BellaBoo

The Bernina shop here keeps saying it's the quilter's fault and if the BSR doesn't work correctly. One guild member was so frustrated she said OK, show me how I messed it up then. Nothing about the machine has changed since the last time you 'fixed' it. One guild member out of five guild members that have it have no problem at all with it. She says that's because she doesn't use it. LOL.

RST

I'm saddened to hear so many people giving up on their BSRs. I think they are a great tool, and they do work. It does take some problem solving sometimes, and some adjustment to how you work. But in my experience, most of the times I've had trouble with my BSR (not all, but most) it has been something I was forgetting to do, an error I made, a poor thread choice -- all things that fall under operator error.

I had one quilt where I got very frustrated with skips along seams in the piecing, and on that particular quilt, my better option was to do free motion quilting without the BSR to to turn my motor speed way down.

RST

OCQuilts

I couldn't agree more. I think that saying it's operator error is something that upsets people, I suspect that the fault lies mainly on the dealers, who promote items as infallible ( to make a sale ), and send a happy customer on their way home. At our shop we watch as a new owner at first feels frustrated and then becomes adept with practice. We offer a lot of support!

dunster

I have not had any significant problems with my BSR. Is yours still skipping?

RST

One of the things I love about the dealer where I bought my Bernina is that they offer a weekly "club" where you can come for a few hours, learn a new project or skill, ooh and ahh over each other's latest projects, and problem solve with other users when BSR problems come up. It's very reasonably priced, and totally informal -- you come when you can kind of thing. I think it's helped me a lot.

nnewman

I have had the same problem and taken my machine and BSR in twice-supposedly there is nothing wrong and they have updated everything. However, I notice that my skipping and stopping happens on dark fabrics, especially solid black. I just don't think that the BSR reads the darker fabrics well. In some cases I can't use my Bernina/BSR at all to free motion quilt. I made 4 black and white quilts this spring/summer and it happened on each one everytime I hit the back fabric. In between I have quilted several other projects with lighter fabric and no problem.

If I have marked a pattern with chalk heavily, I do give my BSR head a quick swipe to clean off eye.

nnewman

I have had the same problem and taken my machine and BSR in twice-supposedly there is nothing wrong and they have updated everything. However, I notice that my skipping and stopping happens on dark fabrics, especially solid black. I just don't think that the BSR reads the darker fabrics well. In some cases I can't use my Bernina/BSR at all to free motion quilt. I made 4 black and white quilts this spring/summer and it happened on each one everytime I hit the back fabric. In between I have quilted several other projects with lighter fabric and no problem.

If I have marked a pattern with chalk heavily, I do give my BSR head a quick swipe to clean off eye.

paulswalia

Don't know - got so tired of practicing free motion quilting that I put it aside for another day and have gone back to piecing. Will try some other day, when conditions (and frame of mind) are better.