By Kaysie Oldani, BERNINA Educator

I received an assignment to create a little girl's sundress incorporating the new Blossoms & Bows OESD Signature Embroidery Collection. Now, this creative thing is not me, but I forged on with help from my "sew" creative peers!

Shirring the bodice with elastic thread was a hoot with the Jumbo Bobbin on the BERNINA 830 - it holds so much more elastic than a normal bobbin.

Speaking of "Jumbo" - embroidering the complete design in ONE hooping using the Jumbo Hoop was the best! Now, if you're so inclined, go ahead and make one for yourself!

One of the most important tasks in the development of a machine is the testing. The BERNINA 8 Series machines were tested for months and months by different departments in the various stages of development. Watch "The Making of 8" video to discover the amazing story of the 8 Series machines. In conjunction with the Swiss testing, we began testing the usability of the 830 in January 2008 with a group of dedicated US Educators from Bernina of America. The US testing team consisted of five educators who joined me in January, March, May, June and are here in the factory with me now for our final week of testing. The US testers were to stretch the machine to its creative limits, using all types of fabrics and threads, all the BERNINA feet -making mistakes that all sewers make as well as placing demands on the machine that BERNINA customers make. Whereas the factory testing is very systematic, the US testing was also very demanding. The testers had to write step-by-step bug reports and had to repeat steps many times in order to reproduce certain machine behavior. Testing requires focus and patience. It was excellent to be able to test in the BERNINA factory where we had direct access to the engineers. They were eager to hear the US feedback and that testing feedback contributed to the fine tuning of several features. The photo shows testers in the factory with Mr. Hanspeter Vogel, head of Application and Testing. The testers from left to right are: Nina McVeigh, Susan Fears, Jennifer Gigas, Jeanne Delpit and Jill Danklefsen Braley. I asked some of the testers to give me their thoughts about their experience and this is what they had to say:  

"Having the opportunity to test the BERNINA 830 at the factory in Steckborn gave me a new appreciation for the ingenuity, workmanship and pride that goes into the development of every BERNINA product. Every feature has been carefully thought through to develop a machine that puts the creative sewer first, whether it be the ease of Automatic Threading, the Jumbo Bobbin or Absolute Check.

Absolute Check is hands down my favorite new feature. For new and experienced embroiderers alike, accurate placement of embroidery designs on a project can be a challenge. Absolute Check makes it so easy to ensure the design will end up exactly where I want it-every time."

Jennifer Gigas, Director of Education and Training

"To watch the Swiss team and the US team come together to make the 830 the best machine possible was amazing to me. In testing, you write a lot of bug reports - the best part was to be able to explain and show the bug to the specific engineer responsible for that area - and hearing them say - oh I know what I need to fix - and then to see it happen. It was also a unique experience to work with the engineers who developed the new technologies on the 830 and learn from that engineer the attributes of that feature - to see in detail what makes each Bernina so special.

My favorite feature: Absolute Check in embroidery. I design 'as I go' much of the time, and to be able to know 'absolutely' where each part of the design will sew out is an incredible time saver plus the precision is exact. Absolute check is not an approximation - it is exact."

Susan Fears, BERNINA Educator

"Being in the factory and working along side of the Swiss engineers was a true honor. The pride in workmanship and attention to quality and detail is clear in everything they do. Testing the BERNINA 830 was a once in a lifetime experience! My favorite feature of the 830 is: My freedom to choose and make the machine MY OWN! But I love the automatic needle threader."

Jeanne Delpit, Director of National Events  

Visit your BERNINA dealer to see the BERNINA 8 Series machine software demo and learn about the features of these machines.  This week we host 365 US dealers and staff in the factory to show them more about the 8 Series machines. More on that next week!

I've just returned from the Long Beach Quilt Festival where we showed the BERNINA 830 for the first time to attendees at a Consumer Festival. There were lines of people wanting to see the new BERNINA baby - many who had watched the webcast. If you missed it, it's now online for all to see at www.bernina8series.com, or just click on this link. It was gratifying to hear that people enjoyed the webcast; many of you listened so well that you could recite the BERNINA 830 features to me!

I was thrilled to hear your reaction to the machine. The favorite features were size, automatic threading, multi spool holder, jumbo hoop, and jumbo bobbin. One thing that you seemed very surprised and relieved about is that your feet from your current BERNINA machines will fit the BERNINA 830!!!

Joanna Wild, my colleague from the BERNINA factory - and a very talented person who made the gown you see in all the advertisting - and I demoed the machine over and over to groups of people. On the first day of the show I must have threaded the needle automatically over one hundred times. It is a good thing it is so easy to do - and that it works every time. (Click on the button photo to link to the auto-threading video.)

To be able to finally show the BERNINA 830 to you and to have the features validated by your excitement is so reassuring. The reason the machine is so wonderful is that it is the realization of what you have been telling us you wanted and needed. it is truly your dream machine!