bernina frustration
 

I have a bernina 570 qe. I am very frustrated with how when piecing, If I hit an intersection where other seams meet and there is bulk there, it pushes the fabric to the left and bunches. I called a local sewing center. They told me it was a design flaw and it might help to get a straight stitch plate.
Was wondering if anyone else had the same problem and what you did about it. I bought the machine about 4 years ago. Thank you

Some people just love Bernina... some of us have less glowing experiences. I have the 820 which was not a popular model, it was owned by two Bernina fans before me who each continued with the brand to happier results.

It looks from the pictures I saw that the 570 has the integrated walking foot thing, the arm that comes down from the back of the presser foot. I typically piece with that engaged. When piecing, I do use the single hole plate.

While I have some other issues with mine (like it doesn't like to "sew into space" and suck down triangle points), I don't have your exact problem -- but then I press my seams open and pin at each intersection. Hope you can figure out a fix.

Try raising your presser foot setting as high as it can go (when the foot is down.) And when you piece your tops, try and spin seams at intersections to reduce the bulk.

For my longarm I have a plastic cup-shaped foot for gliding over seam intersections. See if maybe a foot like that is available for your 570.

Yikes... I just looked up feet for your machine, and the one I was talking about was $125! Mine was pricey too, but not that much. Take a look at it. It would defimitely solve your problem.
https://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/1...All%20Products

It's on Ebay for $105. Bernina #74 Adjustable gliding cup foot.

Thank you. I will try some of the suggestions. I really want to love this machine, but so far, not so much. Hoping to get it resolved so I can enjoy quilting. For the price I paid, I was expecting a dream machine.

I also have Bernina's. I have learned to slow down at bulky sections and it goes over the seams much straighter. But, if you are not piecing too many seams like that, Stop, and use the hand wheel to advance over the seam and then continue sewing the rest of the way normally.
I also press my seams open when possible and I make sure I have a new sharp needle. The needle must be replaced often. Check your handbook to see how often they recommend. I am thinking after each project or after eight hours?
The machine has a walking foot or like someone said, use the even feed that you pull down from behind the machine and attach to the foot to give it a more even grip.
You can use the jeans helper tool if you have one in your attachment box. It is placed under the back of the foot to even out the foot so you can sew across bulky seams.

Here is the bernina learning site. It has tons of information about your machine and the how to's.

BERNINA Learn & Create: Sewing Inspiration and Assistance - BERNINA

One of the things I have loved best about my Bernina's over the years is that they don't have any trouble with bulky seams. I'm sorry to hear you are having a different experience. I hope one of the suggested solutions works for you.

That has been my experience with Bernina's. I've been making some bags and I'm using my Bernina just because it does handle bulky seams well. Did you contact your Bernina dealer about it or just a generic sewing machine dealer? Bernina's do tend to be a bit specific and a Bernina dealer is usually your best source.

This has been my experience. My little "Red Machine" Bernina 215 with the 5mm stitch width, does just fine while piecing especially when I have my straight stitch plate on. My 590B (9mm stitch width), is much more finickily when piecing. I found the following things help. 1. Use a straight stitch plate, the wide needle hole on the regular plate just sucks fabric into it, 2 If you have your machine set up for the "hoover" function, turn that off while piecing, while it is absolutely wonderful for doing applique, it is not good for piecing. 3 I am using the 97D foot which also helps as the left toe covers the feed dogs. 4 I also find it helpful to use a stiletto when going over the seams and 5 also use the knee lift to lift the foot while placing the fabric right up to the needle. I think basically, the 5mm machines with a nice straight stitch are the best for piecing. I am determined to learn to work with my 590 as it has so many wonderful features.... but because there are so many options and ways to set up these fancy newer Bernina's there definitely is a learning curve. I have found googling my question or concern and then watching the you tubes that come up on Bernina's are way helpful..

I have had a Bernina for 16 yrs and it is a 440QE. I have not had that problem with this machine, I hope you get it figured out. Hang in there!

