A couple of months ago I received an email from Bernina inviting me to attend an event July 21-22 in nearby Kansas City. There was an attendance fee to be paid, but the email said that this event was being held to announce the most exciting new sewing machine ever produced and that only 1000 lucky people would be able to attend. I wondered why Bernina would choose Kansas City for a worldwide announcement of a new (the hype made it seem life-changing) product. I'm fond of KC, but it has always seemed like a place where conventions go to die. Being a sucker for this kind of thing, I signed up. The confirmation I got back didn't have any information other than the time and place that the big event would be, along with a plea for attendees to arrive 30 minutes before the start time. If there’s a more punctual group than quilters on this planet, I'd hate to meet them. Having set up programs and events for my quilt guild for several years, I know that QUILTERS SHOW UP EARLY.
So, I had plenty of time to count heads as we all patiently waited for the doors to open. I came up about 900 people short of the 1000 lucky people that were to attend. There were a couple of groups of people from out of state...Bernina store clubs from Illinois and Iowa. My local Bernina store tried years ago to get this type of thing going, but I think it stalled out. I haven't bought a new machine in a long time, so maybe that is why I didn't hear anything from them about this big event. I did not see a single familiar face. Anyway, about 90 of us filed into a "vendors' mall" that had three vendors; Bernina, a thread place, and an embroidery supply place. My machine is enough out of date that I did not see anything for sale from Bernina that would be compatible with it. It didn't take long to see it all, and I began to wish I had showed up 30 minutes late. Eventually, we were herded into the next room where red tracking lights and a feeble smoke machine tried to give a rock concert atmosphere to the evening.
And now I have to ask you to run out and rent the movie "Drop Dead Gorgeous" with Kirsten Dunst! It is one of my favorites. Almost everything about the evening began to remind me of that hysterical movie.... the music, the accents of the people on the stage, the effort expended to put on a fabulous event in the middle of dullsville.
I have to wonder how many people Bernina thought would attend this event? Was the celebration scaled back once they found out how many people were willing to attend? Did the “1000” lucky people expected to attend include the shop owners and employees who had been there the previous weekend?
Well, eventually the amazing new machine was rolled out, and it WAS amazing. I want one. We all wanted one. Bernina is calling these new machines the "Series 8". They have completely redesigned it to have much more room between the needle and the head of the machine, and from the needle to the face of the faceplate. The bobbin is much bigger and holds 40-60% more thread. There is a built in walking foot. If you tell the machine what type of needle you have put in, it will remember it. If you tell it what foot you are using, it won’t let you try to do anything that is impossible. It has over 200 new stitches, and it has a clock with an alarm so you can remember to pick up the kids. It would take me pages to tell about all of the improvements to the embroidery capabilities of the 830.
The other model, just mentioned in passing was the 820. It is said to be a “dedicated sewing machine” and does not have any of the embroidery bells and whistles. I was told that they could not be added later. We all got about 15 minutes each to push buttons and sew a little on an 830. The one 820 on hand was not plugged in and never mentioned.
Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson were the celebrities on hand to talk about their lives and work…and, of course, sell their books and DVDs. They both were very entertaining. After that, most of the programs seemed to be about the various features of the 830.
I guess I feel a little sorry for Bernina. They started this project six years ago when the dollar was stronger and gas and food were cheaper. Now seems like a difficult time to launch an expensive new product, no matter how fabulous it is. And that is the downside to the Series 8…. the cost. I did see several people put down the fully refundable $500 deposit to be put on the waiting list for a Series 8 machine, and good for them! After all, how much does a speedboat or a golf cart and country club membership cost, if we are talking luxury…or a backhoe cost, if we are talking tools. But they did all look a little queasy as they walked away with their receipts.
I’m not going to say how much the Series 8 retails for, but I will say that the redesigned cabinet that they fit into sells for just pocket change under $3000.
I think an 820 would be a great addition to my sewing studio.
Maybe I’ll sign up for one in the future.
Maybe Johnny Depp will call me and ask me out on a date.
You never know…. anything is possible.
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