What does such a titel make you imagine? Perhaps a crime or a BERNINA made of swiss chocolate? Well, neither one, no the other, I have to apologize!

Three weeks ago I spent a weekend in the Netherlands for my last class in  2014. I have been to Naaimachine Totaal in Kerkrade, near Aachen. Three days where planned, I prepared two workshops to introduce the new material corkskin, made in Portugal. We would sew some nice accessoiries made of cork and during two days a very special handbag. I love to be with my dutch customer Mathilda Pallandt, as she is also a BERNINA dealer and I can choose one of her machines for the workshops. This time, she told me some days befor the workshop, that she now has the brandnew BERNINA 880 on stock. Wonderful! No question I wanted to work with this machine.

Or perhaps a smaller version? The variety of BERNINAS is seductive!

Perhaps the  BERNINA 750, that I have here with me at home for half a year, to work on and get to know?

Or the  BERNINA 780 – hmmm but there she is – the new 880?

Well, as I have been working for the last five years with the BERNINA 820 and the machines are quite similar, I decided for the BERNINA 880. Let’s got! When would I get such a possibility again?

The next day we startet. Corkleather of different colours was chosen and to get to know this new material, we all startet to sew a spectacles case. The ladies cut, quilted and sewed:

Afterwards we startet doing some nice tablet cases. All workshopmembers did a great job:

I used the time after the workshop to discover a bit more the new BERNINA 880. What more could I say than: it was a special enjoyment! This machine is ranged in a completely different league. It’s hard to say exactly what it is. Perhaps the sort of persuasion, the machine does stitch by stitch? An important element for me, whilst working on a sewing machine is the feeling I have with it. And this was in this very first moments with the 880, the best I ever had.

The next day we startet working the very special handbag, made of cork. In the first hours there was quite a big job of cutting to be done. This was quite fine, because it gave time for talking to another, drinking another cup of coffee or tee. I was pleased to see how different the ladies worked and designed such beautiful designs and color combinations.

Finally the sewing machines where placed on the tables and the first quilting work began. This time I accompanied the ladies, working step by step – sometimes it is easier and more precise than only orally explaining.

The BERNINA 880 allows precise freemotion quilting. It cannot be denied that it needs lots of practise, anyway I had the feeling, that moving the material was much more controlled that is had hitherto been.

The ladies worked diligently to proceed with the handbags. Front- and backsides and side sections where creatively quilted, the body of the bag was sewn together, bagholders where prepared. Besides all this hopefully not to loose the overview ;-). Pocketing fabrics where choosen, espescially the striped christmas fabric matched perfect with the playful hearts of the red/natural coloured bag:

Whilst sewing all parts together, the machine was a bit more demanded and I could make more comparisons. My feeling strengthened me more and more. I was not wrong, that my lovely workshop ladies where quite amused about me ;-).

Slowly the handbags got into shape:

The last assembly steps had to be done by hand. Mounting the binding was a bit strenuous and timeconsuming, especially towards the end. But keeping in mind, that the bag was nearly finished, gave quite a good motivation boost!

Within 2 days all those beautiful handbags, made of corkfabric has been created. Some of them are finished, whereas others need a little more detailed work to be done at home.

My conclusion of these three creative days in the Netherlands: very creative ladies, beautiful works, great hospitality, enthusiasm.

My first impressions of the BERNINA 880: reliability, precision, safety, enthusiasm, clarity, conciseness, sympathy, curiousity, passion and so much more.

The result: I have ordered the BERNINA 880 after my return to Germany. She is for me the ultimate on newest sewing engineering, that I want to work with. I was convinced on first sight!

Many cordially greeetings,

Jutta Hellbach