I have one of the 570 QE machines, and I have the same problem. I think it is because of the wide space between the feed dogs. That allows the machine to stitch wider specialty stitches, but it prevents the fabric from being in contact with both feed dogs when you sew a quarter inch seam. I have resigned myself to using my walking foot to give a little more control. I don't need the wider space, since I don't do machine embroidery. For a supposed Quilting Edition, I was disappointed in some of the short-comings it has. It didn't come with a walking foot, but it did come with a buttonhole foot! I hope you find a work-around for your piecing.

Leslie

You can also join the Bernina Land Group. They'll be able to help, too.
https://berninaland.groups.io/g/main

Those are my thoughts exactly about the 9mmm feed dogs on some of the Berninas. They are absolutely wonderful for all those wonderful decorative stitches and for garment construction where you have a wider seam. I am seriously thinking about getting a cabinet insert for my little Bernina 215 with the 5mm stitches so I can place her in my sewing cabinet to use while piecing. I have been using the 215 while constructing the blocks and she is just fine. Then I take the blocks and go over to my Bernina 590 with the 9mm feed dogs and construct the rows and borders as this machine is in my big cabinet and is easier to manage. However, Bernina does have a number of machines in the 3 and 4 series with the 5mm feed dogs and I think these are the machines that should be advertised as "Piecing machines" by Bernina. The 9mm machines just don't handle our 1/4 inch seams all that well because the feet do not cover the Right feed dog entirely. I also don't think this issue is isolated to Bernina. Other Brands of machines with the wider feed dogs have the same problem. I do want to do more embroidery and sit down quilting and I think my 590 is going to be great at those things, just bumbles with the piecing because of the wider feed dogs. So, I am just using my little 215 for piecing and it was not that much money. As they say "the right tool for the right job" Tee Hee. See we all know you can't have just one sewing machine!

I have an older Bernina. A 1260. I have sewn on the new models and they can't come close to sewing like the older ones. They have new features and do amazing stitch work but can't compete with the perfect feed of my old one. No problem going over humps, even jeans seams. I don't understand why if something works and does what it's suppose to do and does it well why can't it be left unimproved.

Same here! I have a 1090 from the early 90's. It's a dream to sew on, so is my 830. I have no desire to own a newer Bernina.

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I think a lot of machine manufacturers wanted to make the newest and best. So they made machines that can embroider (did you know an embroidery machine actually only uses a straight stitch), could do all those wonderful decorative stitches, could even stitch a horizontal seam (higher end ones stitch sideways), had self threaders, could free motion quilt, could have needle up/down, could program your own modified stitches including decorative ones. Well, I think they made a mistake as actually very few of us use those decorative stitches. I think they should have kept their top of the line piecing machines with that narrower feed dogs and just added the extra wonderful things like needle up/down. When they made those machines that "can do everything" they messed up the things that made for wonderful piecing of the quarter inch seam. Ha! I could redraft every quilt pattern I want to do and replace the 1/4 inch seam with a 5/8ths inch seam and I bet my newer machine would piece up a storm. Umm, I may have to try that with a simple nine patch and see how it goes. I think that is some of the attraction with the old straight stitch machines....that is all they can do...and they do it well! So, more thought is being given to get that cabinet insert made for my little 215 Bernina and then she could live in my cabinet and I could be piecing while my new, fancy, Bernina 590 sits on top of the cabinet to the side and happily embroiders up a storm. Ha, the 590 could stitch the fancy embroidered quilt blocks while I am using the litte 215 to stitch them together, win, win.

Oh, just wanted to add, two of the berninas mentioned here as good piecing machines are the 440 and 630, neither of them are made anymore, both of those had the 5mm stitch plate, I had both, and they were fairly decent at piecing. The newer 9mm machines as far as I know, are the ones that have problems piecing. Again, Bernina does have some newer model machines that actually are the 5 mm ones and I really would like to try one of those. Does anyone here have one of the 4 or 5 series machines with the 5mm?

