Creative articles about embroidery

We all love our Berninas

My closest Bernina dealer is just over an hour’s drive away, so I’m not a frequent visitor.  When an invitation to a special event dropped into my inbox, though, I knew that I just had to accept.  It was to a demonstration of the new Adjustable Ruler Foot #72 and the set of quilting rulers designed to use with it.  Not only that, but Hannah, from Bernina was going to be demonstrating Version 8 of the Designer Plus Embroidery software which I’ve been exploring on my free, 30 day trial.  During the last couple of weeks I’ve been wondering if I should become fully familiar with the Version 7 which I own already before upgrading, or if I should move right along and enjoy all the latest features.

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It’s always good to watch an expert demonstrate all the features of a program and a group of half a dozen of us sat around and watched as Hannah showed us the finer points.  Of course, we were all intrigued by her samples (and her beautifully embellished dress!)

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For me, I was reassured by the familiar interface of the upgraded version.  Having done a little work with Designer Plus V7 already, I was relieved that Version 8 didn’t look that different.  But could I get an answer to my question?  Should I upgrade?

Well, the answer was soon forthcoming.  As soon as I knew that V8 includes the cutwork feature of the Bernina Design Works program I use, it was definitely going to be a worthwhile transition.  I get so easily confused by the two programs, the idea of being able to use the cutwork feature in the embroidery software is a bonus.  Not only that, but the photostitch is an instant hit, of course!

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It’s useful to have a reminder, too, that a single motif can be explored in so many ways using the features of both versions of DesignerPlus, isn’t it?

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I always give up way too soon and find such reminders very useful.   I have a new challenge to explore!

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With a cup of coffee in hand, I couldn’t wait any longer to see what clever things Jane was doing in the workroom.  I’d heard the machine humming away and knew something exciting was being created.

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I’d seen people quilting with rulers online and watched some videos of the technique but without a Bernina foot for my precious 880, hadn’t felt able to give it a try.  With the launch of these new accessories and the #72 foot, the time had come not only to take a closer look but to give it a try!

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I couldn’t believe how easy it was to get started, and how quickly what looked like a pretty tricky quilt pattern could be stitched.  I was so impressed by my first attempt, because I am a real beginner when it comes to machine quilting.

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Reassured by the wealth of supporting resources available, boosted by the knowledge that Jane and Hannah are there, ready and willing to share their knowledge and expertise, I added a new foot and a set of rulers to my Bernina collection.

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It will take me some practice before I create a masterpiece but equipped with such an amazing machine, I have all the tools I need – and no excuses 😉

What a great morning spent in the company of Bernina fans, sharing the love!

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