Connie and I are digging through the quilt shop, sorting, boxing and pricing stuff for the sale June 4-5-6. We have not started sorting through the quilts yet – right now we’re working on patterns and office supplies.
About the choice of Bernina – when Connie and I started Country Threads, I had a Singer and Connie had a Kenmore. After a couple years we found we were always needing a repairman because we sewed so much. We started asking other quilters about their choice of machine and the majority recommended Bernina because it was so reliable. Years and years go by without any malfunction of any kind and we sew hours every day. We did not need a fancy machine but we wanted the features of a knee lift and needle stop down. In order to get those features, we ended up with machines that are capable of doing lots of stuff that we have never ever used. We have several other Berninas in our classroom but the 1230 is my favorite. And that is why Connie and I chose Bernina sewing machines.
I too sew on a Bernina, on two of them in fact. Love them both, the 930 ( Birthday gift from my husband in 1985 and a 153 I purchased in 2001. I am currently needing to do some purging myself. 40 years of quiltmaking mountains of fabric and 9 sewing machines including a Gammill Classic.. one of these days I will get started with the lightening of the load..good luck on your end…
Me, too. A Bernina 1530 purchased in 1998 and still going strong and a 750 last year. Both work great. Have fun sorting! I always find fun “stuff” that I just have to read, look over, or share. LOL
Mary,
Am dog sitting a friend’s long haired Chihuahua this evening; what a sweet lap dog she is!
Can’t beat a Bernina. I’ve read the 1530 is the last metal model Bernina made. Heavy to tote around, still reliable to sew on and use for machine quilting. The needle down stop is my favorite feature. I also sorted thru “some fun stuff” (buttons, beads and ribbons) today looking for embellishments for some small stuffed hearts I sewed for Valentines Day.
School busses didn’t run today due to thick fog, but the sun came out about noon and tonight it’s still clear enough to see stars.
Launa
We are in south Texas for the winter and I am sewing on my first Bernina given to me in 1969, a 730! At home I have a new, wonderful 730 with all the”bells and whistles”! Love them both!! A real joy was going over to Switzerland to see where they are made!
Congratulations on your retirement!!!
I have 2 Berninas & would not trade them for any other! I had a Singer & had to have it repaired almost every week. I was taking a class at Stretch & Sew & they carried Berninsa so purchased a 830 & it has been so good! No repairs! This one is designated as the best they made so will never get rid of it! They have a 830 today but not the quality! Good Luck with your sorting!!!
I sewed on a Singer that my Dad helped me buy when I was 12, I sewed that baby into the ground.
Had a contract sewing job to make 90 valances, my Singer didn’t last through the job, had to borrow a friend’s Bernina–I had no idea what a great machine was until then. I am now 60, have had a couple of Bernina, never had a problem ever! I am also amazed at the advances in Sewing Machine Technology–I started on a treadle! Good luck with the sort down–bittersweet!
1230 for me, too! I bought it mail-order from Sewin’ in Vermont – sight unseen. I had never even dreamed of paying so much for a sewing machine and they discounted, too! No one I knew had a Bernina but I had heard such wonderful things about them. It’s still my workhorse over 30 years later and, for a number of years, I sewed for a living.
Bernini fan here too.. Have an 830 from 1979… Which is used by my granddaughters..and I bought a 155 in 2003…both are still going strong, but still love the perfect stitch of the 830.
I too had a Singer (Touch & Sew), which lasted for 30 years….until A1 Sewing sabotaged it.
Now I have a Husqvarna…which I love. And I have an inexpensive Janome – easy to transport so it gets used often. But there are features on each of them that I would change. Having a knee control on both of them would be a #1 feature to change!!
A friend gave me a quilt kit she had purchased and decided she would never do it. It is 30 stars for 30 years #30. I have really enjoyed working on this kit but I got to the step section 4 to make the star border. When setting aside the fabrics needed from the kit, I discovered the 12 Lights, 1/8 yards each were not in the fabric supplied. Is it possible the fabric was accidently not included? I am mostly concerned about buying different fabric at a local fabric store as it may not be the quality of the fabric in the kit. Any suggestions? Thank you. Ann Freeman
Are you sure you didn’t cut them by mistake? We sold hundreds of those kits and never had anyone else say those pieces were missing. I can’t help you with fabric anymore – any red and green Civil War fabrics will work fine.
Had first a Montgomery Wards machine, then a Kenmore, and then a Bernina 1230. Such an awesome machine and it has sewn millions of stitches, maybe billions. I also have a Bernina 180, but love my 1230 the best! My other machines are a Brother PQ1500 for machine quilting, and my grandmother’s Featherweight.
Good luck with all your sorting. 30 years was a long time to accumulate!