Beth made an interesting request on her blog about review of sewing machines. This can be very helpful for newbies. I remember first starting out and having to fight through a lot of machine isssues, that I came to believe were just because I was inexperienced, when it was really that the machine was of poor quality and really didn't work half the time. Having a good machine that suited to your needs is key...so here goes my reivew of my machines:
What brand and model do you have?
I have five machines (OK no funny comments...but I use all of them!!!)
- Bernina 1630 - my main squeeze.
- Bernina Artista 180 - Wow - the embroidery I can do!
- Bernina 930 - my backup and also teaching machine.
- Bernette Serger 203 - almost exclusively for finishing seams.
- Omni machine - sews in many directions.
How long have you had it?
Bernina 930- about 30 years
Bernina 1630 - for 15 years
Bernina Artista - about 10 years
How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
Bernina 930 - around $700
Bernina 1630 about $3,000
Bernina Artista - about $7,000
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Formal Wear: Debutante, Wedding, After Five and Ball Gowns.
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
Every day.
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I love all my machines, or I wouldn't have them. The work under
the most extreme conditions: I abuse my machines I don't use them! I
would highly recommend Bernina, but honestly I have bought them for so
long because of the great service and support that comes from my local
Bernina Shop.
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
- The key to the "wow" features of the Berninas are the feet - the
rolled hemmer works beautifully, the binder is fabulous, the blind
stitch foot is versatile in many different stitches, sew-on button
(with adjustable thread shanks), automatic buttonholer.
- The second is the automatic tension - this is something that should come as an automatic on every machine!
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
The little blade on the side cutter slides away from the slot which
means sometimes the threads don't get cut, which can be maddening when
I slide the threads to cut them, and they don't cut, I'm pulling a lot of thread
out of the machine. But this is so minor that it's hardly worth
mentioning.
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e.,
Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor?
Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?,
etc.!)? We want to hear it!
My first Bernina: My mother, after I started taking serious
courses in sewing, asked if I wanted a machine and I told her a Bernina
(the 930 at the time), but that it was expensive. When she found out
the price, she agreed, never being a person who understood or supported
artistic endeavors or people, and I am an artist with my machine. So I
reconciled myself that I would just have to sew on the Berninas in
class. On day my mother called and said that she and my aunt would buy
me the machine. Later I found out that my aunt really bought it - paid
for most of it, but I never knew till after she died, but at least she
got to see me build my wardrobe and use the daylights out of that machine. And I'm sure she took great joy in that.
This machine I still have today and I use it for my classes and new
students.
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Absolutely - but part of it because of the wonderful local support
and service I get through my local shop, but another is because the
darned machine is built beautifully - it works. If Bernina says it
will do something, it's not something that has to be looked at just a
certain way to work - it really works!
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
- Must have automatic tension - too many new students are turned
away and turned off by mess-ups with the tension and think it's them
when in reality it's really the machine
- As hard as this may seem - you get what you pay for. If you want
to borrow a machine to see if you have an interest or aptitude for this
art and skill, great: then buy a good machine.
- For your first machine the basics like 1.) forward stitch (duh!),
2.) reverse stitch, 3.) zig zag, and maybe 4.) some (a very few)
decorative stitches, is all you need to do some remarkably beautiful
clothing. As you become more expert, then you can expand into more
expensive and elaborate machines. I'm a formal wear designer - so I
design and these basic stitches are my mainstay in the execution of
those designs.
Do you have a dream machine?
There is a professional embroidery machine at my local Bernina shop
that is dreamy: multi-thread/color, fast, detailed, hoops caps, any
type of fabrics - it's really fabulous and would be too much fun to
have. I'm also an artist and see a lot of my designs in embroidery!! Yum yum!