| If you were to start a sewing machine Hall of Fame, | | | | the stitch width, and the stitch selection (straight |
| the first few inductees might include the Singer 221 | | | | zig-zag mode or decorative stitch mode). There's a dial |
| Featherweight and perhaps a Singer 201, but ... it would | | | | for the 5 step buttonhole as well as selections to drop |
| definitely include a Bernina 830. | | | | the feed dogs and to slip into a "slow speed/high |
| This industry and sewing proven machine has a large | | | | torque" mode for extra punch! |
| and dedicated following ... and more and more sewists | | | | Finally, there's a socket that accepts Bernina's presser |
| want to join the 830 club. As a result, even though it | | | | foot lift arm. Nudge it with your right knee to raise the |
| was only produced from 1972 through 1977, it's | | | | sewing foot (you can also raise it manually with the |
| probably more in demand today than it ever has been. | | | | standard lift arm behind the sewing head.). To really |
| Prices unfortunately reflect this -- there's not a great | | | | use the knee lift properly, you should use your left foot |
| supply, but there is a great demand. Expect to pay | | | | for the foot control! This takes a tiny bit of |
| between $350 and $800 for a good used machine! | | | | getting-used-to, but is nice once you do so. |
| The Bernina 830 is one of those rare and happy | | | | The 830 is a free arm machine -- although there is a |
| mechanical occurrences where the manufacturer | | | | sewing "table" that slides and locks onto the free arm |
| simply got everything right (kind of like a 1957 | | | | -- that uses old style Bernina feet. These are bayonet |
| Chevrolet!). These metal and mechanical marvels purr | | | | mount feet that pop on and off incredibly easily (that's |
| along as smoothly today as when they first left the | | | | what sold me on my first Bernina). The old style foot is |
| dealer showroom. | | | | a little shorter than the new style. |
| The manuals are long out of print -- although copies | | | | Once you join the Bernina family, you'll find yourself in |
| are easily found on the Internet. There are online | | | | constant foot acquisition mode! There are dozens and |
| support groups as well (like I said, there's a dedicated | | | | dozens of feet -- but you can get by with only a few. |
| following!) | | | | Standard feet on an original 830 include Zigzag, |
| The 830 is a sturdy mechanical machine -- no | | | | Embroidery, Overlock, Blindstitch, Buttonhole, Small |
| computers or chips. It offers 21 stitches -- with 15 of | | | | Darning, Tailor tacking, Hemmer 4mm, Pintuck |
| them being decorative. It has 5 different needle | | | | (7-groove), Lap Hemmer, Zipper, and the low Shank |
| positions and you can vary the stitch width and length | | | | Adaptor. |
| up to 4mm. You've also got a Five Step Buttonhole; | | | | Bernina "Old Style" feet are readily available. List price |
| this is the same as a four step buttonhole, with a fifth | | | | tends to be $20 to $30 per foot; used feet may only |
| straight securing stitch down one side of the buttonhole | | | | be a few dollars on Ebay. |
| stitching. | | | | I've occasionally had bobbin woes on Bernina models -- |
| Controls manage the stitch length (including reverse), | | | | but never on the 830 series. It simply works all the time. |