Sewing machines are a bit like cars - not only are they both useful machines, but they're both constantly being updated with new features. Think about cars from the 1950s - automatic transmission had just been introduced, and air-conditioning was available only in a few models. 60 years later we have airbags, keyless entry, hybrid engines, even GPS systems that talk! The history of sewing machines runs a similar course. In the 1950s zigzag stitches, automatic buttonholes, and a free arm were relatively new features. All of these were part of the BERNINA 530 model shown here. Nearly 60 years later, sewing machines like the BERNINA artistas have touch screens, built in consultants and tutorials, more stitches than anyone in 1954 could imagine, controls for manipulating those stitches, and even a device that reads the movement of the fabric to improve your freemotion stitching! 

If you've taken a peek at the BERNINA 8 Series machines - the 820 and 830 - you know that the designers and engineers included every feature a seamster could dream of having. BERNINA collected feature requests for years and years, then incorporated all that information in the design of the 8 Series machines. Okay, they didn't include the espresso machine I asked for, but other than that I can't think of anything they missed. There's even an alarm clock to remind me when it's time to feed my dog! If you haven't seen the 8 Series machines, you can take one for a virtual tour by downloading the BERNINA 820 and 830 Simulators from the 8 Series website. Just look at all those buttons! One for securing seams, one for presser foot pressure, one that remembers all the stitches you've been using, one for stitching in 16 directions 720 directions in half degree increments (what was I thinking!), one for adjusting tension,... there's even one for setting up your screen exactly the way you want it!

But the contest isn't about the old 530 or the new 8 Series machines - it's about sewing machine features. Which feature on your sewing machine do you absolutely love? If you could design your own machine, what feature would you be sure to include? I learned to sew on a straight stitch machine, and later sewed on a machine that had a extra stitches for techniques like blindhemming and overcasting, but no decorative stitches. So when I bought my first machine, one of the features I really wanted was a feather stitch. That was a long time ago - before I knew about BERNINA's Free Hand System. Now I can't live without having that FHS lever for raising and lowering the presser foot without using my hands!

So tell us what your favorite sewing machine feature is, or think of something new and exciting that you'd like to have on your machine. To enter the contest, just leave a comment to this blog posting before midnight EST, April 11, 2010. The winner gets a box of fun stuff from BERNINA, OESD, Benartex, and Brewer!

I just discovered my new favorite toy! The AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter. I've been hearing about it for quite some time and even saw a demo at Quilt Market last Fall but I just finally got around to trying it for myself. It is so much fun - and easy! One thing I love about it is that it is low-tech - no new software to learn, no uploading, downloading, or programming required! It works every time to give me clean, consistent cuts. I'm loving it for handling scraps and small pieces of fabric. I just cut my leftovers into squares, strips, and triangles, then store them for future sewing - ready to go. I can start sewing when I feel like it with all of the cutting behind me.

I tried one of the new dies - Alpha Baby - and created a sweet scrapbook page for a friend of mine. If you want to try it for yourself, download the instructions by clicking HERE. I can see how the GO! Fabric Cutter is going to save me time in cutting fabric shapes, money because I waste less fabric, and frustration because my pieces are consistent so my seams match and my points are sharp! What more could a stitcher want?!

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.

Create a shamrock using your BERNINA Embroidery Software - EditorPlus or DesignerPlus.

Open Art Canvas, select Basic Vector Shapes, and draw a "long" heart shape. Change the Fill Color to green and the Outline to "none."

Copy the heart and Paste to create a second heart shape. Change the angle to 90 degrees. Move this heart into place beneath and to the left of the first heart.

Copy and Paste another heart shape and change the angle to 270 degrees. Move this herat into place beneath and to the right of the first heart.

Select Basic Vector Shapes and add a trapezoid shape for the shamrock stem.

Select Arrange > Shaping, and the "weld" option. Select Convert to Embroidery.

Change fills and outline stitches to create your own unique shamrocks!

Here's a note from Erika Mulvenna, host of WeAllSew.com:

I hope you've had a chance to visit the WeAllSew.com website since my last visit here at the Bernina Blog. Did you know that you can keep up with We All Sew at our Twitter feed and Facebook fan page?

Working with the WeAllSew.com project has opened my eyes to the many charities that depend on help from sewers like us. In fact, there is a whole list of these organizations on the Sew to Serve page at WeAllSew.com. And, the list keeps growning as new charity organizations are added to the list weekly!

I decided it was time for me to start volunteering my sewing time and looked to the Sew to Serve list to get started. I found the American Patchwork & Quilting's 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge. What a great volunterring idea! Sew pillowcases (and after all, it's so easy anyone can do it!) and donate them to help make a difference. Check the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge website for all kinds of great information, like the free pillowcase patterns, or how to find a participating shop near you. After you donate pillowcases, you can add how many pillowcases you made to help reach the goal of 1 million!

I downloaded the Pillowcase with Ruffled Trim PDF pattern and during my last craft group meet-up stitched 6 pillowcases, yay! The pillowcase went together so quickly, it was really fun! I am challenging everyone in my crafting group to sew up at least one pillowcase at our next meeting.

Why not get started sewing for others and stitch some pillowcases along with me? And while you're at it, join in on the We All Sew Facebook fan page creative pillowcase challenge to win a Bernina goody-bag full of sewing goodness! Just join us on the WeAllSew.com Facebook fanpage and post a picture of your most creative pillowcase made for charily between now and March 31st. The most creative pillowcase wins! Read more about the contest at the WeAllSew.com fanpage!