rumor ?

I subscribe to e-mails from Bernina and I did get one last month touting a new machine they're going to be debuting sometime this month. They were being rather secretive about it, I thought - no pictures or details of the new machine. I found it kind of annoying, actually, because I wondered if they had finally come out with a large harp machine. But they weren't telling their e-mail subscribers, that's for sure! Realistically, since I already have a big harp Janome, I probably wouldn't bite on a new Bernina, even though I love my Bernina 1090S, purchased in 1995.

Iris

What is a harp machine? KayFl

Well, all machines have harps - a large harp machine has more space than usual between the needle and the upright part of the machine. I think the Janome has about nine inches of space to the right of the needle, which allows you to manipulate larger amounts of fabric to the right of the needle, helpful in machine quilting larger quilts.

Iris

Janome has made various machines in Asia for Bernina, and other makers. The Bernina Embroidery machines come to mind right now. I think that the factory in Thailand, is one of the places that produced machines for various makers using their parts and assembling them there with cheaper labor. All of the Bernina Activa line and the 1008 Mechanical are made in Thailand, for Bernina, using swiss made parts. I wouldn't be surprised about who makes what for whom in this age of off-shoring of manufacturing. There is nothing inherently wrong with that except when you consider that some manufacturers are trading on a premium name with substandard machines. There will probably only be a few manufacturers who make their own machines in the future. They will all be made by holding companies who use the established brand names for marketing purposes.

Great. Another reason not to spend 10 G's on a new Bernina.

Howdy!

Haven't they been do> Someone on the Janome 6600 yahoo group just commented that she heard a

I think I give up. I probably have enough machines here to last a few lifetimes. I am pretty easy to please. I just want a machine to sew a nice stitch and be reliable. I don't want a substandard machine with any name on it! I guess that would just leave more money for fabric and less headaches for me. Taria

John wrote:

That's the problem for me when I think about moving to another machine. I probably have almost as much money tied up in feet & accessories for my Viking #1+, that I just can't justify junking them all for a new machine.

Paul>

Taria: My LQS is also a Bernina store. A few days ago I received their e-news, which includes Bernina info. In fact this issue was mainly Bernina stuff, so I deleted it. It included talk about the owner, one or two staff, and the SM Tech all going to the Mid West for some major Bernina event, an unveiling and lessons for the newest SM. It would be a super duper sewing, quilting and embroidery machine. That's all I know about that. (I have NO idea if there is a Janome connection.)

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I just don't understand.

A bigger harp would be a wonderful improvement, and many Bernina owners would regard that type of upgrade as a must-have.

But, why would the manufacturer want to 're-tool' the machine so that the previous accessories would not fit? While the obvious answer might be to sell more accessories, it just seems counter productive.

This penny-pinching quilter would much rather spend money on fabric than on accessory feet. And I am guessing I am in the majority. While I might justify a newer machine as an alternative to a longarm, I could in no way justify tossing all the accessories I have bought. And, if I were to keep my original (for the accessories), then any additional machine had best be a HUGE improvement in many more ways than just additional harp space.

Lisa in NJ

I saw something about Janome bought out Bernina and another big name sewing machine- but I can't remember which one. I *think* I read it in a newsletter from Janome, but I have done some searching on the internet and can't find a news release nor anything on Janome's website. Maybe Jeanne can find the article- she's so good at that!

Leslie- mumbling about CRS Syndrome & The Furbabies in MO.