BERNINA Ambassador

School finished two weeks ago and I have been taking the time to just PLAY. I remade a pattern I hadn't made in five years, cut two pants patterns and tested the fit, and planned an extravagant dress for a wedding. I have also been getting outdoors - camping, hiking, and attending a May wedding in the snow!

Another thing I have been playing with is my new BERNINA(!!). She overlocks, chain stitches, and coverstitches, and she's all mine for the year. There have been knit t-shirts, dog clothes, and lots of test samples as of late. It's a lot of work to learn a new machine, but so much fun.

A few months ago, Kollabora put out a call for people interested in becoming a BERNINA ambassador. It's a one-year partnership with the brand that comes with a sewing machine and some blogging duties. I threw my hat in the ring, posting a few photos of some recent projects. The projects weren't particularly dazzling, but they did represent what I was sewing at the moment - some well-fitting shirts, bright colors, and even some sewing for Mr. Made and Beatrix. It must have worked, because a few weeks later Kollabora announced that I would be joining ten bloggers as new ambassadors for the brand. Also participating are Erica Bunker DIY Style, The Sara Project, Sew DIY, Dandelion Drift, Allie J., That Black Chic, Idle Fancy, Grey All Day, and On the Cutting Floor.

At first they offered me a 3 series model, but I had my eyes set on the BERNINA 1300MDC. This is a combination overlock coverstitch machine that offers a total of 24 different types of stitches. I promised them I would sew lots of knits, lingerie, and bathing suits, as well as some things for B and Mr. Made. They bought the pitch, and this past week the machine became ALL MINE (for the year).

To start off, I took a class with my local BERNINA dealer Cecilia at Sew Images. She is just the type of warm, no-nonsense woman who instantly becomes your best friend. We bonded over creative work, crappy patterns, and telemarketers. Before I knew it I had spent over two hours in her shop, listening to her stories about past ambassadors, craft classes, and crazy customers. When the mailman came in, they joked about his birthday. Needless to say, I am headed back again for another class soon!

For the machine itself, I am admittedly a little overwhelmed with all of the options. Cecilia knew all the switches to flip and buttons to press, so I have just need to take some time now to try it all out myself. Luckily for me I am a very much learn-by-doing type of person, so I have just been diving into things and getting started.

Throughout this year, you can catch up with my adventures over on the We All Sew BERNINA blog, and of course I will be blogging other makes here. I will be using the machine in place of my 1980s White overlocker, which badly needs a tune-up since it was dropped on the floor last year. I am especially excited about the coverstitch function, which I've never had before. Because I am an ambassador of the brand I won't be offering any product reviews, but feel free to message me with questions and for honest opinions!

Lots of sewing to come!