Embroidery Machines: What's Your Take?

Machine embroidery is one of those things I never thought I would be interested in--it seems so fussy and complicated. So many threads! Hoops! Stabilizers! Computer programming! Machines that just sew on their own for hours on end! (Which is kind of creepy, in my opinion.)

But I'll admit that my interest has recently become piqued. I love the look of embroidered fabric, especially with a vintage vibe. I mean, just take this 50s gown embroidered with--wait for it . . . STRAWBERRIES.

Of course, if you wanted to recreate this look, finding a berry-embroidered tulle fabric would be next to impossible. Which is why I find myself suddenly interested in embroidery machines. With the right software and equipment, you could just make your own fabric!

I then found out, through the internet search rabbit hole, that there are machines like the Brother NV5000 (pictured above) that have tons of pre-programmed florals, and yes! STRAWBERRIES. Not that it's in the budget right now, but you know--maybe someday.

The problem is that I really know nothing about the whole machine embroidery world. So, as usual, I turn to you, dear readers. Are any of you into this stuff? Do you embroider your own fabric? Do you have a machine you love? Please tell!

My Bernina 1008: Two Years Later

I only just now realized that I've had my Bernina 1008 for over two years! When I was in the market for a new machine, I asked your opinions on mechanical machines and then discovered how much I liked them. I haven't written about my machine since, because it's been a smooth, drama-free relationship. (Yes, we're in love.) But I've been getting lots of emails about machines lately, so I thought I'd revisit the topic.

If you're unfamiliar with the 1008, here are a few facts: it's a simple mechanical machine (no computer or LED display), but it's made by Bernina (renowned for its quality) so you're looking at a higher price tag than for other mechanical machines. I paid $850 for mine, but I think the price has gone up slightly since then (anyone gotten a quote on this machine recently?). It's an all-metal machine, so it's very sturdy.

Pros

Let's talk about the good stuff.

•  I love the way this machine sews. It's smooth and fast. It does 1,050 stitches per minute. For comparison's sake, you can usually expect 800-900 from a home machine. The downside is that when I sew on other machines, they feel so slow!
• It's an easy, no-fuss machine. It does what I expect it to do, and doesn't jam or have other annoying issues.
• The stitch quality is lovely.
• It sews chiffon and heavy wools with ease. It doesn't have adjustable presser foot pressure, but I haven't even noticed because it just takes whatever material you give it and sews it flawlessly.
• When oiled and dusted regularly, it purrs like a kitten. I haven't taken it for maintenance since I bought it because it does so well with proper home maintenance. (And I'd miss it.)
• No extraneous features and stitches. I love the simplicity of it. It doesn't have alphabets or alligator-shaped stitches; it just does what I need and does it well. The majority of my time is spent on a straight stitch, with occasional zigzagging. I'll use the blindhem and the buttonhole every now and then. That's all I really need.
•  The metal case is sturdy and good-quality. 
•  The 6-step buttonhole is a revelation! Not having to deal with my machine jamming in the middle of an automatic buttonhole is lovely.

Cons

• It comes with snap-on feet, as opposed to Bernina's standard kind with the shaft attached. This was disappointing, since everyone raves about Bernina feet. So one of the first things I did was start replacing the snap-on feet with the traditional Bernina feet. I've spent a pretty penny on feet, some utilitarian (zipper, invisible zipper, edgestitch, clear, blindhem, etc.) and then lots of fun extras (ruffler, walking foot, pintuck, narrow hemmer, and the list goes on). Many of these I would have had to buy extra anyway, so it's not entirely a fault of the 1008. But damn, these feet are expensive!

