ABOUT ME

I am Angela and I love to sew. I started sewing as a child and by the time I was a teenager I was wearing the very latest fashions to go out in. All me-made. I am passionate about reducing the amount of textiles sent to landfill, and encourage you to repurpose fabrics and clothes I started this blog in order to have a way in which to pass on my gained knowledge, and my professional knowledge to you, Sewing is empowering, you can save money by making items, make money by selling then, You can pass your knowledge on to others. What is there not to love? Interestingly I am a direct descendant of the Flemish weavers who came over to England in the 1300's. I find that fascinating especially as most of my family from as far back as I can trace are somehow involved in the manufacturing of fabric . . I have a degree in tailoring with a special interest in WW2 fashion.

Friday 24 November 2017

The Bernina 350PE Sewing machine

This is a review of the Bernina 350PE sewing machine from Jaycotts

This is my own sewing machine and I want to talk to you about why I love it.





This machine is a strong workhorse which will serve you well for many years to come. Bernina are so confident of the longevity of this machine that it comes with a seven year guarantee.

The Bernina PE (Patchwork Edition) comes with a lot of extras making it especially good value.
As you might expect one of the many accessories which are included is a patchwork foot.
Also included is the totally invaluable walking foot and an extension table meaning you can get started on your project straight away.

The machine has a vast selection of inbuilt stitches with 20 utility stitches, 52 decorative stitches 11 quilting stitches Two memory buttonholes and a full range of automatic lettering and font.
It is incredibly easy to select each different stitch in the LCD screen but what really makes this machine so outstanding is its ease of use, smooth running and accuracy whether you are a beginner or experienced sewer.
Take a look at the machine on Jaycotts web site, and if you want more information or to try it out just give them a call, contact details are below Bernina 350PE at Jaycotts








The Bernina 350 PE  comes with a whole range of accessories and features

• Bobbins
• Dust cover
• Extension Table
• Foot control & power cord
• Foot: Automatic Buttonhole
• Foot: Blind Hem
• Foot: Even Feed - Walking Foot
• Foot: Overlock
• Foot: Patchwork
• Foot: Regular Zig Zag
• Foot: Zipper
• Knee Lifter
• Lint Brush
• Needles
• Oil
• Screw Drivers
• Seam Ripper
• Spool Caps
• Thick Fabric Compensator

The bobbins are extra large which comes in handy as one bobbin usually lasts through a project.

The instruction book is clear, concise and very easy to follow.There are plenty of accessories included with it including a walking foot which I use a lot. One small touch which I like is that there is a stitch pattern summary card which slots into the handle and which makes choosing a new stitch easy.








The Bernina Walking Foot is one of the best I have ever used. On this link Bernina Walking Foot you can view an official Bernina video of the foot in operation so that you can see for yourself that it is capable of so much.
The walking foot has different soles for normal sewing,  stitching in the ditch and quilting and comes with seam guides for accurate sewing.


It produces excellent results on all fabrics from the finest to the thickest and makes for perfect pattern matching of plaids, stripes and everything else.




The machine comes with a supply of tools and different feet, dependant on which model you choose. Extra feet can be purchased once you decide which ones you will actually use. I needed an invisible zipper foot and an overedge foot, which I find is a great alternative to the overlocker especially when you don't have overlock thread in the correct colour

The machine has many functions which many other machines do not have:-

• Auto needle stop up / down: ideal for pivoting fabric at corner points etc
• Automatic Memory Buttonhole
• Built-in carry handle
• Built-in needle threader
• Built-in sewing light
• Knee operated presser foot
• Large LCD screen
• Maximum sewing speed: 900 stitches per minute
• Memory function to recall frequently used stitch combinations
• Really easy touch button stitch selecting
• Sleeve arm facility to sew round trouser bottoms - sleeves - cuffs etc.
• Slide on/off Extension Table
• Smooth - low vibration running
• Solid metal chassis
• Speed limiter for more accurate control
• Stitch length and width are automatically selected for you - can be changed if required
• Stop/start button use with / without its foot control
• Supplied with Walking Foot
• Thread cutter conveniently positioned
• Twin needle facility
• Variable needle position for easier zip insertion piping etc
• Variable stitch length
• Variable stitch width
• Weight approx 10kg




I love the ease at which the machine does beautiful embroidery, there are never any snapped threads with this machine, even when sewing at speed.  I do recommend using an embroidery needle though, and sewing with specialist embroidery threads,



You will need different needles for each type of sewing and Jaycotts have all you could ever need from twin needles to ball point and embroidery - and everything in between! Take a look at the selection Sewing Machine needles

And don't forget that you need thread too. Please don't spend a lot of money on your new machine and spoil your project with inferior thread, choose the best and you will be guaranteed good results. Gutterman is popular with most sewers . In these pages you will find all the threads you need Machine Threads

I use fabrics from Minerva crafts Fabrics and highly recommend them for all of your sewing projects



Choosing a sewing machine is very personal so take a look at the range of Bernina Sewing machines Bernina Sewing Machines and think about what sort of sewing you do. If you are a sewing newbie I would recommend choosing a machine you can grow into, one with some functions which you could see yourself using in the future. If you choose a very basic machine you will soon wish that you had purchased one which had more functions!





I do recommend contacting Jaycotts to discuss the best machine at the best price for you. There are lots of machines to choose from so If you have any queries give them a ring on 01244 394099 They are very friendly and knowledgeable. They will talk to you about the different machines on sale and help you to choose one which best suits your needs and your budget. They also sell overlockers and Horn cabinets which are to die for . I love to be organised and tidy so anything which stores things neatly really rocks my boat.

They often have special offers on machines, patterns and haberdashery so do keep visiting the site, and don't forget to sign up for their newsletter and be the first to read about new products, special offers and to view their blog.




Thank you for reading this 
Angela