I have to admit to a secret love in my life! No not a good looking guy but a machine! And yes it is a Bernina machine, a Bernina 830. But why do I love it so much? Yes it has many wonderful features and is an absolute pleasure to use, but perhaps the biggest reason for my love of it, is that it is a machine that inspires me and takes me on new creative adventures.
The inspiration for the design of this Japanese knot bag, in the picture above, came after a little bit of playing around with pattern stitches on the Bernina 830. I had a lot of fun creating this bag and I will explain the design process and include a download of my design for the Japanese knot bag in my next blog. Other than the line of candlewick stitching I created all the line stitches myself in V8 embroidery software.
Inspiration is not only an important part of any creative process, and each time we sit down to sew or embroider something we are being creative, but being inspired is an important part of everyday life and our mental wellbeing. Many people are inspired by music or art but if you have never thought of being inspired by your Bernina machine why not find a spare hour and sit down at your Bernina machine with fabric and thread and give yourself permission to just play. Not sure how to get started well here are a few ideas
- Every child loves a blank piece of white paper and a box of differently coloured crayons. Our equivalent is a box of colored threads and a plain colored strip of fabric. I often work on a stripe of cream or white fabric approx. 10cms wide.
2. Sat at your machine and not sure where to start why not just choose a stitch pattern and stitch it? Stitch a few different ones and see how they look.
3. What happens if you change stitch lengths and stitch widths of the same stitch pattern? What else can you do with it, mirror image it?
4. If you have not used the memory feature to create stitch recipes now’s the moment to try it out.
5. Experiment with different threads, not just different colours but if you have them variegated threads, and different weights and types of thread can all give a different look to the same stitch. Try 2 different coloured threads going through 1 needle.
6. Never used a twin needle, now’s the moment to get it out.
Just experiment and you will get some suprises! Some of the things you try will work well, and some you will not be so pleased with, but that doesn’t matter. Don’t be afraid to push buttons and try things out; you are not going to break your Bernina machine! Modern Bernina machines are very good at telling you when you are asking the machine to do something that it doesn’t like!
Most important of all is TO KEEP YOUR SAMPLES for future reference, even the ones that haven’t worked or you do not like. I try to mount all mine as it is the only way I can be sure of finding them!
Have fun and let your Bernina machine take you on a new adventure!
Bernina 830