 

• It's heavier than a small child. Not really an issue if you're not planning on traveling with it. (I lugged it on a bus to Baltimore, along with luggage, and it was hell. I couldn't get a taxi home from the bus station on the way back, and it was raining, and it was awful, readers.) On the other hand, metal has that nice, quality, long-lasting feel to it.
• There's only one buttonhole. I love keyhole buttonholes, so this is sad for me.
• The price makes it out-of-reach for beginners. The quality makes it worth the price, in my opinion. But beginners always ask me for my recommendation for their first machine, and while the 1008 would be a fantastic machine for a new sewist, the price tag just isn't practical for a newbie.
• It's made me a speed demon. (I've always had a lead foot, just ask my parents and the California state police.) If I were to get another machine, it would be a straight stitch or semi-industrial that sews more like 1,500 to 2,000 stitches a minute.

All in all, I couldn't be happier with my machine. The pros far outweigh the cons. I have other machines, but they've all taken up permanent residence in the closet since I got the Bernina.

I feel like I'm missing stuff here, so let me know if you have questions and I'll update the post! I hope this helps you all in your quest for your dream machine.

(Wo)man Vs. Machine

A good friend of mine is a sample maker for some big-name designers. As such, he is a firm believer in efficiency in garment-making and everything he makes is done pretty much exclusively by machine. He always seems flummoxed by my insistence on extensive hand sewing. I try to defend my ways, but he has a machine solution for every hand-sewing merit I can think of. Even basting underlining! He says that if you decrease your upper thread tension you can avoid puckers.

I love hearing his tips, but I'm not really budging much from my prior beliefs. After all, if hand sewing and tailoring was good enough for Dior and Balenciaga, it's good enough for me. But this pro-machine attitude must be rubbing off on me a bit because the last dress I made I sewed entirely by machine--not a single hand stitch went into it! I even sewed the buttons on by machine. (Tip from my sample-maker friend: secure the buttons in place with Scotch tape and then zig zag them onto the garment. It works well, I admit.)

It was a good solution for this particular garment, which needed to be made quickly since it was a practice-run of a design that's going in my book. But for the "real" dress, I'm taking my time a bit more: making bound buttonholes and sewing the buttons on by hand with waxed silk thread, for starters.

I know that my penchant for hand sewing wouldn't fly in a sample workroom, and that's fine with me. There are reasons beyond speed and efficiency that people sew for themselves: to enjoy the process of making something by hand, to learn the craft of fine couture garments, and sometimes just to slow down and do something tactile. When I get preoccupied by speed, I tend to lose some of the pleasure of sewing.

But then it's also nice to have the ability to whip up a dress that's sturdy enough to throw in the wash once a week. Like most things, the solution is probably in the balance: using a melange of hand and machine techniques for each project and assessing each technique as you go along. To be a versatile seamstress, you really do need to have an arsenal of skills ready to go at any given moment.

But I would bet that most people lean one way or another--towards hand sewing or toward doing everything by machine. What do you think? Do you have a preference--or do you swing both ways?

Your Sewing Machine's Overlock Stitch

Did you know that most regular sewing machines have a special overlock stitch that mimics a serger's stitch? It's true! My Bernina has one, and so have the Pfaff and Brother machines I've sewn on.

Most people without a serger use pinking or zigzagging to finish their edges, sometimes without even knowing they have an overlock stitch on their sewing machines. What makes this stitch different from a zigzag is that it has a special foot with a little pin that helps the stitch wrap around the raw edge of the fabric. It uses more thread and can be pretty slow-going, but it's very secure.

Here's the top view of the stitch on my Bernina 1008, in pink thread. The bobbin thread is yellow.

And here's the back. See how the thread wraps around the raw edge?

This is what the stitch icon looks like on my machine.

Your machine will have a special foot for the overlock function. On a Bernina it looks like this:

The red arrow points to the pin, which you align with the raw edge of your fabric. The pin keeps the fabric flat and allows the thread to wrap around it.

Since my serger needs to go to the shop, I used my overlock stitch to finish the raw edges of some fabric before pre-shrinking it in the dryer. The overlocked edge held up just as beautifully as a serged edge does!

