Replies

1. 
   JeanEsther | Apr 30, 2003 02:24am | #1

   I love my Bernina 135PE, though I probably would have gone for the 145 if I had to do it over. It handles going from thick to thin easily, can do sheers and denim with equal ease, and generally sews a very good stitch with no adjustments. I love the needle up/down feature, as well as being able to adjust the needle side to side. Buttonholes are excellent, though I wish they locked at the end so I wouldn't have to pull them through and knot them.

   The 135PE has a quilter's stitch that stitches very short stitches at the start and finish; I use this for most sewing even though I don't quilt. The 135 does backstitches instead, and I much prefer the tiny stitches.

   Not all the embroidery stitches are that nice, but that's okay. You can't memorize a reverse stitch, so that really limits custom stitches. The 145 has mirror imaging and bound buttonholes--the two things I wish I had. The light is not very good.

1. 
   teebie | Apr 30, 2003 04:10am | #2

   I have always thought I would like a Bernina but the one I was looking at was a little more than I could afford.  I saw a Baby Lock Ellure advertised for $999 and think it has a lot of features for the money.  There is no Baby Lock dealer in my area and I would have to travel several miles to look at one.  I do have a Bernina dealer which makes it easier to look at and purchase and service is this is necessary.  Does the Bernina 145 have an embrodery feature?

1. 
   JeanEsther | Apr 30, 2003 07:24pm | #3

   No, the 145 does not have embroidery. When I bought mine a year ago, I think the 145 was running slightly over $1000, and the 135PE slightly under. The machines with embroidery were way over my budget.

1. 
   teebie | May 01, 2003 12:22am | #4

   Price seems to be my problem also.  I would love to have a Bernina embrodiary machine but they are way over my price.  The new BabyLock Ellure seems to be a real deal on sale until May 31 for $999 but I don't know anything about them. So I am still researching to find the right machine for me ( that I can afford).