Bernina Bliss
Description
The sewing journey began in an 8th grade Home Ec class. I was hooked; by 9th grade, I was making most of my clothes and continued taking Home Ec every year of high school and majored in it in college. My dream since college was to own a Bernina!!! I watched on the side lines as the price went up and the dream faded. The machine I used throughout college gave me such problems; I ended up using a Singer featherweight to make most of the garments, often going to the Bernina dealer to make the buttonholes! Years later, the closest Bernina dealer was about 45 minutes away. I would take quilting classes, renting one of their machines to use. When I was pregnant with my 6th child in 1996, I took a class and used a Bernina 1130 that had come in for resale. They made me a deal I couldn’t refuse, so the 1130 was put on law-a-way. I began making monthly payments, but desperately needing the machine, I asked them for a contract where I could continue making the payments, but bring the machine home. We agreed on the details and a contract was being written. One afternoon, my parents stopped in and Dad said, “I understand you are going to be making payments for a sewing machine with interest…how do you plan to do that?” I explained my plan. Dad said, “How would you like to make payments without interest?” “How?! They aren’t willing to do that!” He responded with, “If I buy the machine, you can just pay me without interest….Deal?” as he extended his hand to shake on it. Well, interest free is better than paying interest, my dad didn’t raise a dummy!!! So we shook hands on the deal. Then I asked him, when he would be able to get the machine. He started to laugh…..”It’s out in the car!” Gasp!!!! I was SO excited. We had sandwiches for supper that night as I sewed way into the night!!!! Nothing sews like a Bernina!!!!
Lucky you!I too took Home Ec in 8th grade but that was the only time it was offered to us. My mom and grandmother were great for inspiration. I received a Kenmore with special stitches on cams after my parents heard I was borrowing someone else’ sewing machine to make clothes. Still at this point I hadn’t heard about Bernina machines. My first look at a Bernina was in my mother’s new craft room. I think it was a 930. Much later after she had passed, I asked my dad if he still had Mom’s Bernina (I was still using the Kenmore). He had sold it but he did give my grandmother’s machine, it was a Huskavarna. I loved that machine but soon outgrew it. I wanted to do embroidery and I loved Bernina’s free-hand system. The more I looked at them the more I knew I wanted one. Eventually I purchased one in an Ebay auction. It is an Artista 185. Since that time I have continued ti sew, made a quilt and embroidered. A couple years ago I invested in the Bernina 580. I love it. With it I have been able to make a custom lace insert for a friend and other projects.