Do you use an overlock stitch?

Do You Know a Feed Dog from a Golden Snitch?

Okay, I think it's time to lighten the mood around here and yesterday the lovely Sal of Already Pretty sent me just the thing. How utterly stupendous is this sewing machine diagram from Regretsy? (The original R-rated version is here. Both versions are available in poster form here because you know you want this on the wall in your sewing nook!) I can't decide what my favorite feature is on this machine: the "horn of gondor" or the "cryhole." I also have a feeling "bobbinator" will be making its way into my regular vocab.

Aside from delighting me to no end, this image also made wonder how well we sewists really know the terminology of our machines. Would you know a tension disk if it hit you in the head? How about a shuttle race? If you've read the book Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp, you'll know that she's adamant that sewers should know the names of each part of the machine. She takes you through it all very well - there's even a quiz at the end of the chapter! Being the dutiful little student that I am, I took it seriously (and I totally aced the quiz, guys!) so I have a pretty firm handle on the major exterior parts. But I would be pretty much useless were I to be confronted with a . . . motor, or whatever else is inside there. It could be magical gnomes running the thing for all I know.

How about you? Do you have the technical lingo down? Or are you all about the "spinny thing" and the "wheel of numbers"? Are you going to order this poster? Admit it, you totally are!

Like a Well-Oiled Machine

Believe it or not, I had never oiled a sewing machine . . . until last night. My last machine was "self-lubricating" so I never had to worry about it. But I've had my lovely Bernina 1008 for a few months now and I kept having a nagging feeling that I should be doing some sort of maintenance on it. Lo and behold, a quick glance at my manual informed me that I should be oiling this baby every 3-4 hours of sewing.

Foot Fetish

Readers, I have a thing for feet. Lately, I can't stop thinking about them. Blindhemmers, rufflers, invisible zipper feet. Oh, did you think we were talking about something else? Sewing machine feet, people. I'm obsessed!

It's possible that this might be an ailment that's rife with Bernina owners. As soon as I bought my 1008, everyone was telling me how fantastic the Bernina feet were and how I had to buy this one and that one and this one . . . Also, my 1008 comes with one traditional Bernina foot (with the shaft attached, like the one above), but the other five included feet are snap-on. Many people were insistent that I'd want to replace those snap-ons with the traditional feet. ASAP. I was dubious, I confess. I've never bought an extra presser foot for a machine, and I didn't see any reason to start now.

And then I started sewing on the Bernina. And it's true, the traditional foot feels much sturdier and convenient to use. And then I ordered an invisible zipper foot (#35, for those in the know), and now I'm hooked. I put in an invisible zipper flawlessly yesterday! And so presser foot fever has begun.

I've since started making a list of the feet I want. I spent a blissful lunch hour at my Bernina dealer (side note: isn't it funny that they're called DEALERS? Because seriously, I'm addicted to what they're selling) going through the Feetures books. The Feetures books are a kind of controlled substance in themselves: three glorious, glossy binders full of feet and step-by-step illustrated directions for each technique you can use them for. Of course, in true dealer fashion, these books are also for sale, for what I hear is an outrageous price. Are you surprised that I want them desperately?

I'm going to start by replacing the four snap-ons that came with the machine (blindstitch, overlock, zipper, and buttonhole). But then the list just keeps going: edgestitch, straight stitch, walking foot, piping, ruffler. I want a jeans foot and I've never even made jeans! But who's to say I won't start if I don't have the perfect foot?!

And these things aren't exactly cheap. I could probably spend almost as much on feet as I did on the machine! Are there any fellow foot fetishists in the house? Which ones can you ABSOLUTELY NOT live without? Are there any that are worth passing on? Do share!

Better Buttonholes (and Thoughts on Fancy Machines)

Readers, thank you so much for your manual buttonhole tips! My new Bernina 1008 and I are getting along fabulously and I've been putting your suggestions into effect. Doesn't this latest one look so much better than my last one?

