The Bernina Sewing Machine – the no-more-tears approach
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Yes, I LOVE this machine. The decision to purchase it was tough. I wanted to find a way to justify the cost, but I couldn’t. Instead I purchased it based on emotions and the “no more tears” policy. My husband always suggests this approach when I purchase fabric. He recommends I purchase anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 to 1 yard more than I think I need to eliminate tears when I get home. His suggestion seems extravagant. But I’ve purchased fabric out-of-town, preshrunk it when I got home, and the cotton shrunk so much that I didn’t have enough fabric to sew up the pattern I purchased it for. I preshrink everything except delicate silks. Again I consider this the “no more tears” approach.
Yes, I even preshrink wool by first zigzagging the cut edges, then putting it into the dryer with a bath towel that has been wet and firmly wrung out. Set the dryer on high for 20-30 minutes. Yes, this is super scary to do. If your wool is very loosely woven or has a very high nap, take a pass right to the dry cleaner so he can steam shrink it. Again, this is the “no-more-tears” approach.
Sewing is easier. I traded in my 6-month old Janome. It just couldn’t make beautiful buttonholes. And it couldn’t sew fine silk, rayon or poly. The Bernina does this with ease. I kept my old Kenmore (circa 1977) but will likely sell it or give it away soon.
I was concerned that a Bernina cost tens of thousands of dollars. It didn’t. I think I paid a bit more than $2000. And now, after 4 months of using it almost daily, it was an investment, not an expense. It sews everything better. It does so elegantly, with no tears. The special presser feet for edging and zippers and blind hemming and edge stitching make a big difference in the quality of my efforts.
The Bernina elicits emotions that I find odd. I’m happier when I sew. I have more confidence that I won’t need to wrestle with stitch quality or thread jams. Even winding a bobbin is easier because the winder has its own motor and doesn’t use the stitching motor.
I love that it offers me a reliable “no-more-tears” experience.
