Iceblossom

We all have things we like and don't like and the perfect machine for one person might be perfectly awful for someone else.

My new-to-me modern Bernina 820 was an immediate regret of the first purchaser. She just hated it and by the time she decided she just couldn't adapt she could only get regular turn-in value, which was less than half price. She wasn't the only one, Bernina quickly discontinued the model and let's just hope they don't keep re-using old model numbers. Some of the machines seemed to have mechanical issues that were immediate and never fixed to the satisfaction of their owners. My model does not seem to be one of the lemons.

My friend who loves Berninas said she would buy it for half price and her friend agreed. My friend sewed with it for about 5 years and never clicked with it. She feels it is fussy with threads and replaced it with a 770 that she is very happy with. Last time I visited her we packed up the 820 and mailed it to me. I used it pretty hard for a year and overall I'm quite pleased with it. Then I had one of those "everything was working fine the day before" mornings a couple of months ago and I've tried cleaning and all the standard stuff and it needs to go to the shop. I like it well enough to spend as much for a servicing as I would to go buy a brand new or reconditioned vintage machine.

I'm accustomed to doing my own maintenance on my vintage machines but my vision is getting iffy for that... still, I find it hard to accept the idea of machines that need regular tune ups. But hey, they cost more than some of my cars so why not? This time anyway. Next time I can't fix it myself I'll probably go back to a machine that's more basic. I've got to say though, I love the knee bar for foot up, and the foot control has needle down that I like a lot. I've grown to depend on the bobbin sensor (but I'm unhappy that it is not a standard bobbin size). One of the biggest changes that I didn't expect is with the thread cutter I am much less covered with threads, and now that I'm using my portable cheap Brother, I'm using up a lot more thread.

And then with my vision issues, the fully automated threading of the Bernina is wonderful. But even my cheapo Brother has a threading assist. As is the lighting and the huge workspace makes it possible for me to machine quilt. I know some of you can do wonderful things just using a 221 or whatever, and I can stick my quilts together with my small throat vintage machines, but that 12" throat is just a wonder. So maybe I will keep on paying for tune-ups.