Dear Bernina Owners....

I love my Bernina! I really do. It is a superior machine (in my humble opinion) and I would have no other. Their slogan is true - "Nothing sews like a Bernina. Nothing."
But this past weekend, I had a small problem. This is the second time it has happened, so I just want to make all my Bernina-owning friends aware, so hopefully you won't have to deal with the same issue... While teaching a class, and talking about keeping your machine clean and lint-free, I removed my bobbin case to show how to brush out the bobbin case and carefully clean under the tension clip. When I lifted the clip ever so slightly with my fingernail, the teeny tiny screw on the clip fell out. I'm not sure if it had worked it's way loose, or if I forced it when I lifted the clip slightly. Regardless, it was out. I did find it, luckily it fell on the cutting mat right in front of me. But when I tried to get it back into place (God bless the student who had a teeny tiny screwdriver with her!!) there was no way. Oh yes, I could get it back into place, but it was not going to screw in - I don't know if the screw was stripped or what, but it just kept turning and turning...

You can see how tiny the screw is. Here it is beside a straight pin and a safety pin.
The "shaft" on the screw is hardly 1/16" long...

Luckily when this happened a few years ago, I ordered two extra screws (but of course I didn't have them with me.. Note to self - always carry one of those extras with me from now on, plus the tiny little screwdriver.) So as soon as I got home on Saturday night, I had it replaced in no time and all is well again.

So, my Bernina peeps - just a suggestion for you. Check that little screw on your tension clip occasionally, make sure it's not loose, and next time you visit your dealer, perhaps order one or two to have on hand.. just in case... I think I might even look into a second bobbin case... As we learned in Girl Guides... "Always Be Prepared"...






Piece!
Linda

"To be prepared is half the victory." ~ Miguel de Cervantes

Who'd have thought...?

 Who would think that your whole day could be messed up by the lack of a little screw? Now get your mind out of the gutter, I'm not talking dirty here... I'm talking about a tiny sewing machine screw that went missing... Yesterday I was all set to spend the day sewing. I am in the process of making several Catch of the Day bags for our national conference,
Quilt Canada 2012, to be held in Halifax in two short months. I was really looking forward to sitting down at my machine and doing some relatively mindless sewing. It had been too long. A week in fact - the last time I used my machine was at a class I taught last week. All was fine then...
 When I pulled out my bobbin case to change bobbins, the clip fell off the outside. As I examined it, I could see that the tiny screw which holds this little metal "flap" in place, was missing. Hmmm.... where could it have gone to? Everything worked fine last week...? It was nowhere to be seen- not sitting there in front of my machine, not in the shuttle race area, not on the floor. I searched for a good 20 minutes. I searched my machine travel case, the case all my machine feet are in, the "box" I carry all my "little stuff" in when I teach.... Totally gone. Darn! (Okay, I did say something a little stronger than that....) This little teeny tiny itsy bitsy screw would not be more than 3.5mm. across and hardly as long. We're talking small here folks... But it is very important! It is what holds the "clip" which puts tension on the bobbin thread. So you just can't sew without it! Simple as that! I don't have a second bobbin case... nor do I have a second teeny tiny itsy bitsy little screw....Hmmmm... what to do.... The closest Bernina dealer is an hour away. I did NOT want to spend several hours in the car, driving upriver... (Although that was my "plan B")
I do keep on hand some very tiny screws for sunglasses, complete with a miniscule screwdriver. But of course, not quite the right size/shape. Then I remembered there is a "new guy in town" now who can service and repair all makes of sewing machine. So I called Diane B as he picks up and drops off at her shop. She would try and reach him to see if he could help me. So I jumped in the car, took my bobbin case and detached clip (and machine manual) down to her to leave it for him... Bless his little heart, he found a screw that fit and I now have it back, less than 24 hours later. Pretty quick service! Thanks Diane, and Thanks "My new Go To Guy"!!!
 Now I won't tell you what that new little teeny tiny screw cost me.. it might put some of my readers into cardiac arrest! It was pricey. But I guess when you have a very specialized little part, you have to pay for it. (I'm not complaining, I'm glad to have it replaced so quickly.) I heard a similar story from a friend and fellow Bernina owner/Guild member who lost the screw in her needle clamp. Also a specialized and pricey little devil to replace. So here's my advice if you have a similar tiny screw that does an important job. Check it now and then to make sure it is not coming loose. You DON'T  want to lose it. You may not be able to replace it as quickly and easily as I did. And I will consider having a spare one on hand.. for the  future ...
 Now, back to my salmon... uhhh, that's the fabric salmon, not supper...

Peace,
Linda

May your bobbin always be full.

The Top Five...

A while back, I picked up what I thought looked like an interesting book at Winners. It was titled "The 10 Best of Everything - An Ultimate Guide for Travelers". That intrigued me so I brought it home. It contains lists of 10 bests under many categories such as Sports, Places (islands, gardens, museums and galleries, national parks, etc.), Travel (landmarks, cruises, drives, vistas, etc.), Foods (coffees, chocolates, steak houses, ice creams, etc.). Interesting reading, for sure....

As I was sitting at the sewing machine the other day, I thought- What would I choose as my 10 best or favourite sewing tools or equipment? I pondered this as I was working on my teeny tiny blocks. I decided 5 might be an easier number to start with as 10 seemed a bit daunting... So after some thought, here are my Top Five. (Perhaps I'll add five more later, for a total of The Ten Best... )

1. Bernina - without a doubt the one thing I would never want to be without is my Bernina sewing machine. I have sewed on a Bernina for almost 20 years now and I would have no other. Their slogan is so true: "Nothing sews like a Bernina. Nothing." I love it's perfect tension, it's beautiful satin stitch, it's workhorse attitude.. I love everything about it. Yes, it's heavy, but that's a sign of quality. Metal parts as opposed to plastic. The Swiss know what they're doing... Swiss Chocolate, Swiss watches, and Bernina...

2. Bendable Bright Light - this is probably the best light I have ever used for sewing. I have Ott Lights, both floor and desk, and they are great too. But for a bright light exactly where you want it, you can't beat this little gem. A non-magnetic bracket attaches to your machine with a strong double sided adhesive, and the light snaps into the bracket easily. The gooseneck allows you to adjust the bright white LED light to exactly where you want it. It makes sewing at night and/or with dark fabrics a breeze...I don't know how I ever sewed without this light.

3. Micro Tip Fiskars Snips - I love these little babies. They are SO sharp; I love their spring action (easy on the hands) and small size. With their sharp points, they are great for snipping into small corners or curves.... I've been using these for quite awhile now and they are still very sharp. Just love 'em. Just sayin'

4. Fons and Porter marking pencil - I have tried out many marking pencils over the years but I do believe Fons and Porter have come up with the best! The leads that come with the pencil are white but you can also buy a package of dark leads. The leads are made from a water soluble ceramic material; they give a nice fine line that is very easy to remove - either with the eraser (extras also available) or with water. What more could a gal want? Read more here.

5. Travel Case - I have been lugging my machine around for years, between taking workshops and teaching.... Don't know why I didn't get one of these years ago... A travel case on wheels, similar to luggage. It holds my machine, foot pedal, power bar, all cords and lots more. Pockets on outside can hold extra items. Just makes travelling to teach SOOO much easier....

Good equipment makes this hobby so much easier and more enjoyable. What would you count in your favourites?

Piece,

Linda

"Buy the best you can afford. It's money well spent and better than buying cheap and having to continuously replace..." (good advice from my Mother)