New Bernina

[Judith T.]

My first year's total teaching salary was $2000 back in 1957. Can you imagine waiting to earn enough money to buy that new Bernina? Do they expect the average quilter to come up with that kind of money? Do you know how many gallons of gas that would buy? Judy in AZ

[Judith T.]

It's more than my first year's teaching salary in 1971,too. It's more than three times the price of my first new car (volkswagen beetle). Maybe if I'm really,really,really good...okay, take off one really because being too good is an unrealistic expectation for me ....Santa might lug one down the chimney for me.
Hey, you can always dream. BTW, anyone see a Santa anywhere around? :lol:

[Judith T.]

I want it too, but with 2 kids in college..... I"m just not sure. Plus I want to see it in person first and see how it sews. I don't need all the bells and whistles. I'm thinking about getting the 820, which has less bells and whistles but the same wide bed.
Here is another issue..... I have a feeling our old cabinets wont work with this machine.
Roni

[Anne B.]

IDo you know whether or not a new model sewing machine has the same typical problems as a first model year car (problems that inevitably have to get worked out over the first year and are fixed in the second year model?) :?: I have not considered a machine that is new on the market, and wondering whether it will likley come with the headaches :x that I just don't want to deal with. Thanks for any advice you can share! Mary Kay

Does anyone know the answer to Mary Kay's question? I've never bought a new machine before (all my machines are 1968 and older, going back to 1886). I'm really interested in this one, but wonder whether it will take a while to work the bugs out. What's been the experience of those of you who have bought new Berninas just after they've been introduced?

Anne in Vancouver, Canada

[Mary K.]

I was asking my dealer this question last weekend and she assured me that Bernina would take care of any problem that was found after the launch. She also told me that Bernina has been developing and testing this new machine for 3 years, so they had worked through many issues. I felt reassured after talking to her - I love my current Bernina and have only had good dealings with the product and the dealer, so I felt like I could trust what I was hearing.

I am really interested to get the details on the new machine, as well as hear the price tag.

Mary Kay

[Mary K.]

Sit down, deep breath and don't be surprised at the price tag............ready, $12,000........how can someone justify that when people are losing their homes and are living from meal to meal ? What do you think?

[Lynn K.]

I'm with you! Maybe it dates us, but I don't need anything THAT expensive to do what I do!

I have a Bernina 830 and a Janome 6600 and i can assure you, when I paid ( I think) $900 for my 830 in 1972 I thought it was out of sight but my DH had looked them all over and endorsed it!

Then 2 years ago I paid $1099 for my Janome 6600 and thought that was actually quite reasonable and it does all I want it to..... I can't imagine having enough MORE WANTS to justify $12,000!

But I also CHOOSE to live in a quite small house, and CHOOSE to drive an 8 year old car, and CHOOSE to not heat my house in the winter,..... so we all have our life styles we choose for many different reasons. Course, it doesn't hurt that I live in Houston where it rarely freezes! I'm sure in Wisconsin or New York I'd choose not to have a/c and keep the heat! LOL

[Liberata T.]

I believe you are right about making choices when it comes to spending. I believe that Bernina was targeting the American market because some people just have to have the latest and greatest, the USA economy was better at the time of development, the USA is about 50% of their market, and interest in crafting of all kinds was growing.

Their timing may be off now that the Series 8 is available. By fall, the hold on our discretionary cash may be tighter. Food, shelter, transportation, health care are more necessary than a bigger sewing machine unless it is a tool for one to make his/her living.

My complaint is that after deciding to spend $$$ for a new machine, I wasn't told about the coming availablilty of the Series 8 when I visited a large Bernina store in California this March to discuss, in my native language, the pros and cons of the various models. Would I have spent even more $ (or CHFs here) for the Series 8? I don't know. My annoyances with the 630E are minor and overcome by attachments or alterations in my sewing space. The only issue is the physical size but I don't do bed sized quilts very often.

$10,000-12,000 is a big investment. Does anyone know if Bernina will have scaled down versions of the Series 8?

[Lynn K.]

Libby, just curious as to what IS your native language?

I agree with everything you have said. It is, for most of us, discretionary spending, and for much of the USA market at this time, there is less of that available.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. Meanwhile, I will sit on the sidelines and quilt my little heart out. And hope and pray enough people have the ability to buy it so that TQS continues to have the $$$ support it needs!

I in no way want this to be a criticism of Bernina because I have always believed they produce a Cadillac product - I just can't always afford Cadillacs! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Lynn

[Liberata T.]

Just FYI: I am an American citizen from California who has been living and working in various countries in Europe (& 1 assignment in Singapore) since 1994. I claim American English as my native language. DH and I are now retired and living in Switzerland (4 official languages: German, French, Italian, Romansch).

[Jo H.]

Just FYI: I am an American citizen from California who has been living and working in various countries in Europe (& 1 assignment in Singapore) since 1994. I claim American English as my native language. DH and I are now retired and living in Switzerland (4 official languages: German, French, Italian, Romansch).

Wow... I envy your speaking ability. Knowing that many different languages must be wonderful. And, being able to retire in Switzerland is simply awesome. I would love to be able to visit your country but I don't think I could be in an airplane for that length of time. We hardly ever fly any more because of how uncomfortable it has become on flights within the U.S.

[Liberata T.]

Off topic:
ladyquilter wrote:

Wow... I envy your speaking ability. Knowing that many different languages must be wonderful.

Please, I don't want to mislead you, I do not speak all those languages. I wish I did. I speak halting French and I've been here for 8 years ops: I was speaking passable Italian in the mid 90's, but I haven't used it often since then. And, "If you don't use it, you lose it" is a very true cliche in my case.

[Hannelore N.]

Well, I'm definitely not going to buy that new Bernina. Sometime in the not too distant future my car will need replacing. My income (no husband to pamper me) is ok, but doesn't allow for luxuries, and my machine gets uses mainly for straight stitch sewing or zigzag. I have a lovely, relatively inexpensive Husqvarna Interlude, and a lovely little Frister and Rossman Cub 4 from the early 70s. Somehow I don't think that my quilts would be technically any better or visually more exciting if they were done on a top of the range machine.

Lorchen

[Hannelore N.]

http://www.bernina8series.com

The webcast was beautifully choreographed! Here's a link to get to know the newest Bernina.

[Hannelore N.]

well I'm going to give my deposit tomorrow.
I want that needle threader and the bobbin!
Roni