The big thing I discovered is that you should use the BUTTONHOLE FOOT. Shocking, I know. My tips are cutting edge once again. For some reason, I thought that there wouldn't be a dedicated buttonhole foot for a multi-step buttonhole. Indeed there is. (I know, I can't believe I'm writing this either. Gertie, Queen of the Obvious.) For a multi-step buttonhole, it's a simple little doohickey with grooves on the bottom that slide smoothly over the "beads" - the raised sides of the buttonhole. The other change I made was to set the stitch length just a little shorter than recommended. Voila! Lovely buttonholes. At least I think they're lovely. What say you?

Also, I just wanted to share that I love my new machine. It's perfect for me, and I'm so glad I went with this one. I've made a blouse and a skirt on her, and we've bonded already. I still don't have a name for her though! All in good time, I suppose.

Anyway, on the topic of fancy sewing machines, as promised in this post title. I was interested in a comment Robin made on my earlier buttonhole post. She said:

I think you did a great job assessing your needs and weighing them to make your sewing machine decision. The business model used by SM manufacturers /dealers is frustratingly outdated and much maligned. Too many people go in with an idea of what they want and come out with a machine costing way more; with features they will never use.

Great point, I thought. It would have been very easy for me to be talked into a fancier machine, like the Aurora I was originally looking at. Though I agree the business model of sewing machine manufacturers and dealers is somewhat shady (convincing you that you NEED the top of the line model to sew beautiful things), is it also outdated, like Robin suggests? There does seem to be a push toward more streamlined, USEFUL technology in the computer world (like what Apple is doing, for instance). I wonder how this could be applied to the sewing machine industry.

And yes, I'm sure I would have loved the Aurora as well. Time will tell for sure, but I don't think I need the features of the Aurora, which would have cost me an extra $1,049. And with the money saved, I'm planning on attending one of Susan Khalje's couture sewing schools, an experience that I think will advance my sewing more than 283 stitches would.

What do you think? Are there ways you would like to see the business model for the sewing machine industry change? Are you frustrated with the choices (or lack thereof)? Please share!

My New Friend, the Multi-Step Buttonhole

It's a long weekend here in the U.S., and what better way to spend it than getting to know my new machine? I picked her up last night, and we're already getting along smashingly. (I haven't named her yet - I figure I'll give her a little time for her personality to emerge.) Despite my earlier doubts about a multi-step buttonholer, I'm already a convert. My old machine used to jam, without fail, right in the middle of a buttonhole. I love having the control of being able to start sewing again anywhere in the process in case something goes awry. So thanks to all of you who spoke up in defense of multi-step buttonholes.

Also, I find the multi-step buttonhole so fun! As you know, I'm a knob turner. And a six-step buttonhole on a mechanical machine is basically a knob turner's dream. Woo hoo! Just another wild weekend here at Chez Gertie.

That's one of my practice buttonholes at the top of the post. Not bad, huh? The sides look a little thin to me, perhaps because I'm pulling the fabric too much. I'm so instinctively worried about jams from my old machine that I'm probably trying to control it too much! I'm going to try to chill out on that a bit.

Other than making more a ridiculous number of buttonholes, I've also been whipping up some blouses and working on a fun new tutorial for you. I'm really excited about this one . . . more details to come.

I hope you all are enjoying a fabulous weekend of sewing and relaxing!

Are You a Button Presser or a Knob Turner?

Thank you all so much for your input on my machine quandary! I was just rereading all the fantastic comments, and one really stood out at me. Marlena raved about her Bernina 1008, and then added: "I find it fun to have to turn all those knobs!" My goodness, I could not agree more. Whilst trying out the 1008, I kept thinking how delightful it was to turn KNOBS! (It really is the simple things in life, I suppose.) This all got me thinking. I've developed a theory that there are two kinds of sewing machine enthusiasts in this world - button pressers and knob turners.

