Sewing Machines: Bernina 730 Record versus Husqvarna Lily 555

Bernina 730 Record versus Husqvarna Lily 555

This blog is my personal view.  It concentrates on a couple of pros and cons of the above sewing machines. If I had to choose one to use as my constant it would be a very difficult decision.  Based on reliability and the fact the tension rarely fails, the Husqvarna would win by a hairline margin.  Based pleasure of using, the Bernina wins hands down.

They are both workhorses and have both been truly hammered over the last 15/20 years.   I can honestly say, apart from a seasonal service neither of them have visited the sewing machine hospital.  Considering how much fabric has passed under those feet, and thread through the spools and loops.

It was love at first sight when the Bernina, called out to me from the shelf at the Exeter Sewing Machine Shop.  The intention was to purchase latest Bernina model but when I saw the Record 730 it took me just two seconds to change my mind.  The Husqvarna was purchased as a spare  but it is now my primary machine.

The two embroidered samples below show machine embroidery by Jackie Wills.  See more http://picasaweb.google.com/thejaxcollection 

Bernina 730 Record

Pros:

The Swiss build is superb, a real looker, no square corners. The latches click, hinges strong, by sound it purrs.

Personal to me:

Bernina Embroidered Horse Mane 

The tapering embroidery stitches, the lever manoeuvre allows for long tapering effect from wide to narrow to nil and back again, creating a graceful uninterrupted line of stitching.

Freehand embroidery using a foot and lowering of the feet is second to none.  I dont need to use an embroidery hoop on thicker fabrics.  I can whizz back, forward and around and around at great speed without the thread breaking.  Effortless and easy.

Removing lint and dust from the inside of the machine is helped by the design of the machine.

Cons:

Occasionally stitches skip which is annoying when perfect stitching is paramount.  Unpicking is frustrating.  Replacing the needle helps.
As always the case when you need to demonstrate to the sewing machine doctor it sews perfectly!

Husqvarna Lily 555

Pros:  

Heavy, strong, endless variations of stitch can be created by the computerised system.  In my experience very reliable.

Husqvarna embroidered.

Personal to me:  

Freehand embroidery works but is limited, lower the feed teeth does not give fluidity to manoeuvre fabric around and around.   Stitches are neat and reliable.  Many features which make it a joy to use, as a general all rounder.  Stitch memory is particularly useful.

Cons:  

Removing lint and dust from inside machine is limited.

Its great to open the casing to clean the lint, dust and occasional broken threads from the machine.  Also there are points to oil the machine.  Its important not to over lubricate your machine.

Opening this machine makes you appreciate how well it has been designed.

Husqvarna Lily.  Cleaning is limited to removing the spool casing.  The manual says no lubrication (oil) is needed.   Must admit I find this strange with so much use.

1000 Waistcoats later..................

Going to write this blog about once a week.   Last week wrote about my first commission.  This week spring forward 25 years, nearly 1000 waistcoats later to present day.   Its overwhelming to think the first waistcoat could lead to nearly a thousand unique waistcoats.  On reflection it seems like a mammoth waistcoat breeding programme.   One lead to another, lead to meeting another person, lead to a change in style, lead to change in direction, lead to another boundary, to a new fabric, a new technique, lead to tears but most of all lead to personal fulfilment and happiness.

Glancing through my unorganised galleries of work

http://picasaweb.google.com/thejaxcollection

I can recall the creation of each garment, and definitely have favourites. Waistcoat 71 is one of them.   Since 1991 denim has been one of my favourite fabrics after a chance experiment with a pair of old jeans.  More about that in a future blog.

Waistcoat 71 was born in about 1997 when Gordon and I were renovating a Mervyn Seal 1960's style house S'Argamassa (renamed "Sailing Free") on the Marine Drive area of Torquay.   It was a wonderful place to have a studio, despite all the noise of the re-build.

The abstract design of five leaves on a stem was sort of inspired by this house,  I found a chestnut leaf in the garden, of which I created an abstract version.     The embroidery is courtesy of my beloved Bernina 701 sewing machine (circa 1960's) purchased from the Exeter Sewing Machine Company.

Like all my work, the machine stitching is random,  not planned and not marked onto the fabric in advance.  The love hearts can be seen in a number of my garments of that time, a quirky abstract heart, different on each garment applied, with a flume of embroidery cascading until it felt "right" to stop the machine.

The black denim  colour randomly discharged with bleach to create the animal hide effect.   The hand painted designs were applied where the fabric distress is paler for maximum impact.   The leaves have been machine embroidered using satin stitch.  Then turquoise stitching sewn between the leaves.  The garment as one front pocket.   In total there are eight leaf stems and eight hearts.   Strange as I normally work in threes or sixes.

At that time created many garments with "Chestnut Leaf"  theme.  This and another wacky blue denim is still in my collection (waistcoat 47).

Next blog will be about my beloved Bernina 730 Record and Husqvarna Lily sewing machines.  They are both brilliant to use, but both have pros and cons for certain types of work.