My First Bernina
Roy Bamber | Mar 14, 2010 | Comments 2
I’ll never forget the first Bernina machine I came across in 1958. It was a model 600 brought to me for repair at the small shop I had then, about 200 yards from our present much larger store.
I was already selling Viking, Necchi, Novum and my own branded Bamber machines. As a mechanic I was much impressed with the superb build quality of the Bernina 600. After minor repairs it ran like a Swiss watch and the stitch quality was superb!
It took some time to track down the distributor, (no Google in the fifties), Bogod, in London. I wrote to them but was immediately rebuffed as “they already had a dealer in Manchester”. Undeterred, I closed the shop and drove to London in my Ford Anglia Van, parked on the street outside Bogods premises – no meter maids then – and spent two hours convincing them I “was a good thing”. They again mentioned the Manchester Stockist but I told them that my shop was in Patricroft – they asked where Patricroft was and I said, “Between Manchester and Liverpool”. For some reason they took this to mean it was equidistant between the two Cities. They then reluctantly agreed to supply me with just one machine to sell at £65.00. They offered me 30 days credit but I plonked down the trade price in cash, which cheered them. I then siad I’d take it with me thus saving them the transport cost, and I finally drove away with one Bernina 600 machine. Not a bad days work.
By 10.30 next day I sold the machine, rang Bogod to order another 5 machines and posted a cheque to cover the order. The machines arrived a week later (after my cheque had cleared). Bogod, a family concern like ourselves, have told us over the last few years that we sell more Berninas than any other shop in both the UK and Europe.
Not entirely all my own work as after my two sons, Alan and Steven, had joined me in the family business, I made sure I sent them to Bogod in London, and Bernina in Switzerland for training. They have also been to Pfaff in Germany and did factory mechanics courses with our other suppliers.
Nowadays they run the business and sometimes even tell me what to do. I take absolutley no notice of them of course, and consequently, we three get along amicably and the business ticks over nicely.
Filed Under: Roy's Thoughts
Hello Roy, mooching around google, I just found your blog – it’s delightful, I especially loved ‘Fair Do’s!! We met when you sold me 3 machines in one day a few years ago – a Janome, a Coverstitch and a Bernina 800DL overlocker. Anyway, to get to the point, I am on the committee of a stitching group in Southport. A month or so ago we were given a sewing machine by the family of a lady who had recently passed away. My colleague, who knows nothing about machines, took one look at the dirty, tatty state of the machine and said it was only fit for the tip. Luckily I asked if I could give it a second opinion. It turned out to be an old Bernina 600. I’d never seen a Bernina quite so old (Mine is an 860 from 1974). I gave it a clean and oiling and it ran, if a little sluggishly. It is presently with my local semi-retired machanic having a pampering session, but being a very simple workshorse of a machine, we will allow the member os our club to use it at meetings. I suspect that it will be good for another generation or two!! Anyway, I shall subscribe to your blog, I think it’s lovely!!
Best regards, Sue.
My 2nd sewing machine was a Bernina, my 1st a Jones. Mother in law had bought herself the Bernina but couldn’t use it so she did a swop with me, we were both very pleased with that transaction. I can honestly say whatever sort of fabric I offered up to my Bernina it sewed it perfectly. I’m talking silk chiffon to thick terry towelling, stretch fabrics to woollen fabrics, I could do mock smocking, well as you can guess I loved my Bernina! I was devasted when the motor gave up but bouyed up when a friend sold us a commercial motor, used for sewing sails! It fitted and worked but was so noisy and chuggy it just wasn’t like MY Bernina so I bought a new machine. Couldn’t afford a Bernina, and in any case it became difficult to buy affordable fabric in 70s and 80s, so I got what we could afford and to suit what I would be using it for.
By now 50 years have passed I am ready for a new machine and Oh how I wish it could be a Bernina. I think I fall into the category of ‘special needs’ as I can no longer use the pedal with my foot, extending the leg causes pain (I’ve had to stop driving for this reason). I think I read somewhere that this is catered for with some machines.Currently I am using a tip thought up by my daughter, I use my forearm on the pedal, it takes a bit of getting used to but it does work and I bless her for working with me and coming up with her idea.
I’ve written this for your ‘maybe’customers to read, I honestly believe there isn’t a machine out there that could match the Bernina. I just wish they were not too expensive for us as pensioners for Bernina will always be first choice. It would be the first thing I would buy if we had a Lottery win.