My First Bernina
Description
One warm spring day in 1982, my husband and I drove to the Wards Corner shopping center in Norfolk, VA, to browse the stacks of Tower Records. As we walked by the shops on the way to the record store, I noticed a display of sewing machines in one of the store windows. After browsing a number of record collections, we began our stroll back to our car. As we passed by the store with the sewing machines displayed, I convinced my husband that we just needed to take a quick “look see” at the new machines. I had been sewing on an old Singer machine and was frustrated with struggling with knit fabric and T-shirt fabric that my feed dogs just loved to chew up. The salesman greeted us in the store, heard my tale of fabric woe, and he said, “I think I have the machine for you!” He demonstrated the Bernina 930 Record and he confidently stated that this machine would sew perfectly on any fabric, no matter how thin, how stretchy, or how dense. I was amazed at what the machine could do, but the price tag of $2500 was so totally out of our budget that I laughed and began to walk away. My husband totally surprised me when he said, “I think you should get this Bernina sewing machine. It’s expensive but it looks like a really good machine that will last you a long time. We will find a way to pay for it.” Well… that’s exactly what we did! I traded in my old Singer machine for the state of the art Bernina 930 Record (that came with it’s own Parson’s cabinet), and I never looked back! I took a loan from my life insurance policy to pay for the machine and it was worth every penny spent. I sewed every day for 15 years, making all of my and my children’s clothes, and some decorations for the house. I love the 930 Record. It still hums along today, every stitch as perfect as the day I bought it. My grand daughter and grandson have learned to sew on it, as well. When I retired in 2014, my husband surprised me, again, with a new Bernina sewing machine: the 580. Even though I have enjoyed updating my skills to embroidery and quilting, I still love hearing the tac-a-tac-a-tac . . .of my 930 Record. Thank you, Bernina, for sewing machines that are a dream to use for generations.
My “First Bernina” come from a friend. She and her Mom had spent many hours using their Berninas together. My friend, having just upgraded to a new machine, lost her Mother to breast cancer. Somehow selling her moms machine was something she just couldn’ do. She new my love for sewing and new I would take care of her moms Bernina. So my First Bernina was a loved 1130. When embroidery machines became the “thing” I got my second Bernina a 730 which I just replaced with a 790+. But my First holds a special spot in my heart and l use it as much as my new machine and think of my friend and her mother as I sew.