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Equipment and Supplies

Ellen_Mauer | Posted in Equipment and Supplies on

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Help! I am a beginner and my husband wants to buy me my first sewing machine for Christmas. I have narrowed it down to either a Bernina or a Husqvarna. I would like some opinions on choosing between these two machines. Also what is the advantage of having a computerized machine over a manual one? thank you!

Replies

  1. Joanne_Meierhofer | | #1

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    I have a 3 year computerized Bernina and a 30 year top of line Bernina from my Mom. They are both great and the feet are interchangable. My old machine was an Elna 7000 and it was a disaster. A vertical bobbin I believe is the key to a nice stitch. Both of these machines are metal and quiet also easy to clean and oil.

    1. Beth_Johnson | | #2

      *I have a question about the tension gauge on the sewing machines. I have problems with adjusting the tension. I havea brand new machine which had been sewing fine until I had to change the tension to sew on thicker fabric. Well now I can't change it back. My stitches are all loose and loopy. I checked the manual and it told me to lower the number on the tension dial. I now have the dial turned all the way down to zero. I still have loose loopy stitches.I would like to know what I can do to fix this myself as I have this problem sooner or later with every machine I have ever used.

      1. silkscape_ | | #3

        *Beth, Are the loopies on the top or underside of the seam?Dawn

        1. Chris_Knoblock | | #4

          *Beth, it sounds like the top thread isn't threaded in the tension discs correctly. Try rethreading, keeping the pressure foot up (pressure foot up-tension discs open; pressure foot down--tension discs closed).Chris.

          1. Beth_Johnson | | #5

            *Dawn and Chris, I will try looking more closely at how the thread is threaded. I'll let you know if it helps. The loopies are on the underside and my manual told me to turn the number down on the tension dial. However, I tried it in both directions to no effect.Thanks for your input!

          2. Ghillie_C | | #6

            *Have you put the bobbin in the shuttle the correct way up? it should rotate clockwise when you pull the thread. Bobbin the wrong way up gives exactly this problem and it mystified my Mother for ages.Incidentally I had a bad skipped stitch problem with my Bernina. Anguish! Turned out I had tightened the needle clamp screw so hard I had broken the tip off it and it was no longer holding the needle straight. Did not know I was that strong. Repair cost around two dollars. Will now keep a spare screw in the workbox!

          3. Beth_Johnson | | #7

            *I checked my machine just now and yes the bobbin is in correctly. I did change it at one point tho. Glad you told me about that. I always forget how I am supposed to load thebobbin.The needle thing is another matter. There are any number of reasons why it could be out of line. I'll have to take a closer look.

          4. silkscape_ | | #8

            *If the bobbin thread is heavier, or wound more tightly than the needle thread, it may cause this problem. Or if the bobbin tension is too tight (you didn't happen to pick up a different bobbin case, did you?)Strange what your manual told you to do. I would think that more upper tension or less bobbin tension would be needed. Keep trying, it's probably something so simple!

          5. Ghillie_C | | #9

            *If this was my machine I would now strip it down as far as I dared and clean out all the fuzz and threads that were anywhere near the mechanism. It is amazing how much grief a small piece of cotton in the works can cause! I would then lubricate as instructed in the manual and put it back together carefully, making sure I had got it right, and change the needle just in case. I would then rethread it top and bottom with quality thread off the same reel, and different from the ones that have been causing trouble, before testing it. Sewing machines are high precision instruments and easily upset. What make is this one anyway?

          6. Paulette_ | | #10

            *I would like to purchase a Greist Buttonholer attachment with templates. Does anyone have a source?

          7. [email protected] | | #11

            *b Looking for millinery supply in Northern California.i specifically fine straw and light buckram.

          8. Sheila_Jensen | | #12

            *I have been looking for decorative zipper pulls, can't seem to find anything. There must be something out there. I did find a rhinestone one but I think it may only look good on a rhinestone zipper. Thanks.

          9. Pamela | | #13

            *I am a beginner and have started looking for a sewing machine at a reasonable price for basic functions. Does anyone know where to find a good comparison of what to buy or at least what to look for ?

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