Why I Bought a Bernina

Friends, there is a fine line between decisive and impulsive.

Scratch that.  In life, it's better to be decisive than impulsive.  But one person's decisive may be another person's impulsive.  Does that makes sense?

Long story short, I bought a Bernina.   It should be here within a week.   I was, admittedly, a little impulsive about the purchase, but very decisive too!  Here's why I bought it:

1) Having sewn with so many different kinds of sewing machines in the last four years, and with Bernina being such a major player, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  How can I recommend -- as I have here and elsewhere -- vintage black Singers and throw out superlatives when I haven't tried all the big brands?

2) If I don't like it, I can sell it.  I got a good deal, provided it works.

3) If I do like it, well, then I'll be really glad I took the plunge.

The machine I do most of my sewing on now -- a vintage Kenmore 158.141 -- is terrific.  But I don't think I'd have received a hundred comments if I'd written about vintage Kenmores, whereas a post about Berninas inspired a torrent of recommendations (along with a few naysayers). There must be something to the Bernina mystique.  I'm determined to find out what it is.

4) While I could have gone to a sewing machine store (in my case, my neighborhood quilting shop) and tried out Berninas there, that would have limited me to only contemporary models.  I was more intrigued by the older machines.  Plus I like supporting people who sell used stuff (provided they're honest and I believe most are).  Needless to say, used is generally cheaper too.

I feel very fortunate never to have been stuck sewing on an inferior sewing machine.  I've bought roughly twenty-five vintage machines and they all had their charms.  I couldn't keep them all,  however, so I passed some of them along -- they all left in better condition than they arrived.   I've sold Singers, Pfaffs, Elnas, Kenmores, Whites, and Necchis; I never regretted purchasing them: that's how I learned what I liked.

I want to thank those of you who helped convince me to give Bernina a shot.  However it works out, you inspired me to be decisive (and a little impulsive too).

Have a great day, everybody!