So, I'm a knob turner, I've discovered. But there are plenty of button pressers. All those people who exclaim you can do something "at the touch of a button!"? They're button pressers. That's all well and good for them, but give me a knob to turn any day.

So, how about you? Are you as thrilled as me by turning a knob? Or are you in the "touch of a button" camp? Do tell.

Also, this is a very roundabout way of telling you all that I decided on the 1008. I put a deposit down today and will pick it up next Friday! I thought hard about my options, but I just really liked using the 1008. I must have been swayed by all those glorious knobs.

Thanks again for your help!

Thoughts on Mechanical Machines?

So, as I've mentioned, I'm saving up for a new machine. I've been pretty sold on the Bernina Aurora 430, but I've been researching other options in the meantime. One of the things I find distasteful about high end machines is all the unnecessary features. (Don't get me started on all the various crappy alphabet stitches. It makes me crazy.) So I've been looking a bit at mechanical and industrial options. I went down to The City Quilter and had a delightful time trying out the Bernina 1008, a very basic mechanical machine.

It has the same lovely stitch and ease of use as the Bernina Auroras. I really enjoyed sewing on it - there's something about the basic quality of it that appeals to me. The lovely saleswoman helping me owns this machine and loves it. And I found I didn't miss any of the bells and whistles. Also: it's a whopping $1,049 cheaper than the Aurora 430. (Meaning that I have the money saved to buy it now.)

BUT. I have two concerns (neither of which are total deal breakers) that I wanted some input on. The first is that it doesn't have adjustable presser foot pressure. I've seen varying thoughts on this on Pattern Review and elsewhere. Some people think it's a necessity, others have no problem living without it. I have it on my current machine and hardly ever change the pressure.

Secondly, it's a multi-step buttonhole rather than a one-step deal. Now, I don't make a lot of buttonholes. I make bound buttonholes on my blouses and I take my jackets and coats to Johnathan Embroidery to have them professionally done. So I'm not sure if this would make a huge difference to me.

What do you all think? Do any of you have this machine? Do you think it's a wise choice? Thanks for your input!

I'll Get You, My Pretty

Oh yes! You will be mine, Bernina Aurora 430.

I got to try out one of these bad boys while I was in Arizona - my mom has a Bernina dealer within walking distance of her house! (The cruel irony is that she isn't interested in Berninas at all; she's a Pfaff girl.) I absolutely loved using this machine.

I've been contemplating an upgrade for a while now. I've sewn on a Brother PC-420 for almost two years, and I haven't been completely happy with it. It has all sorts of bells and whistles, but the stitch quality is quite poor. The length is almost always inconsistent, especially when basting. So Berninas were at the top of my list to consider since they're known for their stitch quality.

My test drive definitely didn't disappoint! The stitches were lovely. Here's a scan of the little sample I made. It's variegated thread, hence all the different tones. You can click to see it bigger!

Aside from the quality of the stitches, what I really liked was how intuitive it felt to use. I could see myself adapting quickly to this machine.

The drawback is, of course, the price. I was quoted $1999 at my local dealer here in New York. I've been budgeting, and with some penny pinching, I plan to be the proud owner of a Bernina Aurora 430 by the end of March. With the amount of sewing I do, I feel it's time to invest in a high-quality machine. (Funny quote from my mother: "I would have told you not to buy a Brother! Not that anyone asked me . . .")

But . . . this means a strict moratorium on shoe and fabric purchases, readers! I will be avoiding sites like Zappos and Re-Mix like the plague. (Ack! I just went to Re-Mix to get the URL, and there are cute new shoes! Gold ones! Help!) The two loopholes I've allowed myself for the fabric rule are 1) I'm allowed to buy linings for projects already planned, and 2) I can purchase fabric needed for upcoming VoNBBS projects.

Wish me luck! Also, any advice? Have you ever planned for a big machine purchase like this one?