Friday 28th June, 2024
... THE WAIT IS OVER! ...
It will be no surprise to anyone reading this I’m sure, that I’m opening this week’s blog post with news of something that I have personally awaited for quite a few years now! A new Top of the Line Bernina Sewing Machine!!
My love of sewing started when I was very young, and my first ever machine was a top of the range machine, gifted to me by my parents for my 18th birthday. I’ve been very fortunate to have that start, and to have maintained that level of machine up until some years ago.
It has been over 15 years since the release of the last Bernina TOL machine, the B830 in 2008 … and I loved mine from the day I bought it, back in 2011!! I had the Special Edition B830LE with a decorative red face plate and called her ‘Big Red’. We spent many happy times together, creating and educating wherever, and whenever I could. I used to put her in the boot of my car, (securely retrained in a trolley bag of course) and travel to teach Bernina Mastering and other speciality Classes. When I left to travel around Australia, she was too big for the trip, and was replaced by a much more suited to travelling, 5 Series size machine. Here I am set up to sew in remote Western Australia.
‘Big Red’ went to live and work ‘her magic’ with the lovely Sarah from NazFX Studios, a Creature FX and Plush Toy Artist who makes the most amazing plush creations I have ever seen! She has loved, and taken very good care of that machine since that day. Sarah’s digitizing and embroidery skills are incredible! Sarah and I met when she attended my dressmaking classes when I worked at Kimz Sewing and Patchwork, on the Sunshine Coast. Head over to Instagram to see what amazing things she makes! @nazfx_studios
My plan was to purchase the B880 (top of the range at the time) when I returned from travelling in 2018, however a new model was already being talked about, so I decided to wait … and wait … and wait!
The Bernina B990 was revealed worldwide at Bernina University in Detroit, America early Wednesday morning our time (last week) … and oh my goodness … what an incredible machine it looks to be … can’t wait to be able to sew on one! I’ll be at Bernina Academy in Sydney in September, and that is where I’ll get to do that – and so will a lot of other people I know! Only 3 months more to wait! In the meantime … I’ve already downloaded the instruction manual to read!
Now … when it’s time for a beautiful B990 to arrive here, and settle in with the rest of its ‘Bernina family members’, somehow, I don’t think it will be going on any roadtrips with me! It will be a ‘stay-at-home model’, set up ready to play in the Sewing Gypsy Studio, although the luggage it comes with does look really ‘travel ready’!! Let the dreaming begin …
... Did You Know? ...
Bobbins and Bobbin Cases
There are 5 Different Bernina Bobbins available, and they are not interchangeable between different styles of bobbin cases.
Types of Bobbin Cases
3 Series – CB Hook system 5.5mm – ‘A’
Standard Bobbin Case – Thread the stitch finger to increase bobbin tension
Black Latch Bobbin Case for looser tension (screw can be adjusted further if needed)
4, 5, 7 and NEW 9 Series – Bernina/B9 Hook system – ‘B’
Black – Standard Bobbin Case
Yellow – High Thread Tension Bobbin Case – has tighter tension setting than standard bobbin case
Red – Red Bobbin Case – designed to accommodate heavy threads that are too large to go through the needle e.g for use when sewing bobbinwork techniques
8 Series – ‘C’
These machines have a ‘bobbin basket’ which replaces the bobbin case.
Thread the extra tensioner of the hook for Embroidery
Lowering/tightening thread tension – Multi Function tool adjusts setting on bobbin basket – see your user manual for detailed instructions
Q Series Machines only - ‘E’
Q Series machines use the Red ‘M’ Class bobbins, designed for smoothly running bobbin threads during high speed quilting.
Other Type of Bobbin Cases – Non current Models of Machines
Rotary Hook System 9mm – ‘D’
No current models have this system, however bobbins/cases still available – there is an optional Gold Latch Bobbin case designed for embroidery/finer bobbin threads.
Now there’s a reason I’ve included this bobbin/bobbincase information … and it will all be explained in the section where I chat about my stitchouts.
... Another Spring Loaded Foot ...
Embroidery Foot #15
This particular foot is specially designed for use with Bernina embroidery machines. It resembles Darning Foot #9 but features an upward tilt in the ‘hoop’ section, which aids in navigating dense embroidery stitches. The needle opening is designed to support both straight and zigzag stitching up to 5.5mm in width.
Foot #15 had just 1 technique to stitch out, using the Embroidery module attached to the machine.
... This Week’s Foot Highlights or Challenges ...
This week’s sample was completed with my B590E machine in embroidery mode, with the module attached. The design I chose was built into my machine, and I saved it onto a USB stick and stitched it out on my B590E … as it was set up for embroidery at the time. Oh the benefits of having more than one machine!
I threaded up the top with some lime green rayon machine embroidery thread – and the bobbin with white Bobbinfil, using the standard black bobbincase that is supplied with the machine. The first sample stitched out well, however the edge of the design had ‘glimpses’ of the white bobbin thread showing.
Then upon looking closer at the back of the work, I noticed I could see very little of the top green thread at all.
I prefer the tension of my embroidery to show what I refer to as ‘a third, a third, a third’ – in other words on a wide satin stitch, one third bobbin thread to two thirds top thread showing on the rear of my work.
I changed out to my Yellow Bobbin case (and changed colour of my thread – same brand though) … and here is the difference!
As you can see in the area I have marked, the stitchout looks a lot better. I always do a trial stitchout of designs before actually stitching them onto my projects/garments … much less work than unpicking… even with a stitch eraser … and I have two of those just in case !
... A Little Reminder ...
Bernina’s Foot/Accessory of the Month June 2024 *
is the Right and Left Seam Guides in Shaft for the L8 Series Overlocker and Overlocker/Coverstitch machines – 20% off – contact your preferred Bernina Dealer for this fabulous offer. Ends this week!
There are two options available … Left Seam Guide only for L850 and L860 machines … and Left and Right Seam Guides for L890 only
*Australia and New Zealand Promotion Only – ends … 30th June 2024 …
Chat again next Friday,
‘Foot’note: as I was changing over my foot to do this sample, I still had Foot #14D selected on the screen of my machine, with straight stitch NP -5 (Far left) … no way could I get Foot #15 onto the machine, as the needle was in the way! It is a 5.5mm width foot! A good reminder to myself, that I should have selected my stitch first!!! It’s the simple things we forget, that often trip us up at times.