Bernina Virtuosa 150 Sewing Machine
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A justifiable luxury for the intermediate quilter
Pros
solid, excellent stitches and customizable, needle-down and pressure foot lifter features are musts
Cons
a little whining noise when first sewing, finicky bobbin (just follow the manual)
Recommended it?
Yes
I started quilting in 1996 on a vintage 1920s Singer portable. It only went forwards and backwards. I needed more.
I started saving for a Bernina the next year, and trust me, I had to save a long time.
I had decided that I wanted the hands-free presser foot lifter and the needle-down feature. Anything else was a bonus. Or so I told myself.
I settled on the model 140 with the appropriate (expensive) upgrades to the near-equivalent of the 150. And soon regretted it. It was just too bare to be worth the $1500 cdn I'd spent on it. The stitches included with the machine were not changeable and I didn't really like them. I wasn't happy.
I was lucky that my dealer allowed a 6-month 100% trade-in. So I was able to add the additional $400 or so to get the model 150 I'd really wanted, and didn't lose any of the original money I'd spent on the 140. (Is this confusing? Sorry.)
Anyway, the point is I then had a real model 150, and I have never since regretted it
This machine is the Jaguar of sewing machines.
The features of the 150 are designed specifically for the quilter, and I've used a lot of them.
The needle-down feature is a godsend, especially when doing complicated piecing or quilting. The hands-free pressure foot lifter, likewise. The 1/2 speed motor control is great for when you're stippling. The 1/4" patchwork foot is a bonus.
My favourite feature, though, is the super-heavy buttonhole stitch (#18, I think). It looks so much better than the version I did by hand (and people said I did great buttonhole stitch) that I've stopped doing it by hand altogether! Great with fusible applique and it stands up to the washing machine!
I can easily pop out the CPS card and get other stitches, but I'm not much for embroidery, so I haven't explored them yet. I think I'm saving it for later. It'll feel like a whole new machine!
The walking foot is great, for quilting and bindings. Keeps them from bunching up in spots. I've done some free-motion quilting, too, and just need lots of practice to produce top-notch results. The machine does everything it's supposed to.
On the negative side, the only annoyance is a slight whining noise the machine makes at low speed. Happens more often when the machine hasn't been used in a while, and usually goes away within a few minutes of sewing.
This is a solid, well-made machine that does what it's supposed to do. It can be finicky, bobbin-wise, so be sure to follow the manual exactly and use a proper weight of thread in the bobbin. Odds are, if it jams, it's something you've done. Keep it clean and thread it carefully and you'll have no trouble.
This was meant to be my last sewing/quilting machine for the forseeable future. I don't plan to ever trade up, and I don't think I will ever need to. For the average quilter who's not huge on embroidery, this is the machine for you. Expensive, but amortize it over 20 years, and it's peanuts.
I started saving for a Bernina the next year, and trust me, I had to save a long time.
I had decided that I wanted the hands-free presser foot lifter and the needle-down feature. Anything else was a bonus. Or so I told myself.
I settled on the model 140 with the appropriate (expensive) upgrades to the near-equivalent of the 150. And soon regretted it. It was just too bare to be worth the $1500 cdn I'd spent on it. The stitches included with the machine were not changeable and I didn't really like them. I wasn't happy.
I was lucky that my dealer allowed a 6-month 100% trade-in. So I was able to add the additional $400 or so to get the model 150 I'd really wanted, and didn't lose any of the original money I'd spent on the 140. (Is this confusing? Sorry.)
Anyway, the point is I then had a real model 150, and I have never since regretted it
This machine is the Jaguar of sewing machines.
The features of the 150 are designed specifically for the quilter, and I've used a lot of them.
The needle-down feature is a godsend, especially when doing complicated piecing or quilting. The hands-free pressure foot lifter, likewise. The 1/2 speed motor control is great for when you're stippling. The 1/4" patchwork foot is a bonus.
My favourite feature, though, is the super-heavy buttonhole stitch (#18, I think). It looks so much better than the version I did by hand (and people said I did great buttonhole stitch) that I've stopped doing it by hand altogether! Great with fusible applique and it stands up to the washing machine!
I can easily pop out the CPS card and get other stitches, but I'm not much for embroidery, so I haven't explored them yet. I think I'm saving it for later. It'll feel like a whole new machine!
The walking foot is great, for quilting and bindings. Keeps them from bunching up in spots. I've done some free-motion quilting, too, and just need lots of practice to produce top-notch results. The machine does everything it's supposed to.
On the negative side, the only annoyance is a slight whining noise the machine makes at low speed. Happens more often when the machine hasn't been used in a while, and usually goes away within a few minutes of sewing.
This is a solid, well-made machine that does what it's supposed to do. It can be finicky, bobbin-wise, so be sure to follow the manual exactly and use a proper weight of thread in the bobbin. Odds are, if it jams, it's something you've done. Keep it clean and thread it carefully and you'll have no trouble.
This was meant to be my last sewing/quilting machine for the forseeable future. I don't plan to ever trade up, and I don't think I will ever need to. For the average quilter who's not huge on embroidery, this is the machine for you. Expensive, but amortize it over 20 years, and it's peanuts.
