Help to buy Bernina Embroidery machine?

Question

My wife informed me that I have to buy her a Bernina embroidery machine. What do I need to know before I start shopping? What are the important features? How much should I expect to pay? Buy online or is it better to buy locally?

Thank you.
Jo B

Answer 1

Most definitely purchase a Bernina embroidery machine from a local dealer. Your local dealer should provide free Mastery Classes, so your wife can learn from an expert how to use her machine. A local dealer will be able to help her with questions. She can take her machine to the dealer if she is having a problem and they should be able to help her. The dealer I purchased my machine from gave a free one year check up with a Bernina trained technician. In my area that would have cost me at least $90.

Personally, I prefer the Bernina 730 with embroidery module. It is Bernina's top of the line, and you can expect to pay around $8,000 unless they are running a promotion, sale, etc. Bernina often offers free financing, no interest for a certain length of time. A local Bernina dealer should be able to tell you if a promotion is available now or coming up soon. Well worth the wait if you want to make payments.

A used Bernina 200 with embroidery module is also a great machine, very similiar to the 730. Ask dealer about the differences. Because they no longer make the 200, you should be able to get a better price. Not sure how much.

I own a Bernina 730 and also a Bernina 440. The 440 also has an embroidery module which works great for around $4000. There are embroidery hoops, such as the mega hoop, that will not work with the 440. Be sure you know all of the differences before you make a decision.

If your wife has never done embroidery work before I would consider the Bernina 440 as I know lots of people who thought they would do lots of embroidery and after trying it, decide it isn't for them. It is an expensive hobby. Designs are expensive, embroidery thread isn't cheap, and you need stabilizer with each project. All of the literature, etc. will tell you to stitch out a trial design before stitching on your intended projects. So everytime you do a design, you stitch it out twice, so you use more thread, more stabilizer, etc.

The dealer I purchased my Berninas from also offered upgrade deals. I will try to explain by example: If you bought a Bernina 440, and your wife loves embroidery; you could turn the 440 back in to the Bernina dealer within a certain time frame, and they will give you the full price you paid for the 440 against the more expensive Bernina 730. I don't know if all dealers offer this or if it is a Bernina policy so all dealers have to offer it. Ask your local dealer.

In my opinion, Bernina is the best home machine on the market. I have never had to have any of my 4 Bernina's repaired. Two of them are well over 20 years old, and I sew almost everyday, lots of times all day.

Hope this helps!
JN

Answer 2

I own a 440 QEE. The reason I bought the machine was because of the stitch regulator for quilting. My husband convinced me to get the embroidery attachment when I purchased the machine. Now I'm glad I did. I have started embroidering and I have learned how to combine it with quilting.
Purchase the upgrade in software if you can afford it and get some of the other hoops that will fit the machine you get. Buy locally - on line may be cheaper but you will pay alot for shipping and this machine weighs alot. I spent about $3500 for my machine with the embroidery unit and got the 0% financing. I then payed it off over the year of free financing.
Your local dealer should offer classes with the machine. My dealer also has a qualified repair person on site. That is great if something goes wrong. I also received a free cleaning within a year's time and now make sure that my baby goes in to be cleaned and tuned yearly. I like to make sure nothing is going to go wrong while I'm in the middle of a project.
Have her tell you what model she would like. It would make your life alot easier or do what one of my friends did, her hubby took her to the dealer and let her look and try out all the machines that they could afford. She then got her choice of machine and they both were happy.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

Bernina Embroidery Module For Sale

Answer 4

Buy locally. Find a dealer that you like and is knowledgable and who is willing to help you with your questions. The local dealers often have lessons included in the price of the machine.

Know what type of sewing/embroidery will be done on the machine. Does she want to sew Apparel, quilting, mending, etc. or only embroidery? Each model has its strengths in certain areas. Go to a dealer or two and get brochures that list the features of the different models of machines. Then sit down with your wife and narrow down your choices by what she would like in a machine. Have her visit the dealer locally and talk to the people to see if she is comfortable with their expertise and their customer service. If so, "pick their brains" about the different levels of machines so that she can make a good choice when the purchase is made.

