By Susan Beck, Executive Editor, BERNINA of America, Inc.

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!

Here's another way to make the circles that I used to embellish my "Bubbles" jacket in Through the Needle Issue #33: Use DesignerPlus BERNINA Embroidery Software!

Use the Circle tool to draw a circle.

Choose a decorative stitch from the wide variety found in the software - including many that are not on the sewing machine.

One advantage of using the BERNINA Embroidery Software is that each circle is outlined with complete stitch patterns (no partial patterns or overlaps) and the layout for each piece of the jacket can be designed prior to stitching. (For instructions on planning embroidery for each section, see Judy Hahner's version of the jacket, also in Through the Needle #33.)

Hoop a layer of wash-away stabilizer such as OESD BadgeMaster in your largest hoop and use a spray adhesive such as 101 Quilt Basting Spray to hold the linen and stabilizer layers together during the embroidery process.

One cold snowy day while attending college in northern lower Michigan I decided to venture out among the white mounds that towered the streets and visit the local card shop. As with most co-eds, money, cash, and even coins were scarce and shopping usually was only done peering through a beautifully dressed window. There was always something to tempt the opening of my sparsely housed wallet but, on this trip, I spotted a wallhanging that jumped out (not literally) and spoke to my soul. You know, those life-changing, introspective kinds of things that you hold onto like the Northern Star, pointing you in the right direction, keeping your life perspective on track. The "walk before me" passage on this wall-hanging was it for me! I have kept it through the years (too many to admit to) and it lives on the wall of my sewing room.

Well, when I received my new BERNINA 830 sewing machine, I began to embroider like wildfire - enough to melt that snow in Michigan. The Jumbo Hoop is so liberating because of the size. I can now produce with ease large-scaled embroidery that used to require multiple hoopings. With the creative juices flowing and maybe even a hot chocolate to keep me warm, I was inspired to "refashion" the wall-hanging. Using the BERNINA 830 teamed up with BERNINA V6 Embroidery Software made this project a snap. So grab yourself a hot cocoa and start creating your own leading light!

(Instructions for this project are included in BERNINA of America's Through the Needle magazine, Issue #33, available in BERNINA stores in January 2010.)

I have had so much fun embroidering and making jeans from My Label software. It is so easy to embroider jeans before they are constructed. Here is a picture of the embroidery design from Exotic Rainforest. After embroidering the jeans, I added sapphire hot-fix crystals to the jeans. The touch of blue sparkle was a great subtle addition to the black embroidered jeans. The finished jeans are featured in Issue 31 of Bernina's Through the Needle magazine.

Here's a note from Jane Garrison, Director of Education for YLI Corporation:

All of my sewing projects are perfect when I do them in a "virtual world," which is what I have to do most of the time as it is a bit hard to create on a plane or in a car or at my desk! My latest "virtual sewing" project came to fulfillment without any "re-takes" which in itself is absolutely amazing. I saw and purchased a stencil from Cedar Canyon Textiles at the Chicago Quilt Festival in April. My friend and I challenged ourselves to see what we could create with the stencil, and compare our projects when we next see each other in October at the AQS Des Moines show.

I wanted to do something that used different materials and as I always have to do, incorporate YLI products into the project. Using the Silk Roving from Tentakulum, I needlefelted the coneflower petals onto a cotton background. To keep everything from stretching out of shape during the needlefelting process, I placed low loft cotton batting under the cotton before felting so I was working into a sandwich.

Then I outlined each of the petals with Rayon Gimpe by Tentakulum. This is a wonderful heavy cord that is hand painted in 15 different colorways, each named for a famous painter. As you might imagine, the Rayon takes dye so beautifully and a wonderful couching thread is born. I couched over this cord with YLI Wonder Monofilament thread.

Then to make the cone on the coneflower, I put Soie d'Alger Silk thread into my bobbin case, set my machine on a 1mm width and 1mm length zigzag (other stitches could be used), placed the YLI Wonder in my needle and stitched what appear to be hundreds of "French Knots" on the surface. Of course, this was upside down, so it was a wonderful surprise to see this finished!

For the first of many, many times the project looked exactly like I had pictured it! See all of the steps and get the detailed directions in Issue #31 of Bernina's Through the Needle magazine. Your local Bernina store can order each of the products from Brewer, or, if you don't have a store, you can contact YLI to order them retail.

I hope all of your "virtual sewing" projects come out as sucessfully as this one did!