My Experience With the Bernina 770QE Sewing Machine Full Guide of 2024

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Discover the joy of creating with a Bernina sewing machine. With its renowned throat space, hover foot feature, and near-silent operation, it’s easy to see why thousands choose Bernina for their projects.

I recently purchased an ex-display model of the 770QE and wanted to share my experience in case it helps others who are considering this powerful little machine! From initial issues and buyer’s remorse to challenges like thread jams and maintenance needs, here is what I learned during my time with the Bernina 770QE.

Why I Chose the Bernina 770QE

You may have heard quilters like Tula Pink raving about the Bernina 770QE, and I was lucky enough to find an ex-display model for £700 less than the retail price.

The large throat space meant that maneuvering bigger quilts right off the needle was easier, and its high-precision stitches made piecing simpler. It also had features like a color touchscreen, innovative Bernina dual feed technology, and adjustable presser foot pressure, which greatly appealed to me.

However, I experienced thread troubles with the Bobbin Sensor from day one, as well as frequent oiling issues that could not be rectified even after servicing. Additionally, I found working with its fiddly Bernina Stitch Regulator (BSR) quite time-consuming compared to my expectations, and I had difficulty using it on larger pieces due to its slow speed.

Ultimately, these problems caused me buyer’s remorse, leading me to trade in my machine for the Pfaff Quilt Expression 720 at a lower cost due to budget constraints.

What Sold Me on the Machine?

The Bernina 770QE sewing machine has a lot to offer quilters, and its features are what sold me on it. It boasts an impressive 9mm stitch width with adjustable presser foot pressure, as well as a larger throat space for easier maneuvering of bigger projects.

Throat Space

The huge throat space of the 770QE really had me dreaming of larger projects, and I felt excited to tackle some quilting adventures. With a 9mm stitch width and ruler foot for precise measuring, it seemed like this machine would make my work easier – but there were definitely flaws.

The Bernina Stitch Regulator was slow when working on bigger pieces, and troubleshooting too often needed due to the main drive belt needing frequent oiling. Despite these reliability issues, its large throat space still offered a range of benefits over other brands which made it worth considering before I ultimately decided against keeping it.

Hover Foot

With a 9mm stitch width, the Bernina 770QE’s Hover Foot is like an extension of your arm.

Features such as the Bobbin Sensor, Dual Feed, Presser Foot Pressure Adjustment, and Innovative Bernina Dual Feed give this machine some unique advantages.

The edge of the fabric is also kept in place by using the silver hook system from Pfaff IDT, which helps prevent puckering or bunching when stitching intricate quilts.

Whether tackling large projects or small details on any type of material, this machine offers plenty for sewers looking for precision and power at their fingertips!

Noise

Surprisingly, the Bernina 770QE was incredibly loud for such a powerful machine; it wasn’t even close to what I expected. Its motor noise and needle vibrations could be heard from across the room, coupled with louder lubrication and fabric drag noises.

Overall, this machine was much noisier than my previous Janome model or any other new sewing machines I had used before. Despite regular oiling services to reduce noise levels, the Bobbin Sensor issue remained unresolved, which dampened my enthusiasm for its performance capabilities further.

All in all, trading in this noisy beast for a Pfaff Quilt Expression 720 proved to be an excellent decision that gave me liberation from unnecessary stress without compromising on quality!

Bernina Foot Control

You’ll be amazed to hear that the Bernina 770QE’s foot control had a unique feature that allowed it to remember your preferred settings for up to 10 stitches, making sewing easier and faster. With Fixed Speed Control, you can confidently sew with perfect thread quality each time.

Needle selection was also precise, and motor power adjustable via Foot Adjustment – something that made a big difference over longer periods of time when quilting or piecing larger projects without having sync error issues due to bobbin sensor problems.

My Experience With the Ex-Display Bernina 770QE

When I purchased the ex-display Bernina 770QE sewing machine, I had high expectations for its ability to make quilting large projects easier, thanks to its larger throat space and high-precision stitches.

Unfortunately, right from the beginning, there were issues with the bobbin sensor that could not be resolved even after servicing. This left me feeling regretful about my purchase. Additionally, the lack of proper training on how to utilize all the machine’s features made it difficult to use and resulted in more problems compared to my previous machine.

