Great article! I have a Bernina 1001 that still works great. I bought it in 1990 I think for a little over $300. It has a foot pedal instead of the knee lever. When I described it back then to another lady who loved Berninas, she didn't believe me!
As a BERNINA brand ambassador, this is SO interesting to me. I fell in love with the 700 series and use a 590 as well as L890. I would love to read your thoughts on the timeline of their overlockers!
This is so interesting! The sewists in my family are all Pfaff loyalists (except for my grandmother, who sewed a lot of my clothes and my mom's and the BEST flannel jammies on a Montgomery Ward machine circa 1960) and I'm a Janome fan. I've never used a Bernina.
So interesting! I learned to sew at high school on one of their many Bernina Sport's, i made a career out of it and ultimately ended up with a workshop full of Juki, Brother, union specials and many other Japanese and now Chinese machines...... when the demand came to be a traveling, on-set tailor a few years back i found a cheap used 1230 to use, complete with knee lift, its my absolute favourite (and in my opinion the best they made) machine, right down the the thoughtful little quirks , like when the feed dogs drop when you lift the foot using the knee lever, such a great feature to avoid snags in fine silks and tweeds...... No industrial machine does that , in fact i dont know of any other machine that is so polite!!! I'm patiently waiting for a wireless foot pedal or perhaps a semi-industrial tailor-specific machine ..... c'mon Bernina! Step up!!
I wish Bernina would return part of its inventory to the 830 Record type machines for the multitudes of sewists who could care less about all the embroidery jazz and other expensive bells and whistles on "high end" machines. We just want our dear old Berninas to work well. For decades!! And be repairable for ever.
Another very informative post, in early 90’s I went Bernina machine shopping, which at that time the lowest model was the artista 180. Went for a demo etc but the store owner didn’t really sell it to me. at the time I’d been using a Swiss Elna air electronic su for 4 years and loved it, found the Bernie noisy but probs I’m used to top loading elnas which are so quiet. But wanted to look at a Bernie too. Another local store had a 1230 2nd hand, I was very tempted, but it really was out of my budget and prob too many stitches for me. So I waited, and I’ve never regretted not getting the Artista, it did not engender love. The 830 record however is a lovely machine to sew on, and I’m happy to own one now. Thing is, a SM company’s purpose is to sell new sewing machines. Sometimes as a consumer one wishes this was not the case, but it is reality. They need to keep innovating and bring out new models, if only they kept making a mechanical model like the 1008. Schools here in Aus are now equipping with Janomes after years of having mechanical berninas; the first machine you learn on certainly imprints brand loyalty and I’m sure this will hurt Bernina. just more proof that Janome is a market force.
This is a bit dated, but I still wanted to comment that every detail written here was on point. The only understatement was the travesty of the newer 8 series, they held on too long and lost a lot of customers because of one man's ego. I am very happy to see the replacement top of the line to incorporate the B9 hook system, and to once again be able to access important areas like take up and hook without a service call.
Great article, I love the details and the frank narrative about the evolution of Berninas. I bought a Bernina when I saw that most of the machines used in the sewing classes I took were Berninas; I figured if they could take the wear & tear of novice users and still work, and the teachers loved the machines, there must be something to it.
I have the B570 but it's *completely* different from my friend's B570: smaller bobbin, no built-in even-feed, no thread cutter, etc. Not sure why Bernina went with that numbering system but it got me a bit annoyed to learn there was an updated machine with the same number as mine. And finding videos online on how all the controls on my machine work is very limited. As it is, there are functions I still don't know what they're for or how to use.
Now with your comment about Janome, after 45+ years with Bernina, I'm starting to reconsider what my next machine will be.
I agree with this comment. I'm a Bernina owner since 1980, my 830 Electronic Record is still going strong after 40 years of sewing. As much as I love it, and the simplicity of it, I recently purchased a 770 QEplus. I figured I needed to treat myself after 40 years of sewing and maybe, my hands might benefit from a lighter touch on the newer machines. I do appreciate working on the 770 as there is less stress on my hands but often peer at my 830 with fondness and longing for simpler sewing, aka no computer!
Wow! So informative! I’m a Bernina loyalist with a 440QE. It’s on its last leg as the screen is now blank and I recently learned that Bernina stopped making parts for the 440😩
Great article. I have an older Janome…the 7700…and am thinking about selling it because I have three berninas. Two 770QEE and a sit down Q20,,,but would love a frame to put it in. Your articles are very informative. Thanks for taking time to tell us all this.
One of my students gave me her Mom's old Bernina Record- I think it is the 830. It's hard to get it from the floor it's so heavy!
Great article! I have a Bernina 1001 that still works great. I bought it in 1990 I think for a little over $300. It has a foot pedal instead of the knee lever. When I described it back then to another lady who loved Berninas, she didn't believe me!