Be prepared to spend. They are not cheap. The quality is there, so they are worth the money. Allow for the accessories and supplies that are needed. Also, does she want to digitize her own designs for the machine. If so Software will have to be purchased. Maybe she will have you digitize, if it interests you.

I hope this helps. It took me quite a while for me to sort out what I wanted in a machine. Many visits to the dealer, gleaning as much information as I could by talking to the sales people and fortunately having the opportunity to talk to the service people. They know how the machine works and which ones do what better. They can give you more technical information if you are the type who wants that info. Because of this, I found out that there are two kinds of bobbin holders and they work better for different types of sewing, heavy and regular to lightweight.

I bought a 630 QE because I like to sew, quilt and wanted to be able to do all kinds of sewing in addition to embroidery to dress up my quilts and bags.

Good luck. She picked a very good Brand.

Answer 5

It would be nice if it were as simple as design and sew. There are so many variables when you sew out the design that I recommend the best you can afford. Many designs are very stitch intensive and the fabric and stabilizer play a big part in how smooth the finished design looks. And once you start embroidering you will find many possibilities you never thought of. You can make entire objects (purse, lace etc) using you machine and software. I would go with the most you can afford because you will never regret it. I spent a lot and was not sure at the time. Since I started embroidering with my machine, I have not reretted speding a penny.

Answer 6

This is easy. If my husband came home with anything but top of the line I would still love him but be disappointed. I bought the lower line Babylock and thinin a year traded it up 4 times until I got the top of the line. There are very good reasons they have that machine. She will be the happiest woman (besides me) in the world. PLEASE DON'T BUT OVER THE INTERNET-GO TO A REPUTABLE BERNINA DEALER IN YOUR AREA. THIS WAY IF IT EVER DOES NEED A LITTLE TWEEKING AND THESE COMPUTERIZED MACHINES WILL ON ACCASSION, SHE CAN TAKE IT THERE AND GET IT DONE FOR FREE. Don't think cheap when it comes to sewing machines and the such. I have been sewing for 48 years and have had almost every kind of machine and you can't go cheap-YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

Answer 7

If you're in the US, check out Joann Fabric and Crafts. First, check out their website (www.joann.com, I think, or use Google to find it) and see what machines they have on sale. You may have a Joann store near you. Ask your wife; if she sews, she'd surely know! They have a really good sale on some nice machines right now. I don't know if they're Bernina or not. If not, ask if another brand that does the same thing would be ok, and offer to buy designs (they sell the patterns or templates or whatever-they're-called for the designs separately) with whatever money you save. She might like that, or she might say she'd rather have the Bernina itself. You'll never know if you don't ask.

As to buying online, unless the shipping's free, it'll kill you. These are heavy items to ship. If you live in or near a large enough area for good shopping, get it locally. It's worth a little drive to get it locally, I'd say.

Answer 8

Hi. First you need to write down what make of Bernina. I myself have a husqvarna Designer 1. Love it!! K. First things first. Where are you from? I'm Canadian. I bought my machine in Alma, MI. I also did a search on the internet for the dealer sites. They have alot of information on the products they offer as well as places to purchase. Next I found a dealership and shopped around. Depending on which machine she wants and if it's can. or us., will also determine price. I paid 2000US for mine but you can purchase a Brother Disney machine for about 300US. and embroidery machines can go for as much as 10,000 CAN. You need to determine what she will use this for and what kind of extras she may need.. Does she want to do business...etc. She might have already done some of that..look for a pamphlet around her sewing room... goodluck.

Answer 9

Two other places to look at for the machine are Ken's Sewing Centre (they are on the internet) or if you are in Canada go to Triangle Sewing Centre in Guelph, Ontario. Both have good deals. One thing to make sure you get, though, is a good repair package. Something that totally covers the machine. You may not need it, but when thread gets stuck inside your computerized sewing machine, a repair person is the only one who can get it out of the machine. It is good to have just for peace of mind as well.

Answer 10

Definitely local, so she can go back for lessons or service, and also because the shipping cost on one of those will be murder. Just look up "sewing machines" in your local yellow pages and you will probably find one or two Bernina dealers who offer customer service. Try to get her to show you which one she wants. The prices range from 400.00 to 4,000.00.