I’ve written about my tribulations with my Bernina.

Suffice it to say that they are ongoing, but this time it is the repair person and not the machine with which I have certain issues.

The machine was improperly fixed and is now worse than it was when I first had problems. It is soon to travel by bus to Springdale to another repair person who will hopefully do the job right. I have much more confidence in this repair person as she deals with another brand of high-end machines (Pfaffs) and has an excellent reputation. Word of mouth in the sewing machine world of St. John’s says that the authorised Bernina dealer here (who became such when Elfrieda’s closed) is not the greatest.

So what it comes down to is that I am going to be without a machine for around a week each time I need it cleaned or tweaked. If I could plan for this, it’d be okay, but since experience has proven that I can’t, I need a backup.

Had I not been able to beg and borrow machines around the time of the craft fair, I would have been out about a thousand in profits AND might have lost some orders and contacts from shops. As it was, I still didn’t get all that was on my plate finished and my stress level was too high to speak of.

I can’t do that again.

I need a machine with the following qualities:

• solid construction and doesn’t joggle when sewing fast
• can sew for hours without getting cranky (one of us has to be able to and, since I’m human, I get the cranky quota)
• electronic foot pedal that doesn’t heat up with prolonged use
• stops instantly
• needle can be raised or lower with a tap of the foot or heel or with a button
• handles metallic and other specialty threads easily
• excellent straight stitch and zig-zag
• feed dogs drop
• can fit to an extension table
• has a darning or free-motion foot

I’d love:

• one with dual feed built in
• needle up/down settings
• stitch memory
• blanket stitch

But the last few are probably way out of my budget.

I’d love another Bernina, but refuse to go through this kind of garbage again, especially since a machine under warranty would have to be dealt with by the dealer with whom I’m not happy. So I’m looking at Pfaffs and possibly Husqvarnas. The list is down to these:

ALL TAXES calculated into the numbers given – Canadian dollars

• Pfaff 6085 (normally $855, but can be had for $513 by buying a store demo model)
• Pfaff 1523 ($1082)
• Pfaff 1527 or 1528 ($1140)
• Pfaff 2027 ($1280)
• Husq Emerald ($unknown – will find out this weekend)

Thus far I’m thinking the first, mainly because I can afford it and it’s a solid workhorse. I already have a machine that can do everything I need (when it’s working), so what I really need is another reliable, solid workhorse of a tool.

Anyone used any of these? I’ll be test-driving next week!