As a BERNINA brand ambassador, this is SO interesting to me. I fell in love with the 700 series and use a 590 as well as L890. I would love to read your thoughts on the timeline of their overlockers!
Drooling over the m8 but a hefty price tag !
Can’t wait for your m8 review !!!!!!!
Great info and interesting as usual. Thank you!
This is so interesting! The sewists in my family are all Pfaff loyalists (except for my grandmother, who sewed a lot of my clothes and my mom's and the BEST flannel jammies on a Montgomery Ward machine circa 1960) and I'm a Janome fan. I've never used a Bernina.
So interesting! I learned to sew at high school on one of their many Bernina Sport's, i made a career out of it and ultimately ended up with a workshop full of Juki, Brother, union specials and many other Japanese and now Chinese machines...... when the demand came to be a traveling, on-set tailor a few years back i found a cheap used 1230 to use, complete with knee lift, its my absolute favourite (and in my opinion the best they made) machine, right down the the thoughtful little quirks , like when the feed dogs drop when you lift the foot using the knee lever, such a great feature to avoid snags in fine silks and tweeds...... No industrial machine does that , in fact i dont know of any other machine that is so polite!!! I'm patiently waiting for a wireless foot pedal or perhaps a semi-industrial tailor-specific machine ..... c'mon Bernina! Step up!!
I wish Bernina would return part of its inventory to the 830 Record type machines for the multitudes of sewists who could care less about all the embroidery jazz and other expensive bells and whistles on "high end" machines. We just want our dear old Berninas to work well. For decades!! And be repairable for ever.
Another very informative post, in early 90’s I went Bernina machine shopping, which at that time the lowest model was the artista 180. Went for a demo etc but the store owner didn’t really sell it to me. at the time I’d been using a Swiss Elna air electronic su for 4 years and loved it, found the Bernie noisy but probs I’m used to top loading elnas which are so quiet. But wanted to look at a Bernie too. Another local store had a 1230 2nd hand, I was very tempted, but it really was out of my budget and prob too many stitches for me. So I waited, and I’ve never regretted not getting the Artista, it did not engender love. The 830 record however is a lovely machine to sew on, and I’m happy to own one now. Thing is, a SM company’s purpose is to sell new sewing machines. Sometimes as a consumer one wishes this was not the case, but it is reality. They need to keep innovating and bring out new models, if only they kept making a mechanical model like the 1008. Schools here in Aus are now equipping with Janomes after years of having mechanical berninas; the first machine you learn on certainly imprints brand loyalty and I’m sure this will hurt Bernina. just more proof that Janome is a market force.
This is a bit dated, but I still wanted to comment that every detail written here was on point. The only understatement was the travesty of the newer 8 series, they held on too long and lost a lot of customers because of one man's ego. I am very happy to see the replacement top of the line to incorporate the B9 hook system, and to once again be able to access important areas like take up and hook without a service call.
Great article, I love the details and the frank narrative about the evolution of Berninas. I bought a Bernina when I saw that most of the machines used in the sewing classes I took were Berninas; I figured if they could take the wear & tear of novice users and still work, and the teachers loved the machines, there must be something to it.
I have the B570 but it's *completely* different from my friend's B570: smaller bobbin, no built-in even-feed, no thread cutter, etc. Not sure why Bernina went with that numbering system but it got me a bit annoyed to learn there was an updated machine with the same number as mine. And finding videos online on how all the controls on my machine work is very limited. As it is, there are functions I still don't know what they're for or how to use.
Now with your comment about Janome, after 45+ years with Bernina, I'm starting to reconsider what my next machine will be.
I agree with this comment. I'm a Bernina owner since 1980, my 830 Electronic Record is still going strong after 40 years of sewing. As much as I love it, and the simplicity of it, I recently purchased a 770 QEplus. I figured I needed to treat myself after 40 years of sewing and maybe, my hands might benefit from a lighter touch on the newer machines. I do appreciate working on the 770 as there is less stress on my hands but often peer at my 830 with fondness and longing for simpler sewing, aka no computer!
Hmmm It says 730 in there. Could it be a 730? Is there such a one? I’d like to post a photo but I don’t think you can do it here.
Certainly is a 730 model, and they would be heavier than an 830.
Once again I love the information that you offer home sewists. It makes the choice of a new machine more objective than just brand loyalty.
Wow! So informative! I’m a Bernina loyalist with a 440QE. It’s on its last leg as the screen is now blank and I recently learned that Bernina stopped making parts for the 440😩
Great article. I have an older Janome…the 7700…and am thinking about selling it because I have three berninas. Two 770QEE and a sit down Q20,,,but would love a frame to put it in. Your articles are very informative. Thanks for taking time to tell us all this.