Initial Issues

Despite its impressive features, my Bernina 770QE sewing machine encountered some initial issues. From the beginning, there were problems with the bobbin sensor, and when sent for service, these persisted.

The learning curve was steep as I lacked knowledge of how to use it properly and found myself needing support from a sewing machine expert.

Additionally, having an ex-display model meant that I had no access to Bernina’s blue screen tutorials or jumbo bobbins, which could have improved stitch quality and reliability. Ultimately, this led me away from the Bernina towards a Pfaff Quilt Expression 720 – cheaper but still offering great features – due to budget constraints caused by ongoing issues with my original purchase.

Buyer’s Remorse

Feeling buyer’s remorse, you quickly realized that the machine had a lot more issues than expected and wasn’t worth the steep price tag.

With its large throat space and high-precision stitches, it seemed like an ideal choice for quilters looking to make larger quilts – but with no training or troubleshooting tips from the dealer, learning how to use it was difficult.

Not even loads of customer support or expensive fabric choices could stop frequent thread jams and oiling problems.

It soon became clear that investing in a new machine might be your best option before embarking on any bigger projects; luckily there are plenty of kinds of quilt-as available at different prices so you can find one that suits your needs!

Lack of Training

Without the necessary training or troubleshooting advice, trying to get up and running with this machine was a daunting task. It created more difficulty than expected with its bobbin sensor problems and frequent oiling issues.

Even if one could figure out how to adjust the thread tension and presser foot pressure without instruction, similar issues like an error message popping up on the touchscreen would still occur, forcing you down a different route in order to try again.

Standard bobbins were no help when using this machine either. As soon as you got your idea of what the bobbin sensor should be doing wrong, you’d have to start all over again from scratch! This lack of reliable guidance made working with the Bernina 770QE incredibly tough for beginners who weren’t prepared for such technical challenges.

Challenges With the Bernina 770QE

Greetings! When it comes to the Bernina 770QE, there are a few challenges that users may experience. Thread jams and frequent maintenance were common issues due to its fiddly nature, while needing leaders for piecing was also an issue.

The Bernina Stitch Regulator could be too slow in operation for some users’ needs as well. All of these problems can make using this machine difficult, but with proper training and understanding of how each feature works, they can be overcome if desired.

Thread Jams

You’ll be frustrated by the frequent thread jams that occur, as if your sewing machine is determined to test your patience! To make matters worse, it’s hard to tell whether this issue is due to a faulty bobbin sensor or incorrect foot control.

With an adjustable presser foot pressure and noise reduction technology, you might think these issues would be easy enough for beginners, but they can quickly become overwhelming.

Need for Leaders

When quilting with the Bernina 770QE, you’ll quickly realize that leaders are essential to ensure smooth stitching and avoid thread jams. It’s not easy for beginners, as the bobbin issues, oil troubles, and learning curve can make it tricky to adjust foot pressure correctly.

Having a presser foot is also important – without one, you won’t be able to test your fabric on a scrap of equal number of comments before starting off on your project.

The Bernina may look impressive, but mastering its features takes time, so don’t expect instant gratification! With patience and practice, however, you will soon have complete control over this powerful machine.

Bernina Stitch Regulator

The Bernina Stitch Regulator may have seemed like a great feature, but all too often it proved to be slower than expected and a source of frustration. Troubleshooting the Automatic Threader or Needle Threader could be time-consuming, while bobbin issues created even more problems.

Even with the foot pedal set correctly, quilting projects could take far longer than anticipated due to slow stitch speeds.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance was key to keeping the machine running smoothly, but it could still be a challenge. Oiling frequency and tension adjustments were necessary for optimal stitch quality. Foot pedals had to be adjusted frequently due to bobbin issues that caused the thread not being picked up correctly.

This caused frequent rethreading of both top and bottom threads, which led to wasted time and frustration while sewing projects.

Additionally, incorrect tensions often resulted in poor stitch results even after all other things have been checked or replaced. It would take some trial-and-error before finding what worked best for each project – unfortunately, another source of headaches! With enough patience, though, mastery over this Bernina sewing machine was achievable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)