I was at the AQS show in Branson this week and the Bernina vendor was telling a customer to use the no.71 foot for binding. I had to look that number up. Anyone ever used that foot for binding?

Oh, I just wanted to add, I don't think the 1/4 inch piecing issue feed is just a problem with the Bernina's. My friend who has a high end Viking with the 9 mm stitch also has a problem with the feeding when trying to do a 1/4 inch seam, her machine does absolutely beautiful embroidery. I think that anyone who wants to do a lot of piecing aught to really try out one of the 5 mm models vs 9 mm models of any of the brands of machines and see how they compare. Bring some triangles and other quilt pieces. It would be interesting to see what we discover. So, those antique machines that only do a straight stitch may be the stars of the piecing game.

Someone mentioned the newer Berninas don't come with a walking foot. With the dual feed you really don't need one.
I love my 770 and have no trouble getting the quarter inch seam. Hope you get it figured out.

Susie, How do you set up your 770 for that quarter inch seam? I have been trying different things, currently using my single hole plate, disabled hover, using the 97D foot, using the dual feed. It still wants to hang up on seams sometimes especially when I first start out as the dual feed foot is not on the fabric then, Also when I get to a seam, if the seam is facing toward the back of the machine, it tends to get hung up on the left toe of the machine. I find I have to raise the foot a tad to get that seam back down. I am also using a stiletto as I stitch. I have thought of using the 1 foot and just moving my needle to the right. Thanks for any info you can give me. Oh, and I am using the 1303 straight stitch in the quilt menu

71 foot
 

Yes, I have used it for about 5 years on my newer 770. There was a great tutorial on utube, about how to use it for binding. It is an older foot, (for older models) but works great!

Well I have been stitching just fine with the adjustments I made to my 590. Hopefully I have mastered my 1/4 inch seam on it!

My co-workers and I (at a Bernina dealership), have decided the best way to piece on a Bernina with the 9mm needle plate hole is to use a #34D foot and move the needle over 3 bumps to the right. Then your fabric is engaged with both feed dogs. With any of the 1/4" feet, the right feed dog does not engage with the fabric (thus the piecing problem). With the needle bumped over 3 to the right, you guide your fabric just inside of the right feed dog. Works perfectly!

Thanks....I will have to try that also, I was thinking of just using the regular foot and trying that. I also bought the 5mm stitch plate for the 9mm machines, I may see if that will also work with the 34

Thank you, Quilted Sunshine! Looking at that foot right now. Only downside is I will have to thread the top thread through the foot opening each time I start a stitching session. Maybe I could file a narrow channel through the plastic?

The 34D foot is the same foot as the 1D and is also the same as the 1C. The 1D doesn't have the side slit for the thread but can be used with the dual feed. The 1C does have the slit in the side for the thread pull but can't be used with the dual feed. Both the 1 C & D feet are metal. When I use the 34D feet, I will use a leader ender so I don't have to continually pull the thread throught the foot. I don't think I would try and make a slit in the plastic foot as that would likely weaken it?

You can buy a seam jumper to sew over thick seams. I got one with
my Janome. See the video.
https://madamsew.com/blogs/sewing-bl...his-magic-tool

Or you could improvise like Laura of SewVeryEasy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UVoCX1oWwc

Sorry, already ordered one.

You ladies have covered about all the bases, but I will add a couple of ideas ... YouTube BerninaJeff, he is a whiz with all things Bernina!
I have the 440QE and like several others think that the 5.5mm feed dogs are better for quilt piecing. I just became aware that there is a model that is made for the European market but can be special ordered here in the US. The B720 has 5.5mm, 10" throat, jumbo bobbin, and thread cutter. All features that make it an attractive choice for piecing.

I am now a happy camper! I have watched several you tube and reread some of the manual. I can now piece half square triangles and thicker seams without pulling my hair out. Still like the simplicity of the 5mm and straight stitch machines but can now piece on my 9mm Bernina. And I do love some of the additional features on the 590 such as being able to "put the machine to sleep" without having to reset my settings when I return.
And Thanks everyone for your suggestions. You are the greatest!