my love of sewing."

Do you remember your first sewing project? The first time I remember stitching pieces of fabric together with needle and thread was in Brownies, when we made a Santa Claus ornament out of felt and cotton balls. And I made a yellow gingham apron in 4-H - gingham because it's easy to fold and stitch straight lines ;) But this - which I came across while unpacking still more boxes - is the first real garment I made, from an actual pattern with pieces and instructions.

I was around 11 years old, still in 4-H, and still remember going fabric shopping for "kettle cloth." I'm still not sure where "kettle" comes from, but it's a woven cotton fabric that's easy to work with and presses well. I made this on the sewing my parents bought in 1965 - a Riccar that came free with the purchase of a $79 sewing cabinet. It went forward and backward - straight stitch only - no zigzag - and it's what I sewed on until I was 12 or 13. All of my seam allowances are straight stitched 1/4" from the raw edge, then hand-overcast - miles and miles of hand-sewing, that took forever! Now I zip right along on my BERNINA and Overlock Foot #2, or - better yet - use my serger to trim and overcast at the same time. But I did a good job, even with so much hand-sewing, and won a purple ribbon at the county fair :)

What was your first project? I've been asking some of my friends, and will be posting some of their stories over the next few weeks.